Kelly Waggoner

Author Description

Kelly Suzan Waggoner is a managing editor at Bankrate, where she leads a team of writers and editors dedicated to helping you get the most out of your credit cards — whether to build credit, manage debt or maximize rewards.

Kelly joined Bankrate with more than 15 years of professional experience in digital publishing, editorial leadership and financial literacy focused on educating people to save money, earn money and grow their wealth. Her expertise has been featured in Nasdaq, Lifehacker and CertifiKid, among other sites. Prior to Bankrate, she was editor-in-chief at Finder.

Kelly has worked with publishers, magazines and nonprofits throughout New York City to develop best practices around editorial, plain language and digital accessibility, and she is passionate about removing barriers and enabling equal access for all who use the internet. She’s also ghostwritten several titles, including a how-to on editing for the Dummies series. Outside of work, you can find her toying with words, flipping through style guides and roaming the city and greater world with her little explorer in tow.

Kelly wants you to know

Building strong credit takes time, and yet good credit can open up access to better borrowing options, lower interest rates and wider choice when it comes to your finances. Among your tools for establishing a credit history is a credit card.

Credit cards offer a wealth of perks beyond saving you a trip to the ATM. They can provide those who are new to credit with the opportunity to build a positive credit history and strong credit score through consistent, on-time payments. Save you significant interest by consolidating high-interest debts into one low-interest monthly payment over a period of a year or more. Or earn you valuable rewards and cash back on your groceries, gas, travel, streaming and other everyday spending.

Start by comparing cards to find the best fit for your budget and your lifestyle. Look for low fees and APRs, as well as perks that align with your financial goals. And keep your spending to what you can comfortably pay off each month to avoid accumulating interest and fees.