Do you know what's lurking inside-1

Half of Canadians don't know what contributes to their credit rating, a new survey has found

Unlike most of her friends, Nanaimo's Jesslyn Gosling is holding off on getting a credit card.

"I don't manage my money very well," admits the 22-year-old.

"If I don't have a credit card then I won't spend."

In today's credit-hungry society, where many people are packing their wallets with two or more credit cards, Gosling may be somewhat of an anomaly. But she won't be for long.

Gosling plans on applying for one "pretty soon" to build up her credit history.

That may mean easier buying power but Gosling and her friend Emma Maddock acknowledge they don't know exactly what goes into credit records after they swipe the almighty credit card.

They're not alone.

A recent Financial Consumer Agency Survey revealed that half of Canadians are unaware of the factors that contribute to an individual's credit rating, and only 15% have requested a credit report.

A credit score is a numerical rating based on the contents of a credit report.

To Julie Jaggernath, of the Credit Counselling Society, it's a "snapshot" of a person's debt history and more important today than ever before.

"It affects everything," she said, noting everything from mortgages, car loans to being able to rent an apartment are dependent on a person's credit history.

Some employers will even run a credit check on applicants to see how they manage money.