New York: Starting college is an exciting milestone, but it also brings new financial responsibilities that can shape a student's long-term financial future. Financial experts say college is an ideal time to begin building good money habits, establish credit, learn budgeting skills and understand the implications of borrowing. Start building credit earlyExperts recommend that students begin building a credit history as early as possible. Courtney Alev, Consumer Financial Advocate at Credit Karma, said establishing a credit record during college can help students qualify for future financial products such as mortgages, car loans and rental housing. Understand student loansStudents are also encouraged to monitor how much they borrow and understand the long-term cost of their loans.