Play their game, you can still charge things but don't do it until you have the money to pay for it. Charge it, then pay it off immediately.
I have a AMEX Blue Card that gives me 6% cash back on groceries, 3% on gas and 1% on everything else so I use it for those purchases and get cash back on every day expenses, pay it off every month and get money back on money I would have to spend anyway....makes sense to me and I have a 770 credit score.
Yeah, I suppose I could, but since I have little credit to begin with, they only offer me cards with ridiculous rates. So if I were to screw up and forget to pay once, I’d be getting bent over. No thanks.
Right now I get a great deal on rent so I don’t really need credit. Though when I want to buy something, I’ll have to get a card and do like you said.
Paying cash is even nicer.