01
Never miss a minimum, on anything
Payment history is the largest single factor. One thirty-day late mark outweighs a year of careful balance management.
Credit playbook · 10 tactics
10 Habits That Protect a Credit Score
Two factors dominate the score. Most advice concerns the rest.
02
Pay before the statement closes, not before the due date
Utilisation is reported from the statement balance. Paying a few days earlier lowers the reported figure without changing your spending.
03
Keep every card under thirty percent, and one under ten
A single card near its limit suppresses a score even when overall utilisation looks healthy.
04
Ask for limit increases you will not use
Utilisation is a ratio. Raising the denominator improves it immediately, at no cost.
05
Do not close old cards
Closing removes available limit and shortens average account age, which harms two factors at once.
06
Cluster rate shopping into two weeks
Multiple inquiries for the same loan type in a short window are usually treated as a single event.
07
Automate the minimum, pay the rest manually
Automation protects against the catastrophic mistake; manual payment keeps you looking at the balance.
08
Check all three bureau reports once a year
Errors are common, and they can only be disputed if somebody notices them.
09
Freeze your credit files by default
A freeze blocks new accounts being opened in your name, is free, and has no effect on your score.
10
Leave a small balance reporting rather than zero
A tiny reported balance often scores marginally better than nothing, which can read as inactivity.
Put it to work
Calculators for these tactics
Loans & Credit
Credit Utilization Calculator
Overall and per-card utilization, plus how much to pay down to hit a target.
Loans & CreditCredit Card Payoff Calculator
How long minimum payments really take, and what a fixed payment does instead.
Loans & CreditDebt-to-Income Ratio Calculator
Front-end and back-end DTI, the two numbers every lender checks first.
Loans & CreditBalance Transfer Savings Calculator
Whether a 0% offer beats staying put, once the transfer fee is counted.
Estimates, not advice. Every figure here is produced from the inputs you enter and the formula printed on the page. Rules differ by state, carrier, lender and contract, so use these numbers to prepare for a conversation with a qualified professional rather than to replace one. See our full disclaimer.