ToC Credit Rating
In reply to icosahedron152 (msg # 1):
Trail and Gumshoe in general is kind of light and abstract in terms of gear acquisition. Mostly you're actually spending Preparedness, not Credit Rating, to get your hands on stuff and most GM's will say you can have what's plausible for your character to have given their general circumstance.
Credit Rating is investigative, which means you should mostly spend it to get CLUES and information that push the story/investigation, rather than actual material.
This can represent a bribe, but it could also be a social manoeuvre. Credit Rating represents your character's social standing as much as it does their literal bank account, so perhaps a "don't you know who I am?" bluster to get your clue. I think examples given in the book also say you can use it to establish social connections to high-society types; "Oh, I think I recognise the painter! Yes, I believe I roomed with this chap at boarding school..."
Points are spent as you wish and refreshed when you reach certain story beats, such as the end of an investigation or a major revelation. Remember, Credit Rating is investigative, which means it refreshes less commonly than Preparedness, which is a General ability.
Hope that helps!