Time to turn those credits into credit.

Thousands of recent graduates will start to establish good credit, potentially saving a small fortune over decades, card industry analysts say.

“It’s imperative that recent high school graduates begin building credit as soon as possible,” according to a recent CardHub.com report, “Best Credit Cards for 2015 Graduates.”

The report says using cards properly is the best way for a young person to build a strong credit history, which is essential for gaining access to the best deals.

“Building your credit history is very important at this age. When used responsibly, a credit card can help you achieve a higher credit score,” says Bill Hardekopf of LowCards.com.

Card experts contend the benefits of a good score can go beyond lower rates and access to various benefits.

“Employers, deciding on who to hire, sometimes also check a young person’s credit rating,” said Jill Gonzalez, a CardHub.com spokeswoman. “If a person pays on time, that can potentially help the person get a job.”

How can someone with no credit history or a shaky one start boosting a score?

Card experts recommend a young person with no history or a bad one use a secured card. This is one in which the cardholder puts up a deposit to protect against potential payment problems.

Then, over the course of the first year, if all payments on the card balance are made on time, the credit score will improve.

Higher credit scores mean lower rates and potential access to a mortgage, card experts say. They can also qualify a cardholder for rewards and benefits not available to those with poor ratings.

Using credit effectively saves thousands of dollars over a lifetime if one follows sensible practices quickly, says Matt Schulz, senior industry analyst with CreditCards.com.

“Including mortgages and car loans, over the course of a lifetime we could be speaking of six figures in savings,” he said.

Schulz and his wife graduated from college with $10,000 in debt, but made sacrifices and retired it in four years.

“Today, we enjoy the best card offers and have flown to Europe, thanks to frequent-flyer miles we’ve earned on our cards,” he said.

Parents, Gonzalez notes, should educate their grads in how to use cards.

Education, experts add, includes making first-time card users aware of the advantages of “transactors” over “revolvers.”

The transactor pays off balances each month and pays zero percent interest. The revolver can run up 20 percent annual interest on balances. That can lead to huge card bills, late fees, missed payments and a poor credit rating.

How can your young graduate avoid that? Here are some cards that industry experts say can put the graduate on the road to the best deals: