Pay Your Bills on Time

When lenders review your credit report and request a credit score for you, they’re very interested in how reliably you pay your bills. That’s because past payment performance is usually considered a good predictor of future performance.

Get Credit for Making Utility and Cell Phone Payments on Time

If you’ve been making utility and cell phone payments on time, there is a way for you to improve your credit score by factoring in those payments through a new, free product called Experian Boost.

Pay off Debt and Keep Balances Low on Credit Cards and Other Revolving Credit

The credit utilization ratio is another important number in credit score calculations. It is calculated by adding all your credit card balances at any given time and dividing that amount by your total credit limit. For example, if you typically charge about $2,000 each month and your total credit limit across all your cards is $10,000, your utilization ratio is 20%.

Apply for and Open New Credit Accounts Only as Needed

Don’t open accounts just to have a better credit mix—it probably won’t improve your credit score.

Don’t Close Unused Credit Cards

Don’t Apply for Too Much New Credit, Resulting in Multiple Inquiries

Opening a new credit card can increase your overall credit limit, but the act of applying for credit creates a hard inquiry on your credit report.

Dispute Any Inaccuracies on Your Credit Reports

You should check your credit reports at all three credit reporting bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian, the publisher of this piece) for any inaccuracies