Credit Score: How to Improve This Key Number

[{"selector":"#anim-6f7b6fdc-4df9-462b-80dc-3e61c2d27d3e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(96.74796%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cb70b300-23f5-4f43-8bdc-77dfb4900f26","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98fd6fea-0ad4-4761-b44f-89fdb3ba3461","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa08ee75-9a7f-4030-87a0-b8543f32e8f5","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e4c4481f-a321-42bf-a1e8-c74cdba4ecb0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-788ee421-3242-4d5d-b44c-62d35c3588aa","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Your credit score is a number that lenders use to assess your creditworthiness. It is a measure of how likely you are to repay your debts on time. A good credit score can help you get approved for loans, lower your interest rates, and save money on insurance.

[{"selector":"#anim-b83a643c-6ccd-450d-acf4-271e7ae2ca0c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(95.12195%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-40e53a11-1f74-4efd-b372-d0f7a60935ca","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3d04473a-ae29-47f9-9c89-5c0b17e4fdfe","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d947034-c8a2-4dff-bb6c-78db6e2cab37","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ccb66f35-43a4-45eb-9f42-5ee949227cef","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-230dc020-5165-4fee-8c7f-9e56113bccf1","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Pay your bills on time. This is the most important factor in determining your credit score. Make sure to pay your bills on time, in full, every month.

[{"selector":"#anim-51a8f9a6-b960-4d37-8e0f-b8cb2aae6521","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(95.32520%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6018f984-d3e4-4e99-8e03-7d9cb94e0188","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6d7fe6b4-a002-473f-8d56-c2a145b2af1c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-30cc6bba-02de-42be-af3d-0b8db03daba8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bae3751-fe81-4a53-839a-e71a010c4266","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6eb8f0b6-a300-4342-81f1-ec5e41a8db9d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Keep your credit utilization low. Your credit utilization is the amount of credit you are using compared to your total available credit. Aim to keep your credit utilization below 30%.

[{"selector":"#anim-3034501e-a2ea-4c4b-9eb0-a1b8a9a9f93d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(97.76422%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-32977d56-2c8b-4cbc-8b5e-02b2540d3c2f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c10cc80-65d7-4061-be6e-77dd6acc8c4c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1565b3c7-f609-4c1c-a467-f746883f2f77","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5f15eb4e-afaf-4752-ac41-4f42f04c2262","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9e83640-4063-4faa-9d77-56e3b1f7ac50","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Length of credit history. The length of your credit history is also a factor in your credit score. The longer your credit history, the better.

[{"selector":"#anim-6a1d05c8-240b-417f-87b1-21efd5e7c3c7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(97.15447%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f00f95ba-470a-4c98-9bbe-968bb23ba366","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4f621aba-3f44-4eb2-8eb7-e83723e7b698","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4bd1bc4c-e92b-4fc8-8fee-b88a3678f7f8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7fa98fb-8933-4722-9eec-93625bf6098d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-658d6aab-3bc7-4129-b9a1-a5ce8cc45cbc","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Apply for new credit sparingly. When you apply for new credit, it can lower your credit score. Try to limit your applications for new credit to once a year, if possible.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f818216-b51c-4b2c-87a7-a12c494a307c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(97.56097%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-df075e97-dc7d-45b1-aea2-a55e14c7ab9d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-375fca92-5f70-4518-af9d-5162e911d37a","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8bfa6a5b-eb33-45ef-bb4f-f4a0e8d96642","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f63b23a7-f236-4473-be24-f00857b6e406","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d9fa8528-17d8-4c82-ad91-65e242081d4e","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Dispute any errors on your credit report. If you see any errors on your credit report, dispute them immediately. Errors can lower your credit score, so it is important to get them corrected.

[{"selector":"#anim-1d6ed62c-c48e-4bf6-a9fd-4c6dc0ee3328","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(97.76422%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0550fa7e-79bb-4d06-a9de-7c53382c22fa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e28e0f22-69dc-4dc7-8d98-55af5564b897","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bdf4f518-1f7b-43a2-87c4-4a13e5ea4a99","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0496ebbc-c91e-4142-933c-a2a97cb11d27","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ad3a8308-7115-4a99-b85d-1c40d292dfc8","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Get a credit card and use it responsibly. If you don't have a credit card, getting one can help you build your credit history. Just be sure to use it responsibly and pay your bills on time.

[{"selector":"#anim-7ae6a2ff-834e-422c-8944-73c993d0a76d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(96.74796%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5b7367ac-3dde-4799-ba18-1a8f4fa2d805","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3a70667d-20e0-499c-bda2-8d5690be32c0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aec0a453-229f-4eb2-ad3c-8ab9b28a7ef1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c0907b4-bb6d-4c6e-a885-2778d00e54c3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e0c70103-dcc9-41f6-a235-ac1eb1ccb909","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Consider a secured credit card. If you have bad credit, you may want to consider a secured credit card. A secured credit card is a credit card that requires you to deposit a certain amount of money as collateral. This can help you build your credit history and improve your credit score.

[{"selector":"#anim-b7dbda52-c06e-49c0-a630-9c3a06e4becf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(96.74796%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c5a493de-21be-4254-bce7-577856d3f845","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-9b8a7ff9-0daa-46d8-85f0-c2566c4f40b3","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a69831ca-e1fa-4a3f-968d-8d4eb8cfe0c9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(141.37933%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-55e00e5c-9d23-4ea2-ad04-75d8469792b7","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fcfb527a-7091-4455-9c76-0fab4e0e6eae","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] ©️:gettyimages Get a copy of your credit report and review it for errors. You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year at AnnualCreditReport.com. Review your credit report carefully for any errors. If you find any errors, dispute them immediately.

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