Pay all bills on time, every time
Bring credit card balances below 30% of each limit
Pay credit card balances in full when possible
Make multiple payments during the month to lower reported balances
Request higher credit limits without increasing spending
Keep old credit accounts open
Avoid opening several new accounts at once
Limit hard inquiries
Dispute inaccurate items on your credit report
Become an authorized user on a well-managed account
Ask creditors for goodwill adjustments on late payments
Negotiate removal of collections if possible
Use a secured credit card if you have limited credit
Use a credit-builder loan
Set up automatic payments
Check all three credit reports regularly
Keep installment loan payments current
Avoid closing unused accounts unless necessary
Reduce overall debt as quickly as possible
Wait for negative items to age off your report