What money tips would you tell your younger self?

StatePoint

As we age, we sometimes regret those life lessons that might have served us better when we were younger. If you could roll back the years, what would you tell your younger self about money?

Hill Harper, star of ABC’s “The Good Doctor,” is on a mission to help consumers of all ages take charge of their credit scores and financial futures. Author of The New York Times Best Seller, “The Wealth Cure: Putting Money in its Place,” he is dedicated to teaching financial inclusion and literacy. He’s also a spokesman for Experian Boost, a free, innovative financial tool that empowers consumers to add positive utility and mobile phone bill-payment history to their Experian credit files, potentially improving their credit scores instantly.

Knowing what he knows now, Harper is revealing the top financial lessons he would teach his younger self.

Create a blueprint for wealth: If you have enough money to meet your basic needs – ask yourself, “what else do I need to be happy?” Prioritize and plan.

Understand the importance of credit scores: Many people don’t understand money’s impact on their future, for example, a high score can mean access to better financial loan products and the best rates on those loans, while a low score can cost you money with higher interest rates, or limit your ability to secure loans, sign leases or even land jobs.

Take small steps: You can increase your credit score by taking several steps, such as establishing a track record of paying bills on time, paying down debt and using financial tools that can possibly impact your score immediately, such as Experian Boost. Also, Harper stresses you should keep your usage of credit low and only make purchases you can afford.

Be truly wealthy: Harper believes that money is simply a resource that helps people build the lives and communities they want, and that true “wealth” means being healthy, happy and having a positive relationship with money.

To learn more about Harper and Experian Boost, visit Experian.com/BoostAmerica.