There are some terrific credit forums out there. I'll send you a link in a pm for one that I really like.
I've always been uber-cautious about my credit, and even at the worst of my drinking and my most disorganized, I've always had great credit. There are certain tricks I use, such as setting up automatic payments for at least the minimum amount, scheduling my payments so they come due when I know I've just been paid, etc. (most credit cards will let you change the due date). With a little bit of discipline, you can bring your score up pretty fast--you might be surprised.