Eliminate debt, don’t rearrange it.
Pay down revolving credit such as credit cards. Consolidating into fewer open accounts can help too. |
Don’t close unused credit cards to raise your score.
Fewer accounts are better, but frequent closing and opening of accounts is often a sign of a problem. |
Don’t open more credit accounts than you need.
You may think you’re making more credit available, but you could be hurting your score. |
Don’t open too many new accounts too quickly.
Especially if you’re relatively new to credit. This will create too many inquiries which hurts your score. |
If you have had credit problems, act quickly to reestablish good credit.
The sooner you begin acting responsibly, the sooner your credit score will improve. |
It’s OK to check your own credit.
Be sure to order your credit report directly from the credit reporting agency or through an organization authorized to provide credit reports to consumers. |
