The credit score you get isn’t always the same score a lender looks at when deciding whether to give you a mortgage, credit card or auto loan.

Part of rebuilding your credit is proving that you can pay your bills on time. If your bad credit episode left you without any credit cards, you’ll have to open new ones.

CoreLogic and FICO partnered last year to offer lenders an alternative credit score for more predictive scoring, which includes data previously not used in credit scoring, from a borrowers cell phone bill, utilities, payday loan activity, to child support judgments, evictions, property tax liens, the status of homeowner’s association dues, whether or not a borrower is underwater on their current home, or whether a borrower owns other properties that credit agencies typically miss.

The JCPenney® Rewards Credit Card, operated by GE Money Bank, is a rewards card for J.C. Penney® customers. Cardholder benefits may include special discounts and exclusive savings, sneak peeks of sales and events, JCP Rewards program, monthly rewards certificates, and the opportunity to earn Gold/Platinum Rewards Credit card status.

Credit scores — they’re like report cards for grown-ups. It’s a three-digit “grade” you get on a scale that ranges from 300 to 850. Your score indicates your creditworthiness to potential lenders, banks, landlords, insurance companies, and even to some employers, for instance. I’m sure you know that the higher your score the better.