Every year, millions of college students comb the internet in search of scholarships that can help with the ever-increasing cost of college tuition. But what if you were missing out on a different kind of money-saver that gets overlooked during most scholarship searches?

If you’re in search of scholarships, you’re probably also funding (or funded) part of your college experience using student loans. Student loans can carry very high interest rates, and while you don’t typically have to start repaying them while you’re in college, monthly payments can start to pile up fast post-graduation. But there’s a secret to saving hundreds, even thousands of dollars on these loans.

The secret? Building your credit score as soon as you turn 18, as soon as you start college, and not waiting until you need credit to start building credit. By building credit and being responsible with your spending throughout college, you can set yourself up to pay much lower interest rates on your student loans.

But the benefits don’t stop there. A solid credit score can mean better rates on auto and home loans, access to apartment rentals, and it can even help you score some coveted jobs.

Building credit while you’re still on the younger side is also a springboard into a healthier relationship with money and a brighter financial future. If you can use credit responsibly while you’re in college, you’re more likely to be able to spend within your means, budget, and plan for unexpected expenses. You’re building credit and building a solid financial foundation.

How to get started

Building credit in college is a great idea, but it’s also easier said than done. Getting a credit card of your own (being on your parent’s account doesn’t build your credit the same way) can be a pain, since you typically need credit to be approved even for the most basic of student options. And even if you can get accepted for a credit card, they often have high interest rates, hidden fees, and confusing terms, all while encouraging you to spend beyond your means and go into debt.

This is where the Fizz Card comes in.

With a Fizz Card, you can start building credit without a credit check. You don’t need a cosigner or a security deposit either. You can sign up with just some personal information and a connected bank account and you can get up to a $1,000 line of credit. Once you’re approved, you’ll get a spend limit based on the balance in your bank account to keep you from spending more than you have. There are no interest rates and your balance is paid off automatically every single day, keeping you from ever building up a big balance. You can use the card like you would cash or a normal debit card, but you’ll be building credit along the way!

But Fizz is more than just the Fizz Card. The Fizz app also gives you access to custom budgeting tools, personal finance courses, trivia, advanced credit monitoring, and more. It’s designed to be your financial ally and to help you get ahead and stay ahead.

The bottom line

For something so important, it’s surprising that financial literacy and credit building don’t get the credit (no pun intended) that they deserve. You don’t hear much about it in school. It’s not often talked about among friends. It’s not even the type of thing that most families talk about.

This dynamic puts young adults at a disadvantage, but a new generation of financial literacy tools, like Fizz, are here to help. So what are you waiting for? Get started building credit and preparing for your financial future with Fizz today.