You think your credit score is a jumbled mess now? Luckily, the three major credit bureaus just stopped counting most medical debt into your score. But it used to be that credit was based on so much more (and less), because the credit "bureaus" were run by people who could be paid off or who could raise or lower your credit just because they liked you. Or they didn't. Dr. Josh Lauer joins us today to continue our dive into American financial history, helping us understand the early days of credit in our country. We'll chat about how it worked, the interesting nuances of your "score," and more. Plus, on this rewind episode from 2017, Mandi Woodruff from the Brown Ambition podcast joined us as our special guest co-host! She'll help us with a couple of headlines, answer a question on the Haven Life Line, and much more. This episode originally aired in 2017 so be sure to ignore any mention of current events. Check out the original show notes here. Enjoy! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices