Congratulations! You made it through college armed with a degree, and hopefully a job.

Credit cards can't be more convenient. Any time you want to pay for something, you can whip out that piece of plastic.

Getting an excellent credit score may be easier than you think. Here are 5 easy ways for you to increase your credit score:

Opening a new credit card can increase your credit score, provide you with extra perks and rewards, decrease your interest rates, and give you a back-up in case of financial emergencies.

When you imagine your financial future, what do you see? No more credit card debt? A larger nest egg? Finally having some spending cash? To make that vision a reality, you need a plan.

Yes, it’s true: spending money is fun. Buying a new TV, treating yourself to a massage, taking a vacation—all of these things can feel, well, awesome. Especially when you’re rewarding yourself for the hard work you do. But going into debt to be good to yourself? That takes a little of the shine off the experience, doesn’t it? Fortunately, it’s possible to enjoy life and manage debt, at the same time!