Credit

By the time I hit my late 20s, I realized something: I’d been treating my credit score like a vague adulting concept I’d "worry about later." You know—right after I stopped ghosting my student loan dashboard and learned to cook something other than eggs. But then, I applied for my first mortgage. And let me tell you: nothing humbles you faster than watching a bank pull your credit while you wait, smiling, and hoping your financial past is friendlier than your teenage MySpace profile.