Here’s a general rule of thumb for credit scores: the higher your score, the lower your interest rate. It really does pay to work hard to improve your credit score. Just follow these four rules:
- Always pay all of your bills on time
- Check your credit reports (all 3) for errors and correct them
- Don’t close old credit accounts – leave them open; the longer you have established credit, the better
- Stay away from your credit limits
If you are solid with the first three, focus on the last one. The lower your total debt is as a percentage of your total available credit limit, the higher your potential score. So if you qualify, ask your creditor to raise your limit! That can help quickly raise your credit score.