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How to maintain good credit is probably lower on your list of priorities. However, with a few simple tips to keep in mind, you can better set yourself up for financial excellence in the future. In this post, we will first discuss what a credit score is and what components make up a credit score. With that baseline understanding, we will then detail why you want to establish credit early. You can even establish credit before age 18. Finally, we will wrap up with the maintenance aspect of a credit score and things to keep in mind over time.

Components of a Credit Score

There are several different credit score versions and several companies that can provide a credit score. The most common is the FICO scoring model. Every credit score generally has (or at least uses) the same standard inputs that add up to 100%. How to maintain good credit can rarely be accomplished without understanding how credit scores are calculated.

Individual Credit Score Components

1. Payment history (35%) – You always want this component to show that you pay at least the minimum 100% of the time. Anything less, even 99%, substantially hurts your score since payment history has the most significant ability to change your credit score.
2. Amounts owed (30%) – This component changes frequently based on how much you owe each month compared to your overall credit lines. For example, a $2000 credit card monthly statement on a $10,000 credit line is a “credit utilization ratio” of 20%. This category sums these numbers across all of your credit accounts. Aim to keep your credit utilization below 30% and ideally below 10%.
3. Length of Credit History (15%) – One of the most challenging components to improve, your length of credit history looks at how old the average age of your credit accounts is. It is wise to keep your oldest accounts open because they have a more prominent weight on your average account age.
4. Types of Credit (10%) – Credit comes in many forms, such as mortgages, credit cards, and installment loans (e.g., “pay in 4”). Credit scoring looks for a healthy mix of all forms of credit, which shows that you know how to manage various types of loans.
5. New Credit (10%) – Ever hear of a “hard inquiry” or “hard pull” on your credit report? This category is where those show. More hard pulls will hurt your credit score, but a small number, such as three or fewer over any 18-month timeframe, will have a much smaller negative impact on your score.

How to Maintain Good Credit: Establishing Credit Early

Establishing credit as early as possible is a smart move. Length of credit history (#3 above) is one of the most challenging components of your score to improve because it can only improve with time. Therefore, establishing a credit file early, such as when you are a student, will benefit you in the long run. You will more easily be able to apply for credit for the first time. As you age, your credit accounts will grow older and older, benefiting your credit score. Keep your old accounts active by spending at least one transaction every year. If you don’t, you run the risk of the credit card issuer closing the account for inactivity.

Furthermore, be careful about closing any old credit card or credit account. The average age of your open accounts calculates your length of credit history. Once an old account is closed, that account is no longer part of the calculation for all credit scoring models, and your score will drop a few points. Of course, if you have a good reason to close the account, such as avoiding an expensive annual fee, closing the credit card may still make financial sense to do so.

How to Maintain Good Credit: Three Essential Tips

1. Always Pay the Minimum

Always pay the minimum payment (even better to pay the statement balance) for your credit accounts. Missing even a single payment on a single account will have a significant negative impact on your score. When that happens, instead of being in the 100% on-time payment group where most Americans are, you fall into the 99% on-time payment group. That change may sound like a minor difference, but it is a major red flag to lenders. Payment issues will also impact earning card rewards.

2. Limit Hard Pulls

Keep your number of “hard pulls” low before applying for a major loan, such as a mortgage or car loan. A hard pull temporarily hurts your credit score for a 12 to 18-month period. To get the best rates, you should limit hard pulls where possible. There is an important “rate shopping” exception to hard pulls when searching for the best rate. Major purchases like a car or home loan typically have 30 days when you can apply to many different lenders to shop for the best interest rate. All hard pulls during those 30 days will only appear as a single hard pull on your credit report.

3. Review Your Free Annual Credit Reports

Check your free credit reports annually. Taking 20 minutes each year to review your credit report from Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion is the best maintenance you can do. Those three US credit bureaus keep data on all Americans who use the financial system. By law, those companies must provide at least one free credit report each year. Reviewing the reports is a great way to check for fraud, incorrect addresses, or other inaccurate information. Inaccurate information won’t necessarily hurt your score, but it could raise questions with lenders.

The official US government page for credit reports can be found here at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/free-credit-reports, and the official website for free credit reports from all three US credit bureaus is https://www.annualcreditreport.com.

Introduction to Credit Freeze vs Credit Lock

Securing our personal information has never been more crucial in today’s digital age. With data breaches happening left and right, protecting our credit and financial identity is essential. Credit freeze vs credit lock is an important distinction between two tools individuals can use to protect their credit, but how are they different?

Credit freeze vs credit lock are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. While both tools help protect your credit, they have different features and limitations. Let’s take a closer look at credit freeze vs credit lock, how they work, and their differences.

What is a Credit Freeze?

A credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, is a tool that restricts access to your credit report. When you place a credit freeze on your credit report, no one can access it, not even lenders. This means that if someone tries to open an account or apply for credit under your name, the lender will not be able to access your credit report, and the application will be denied. The denial does not result in a ding against your credit score, because the lender was not able to access your credit file.

A credit freeze is free to place and remove, and remains in effect until you remove it. If you need to apply for credit, you’ll need to lift the freeze temporarily. Credit freezes are an incredible tool for individuals who have experienced identity theft or would like to prevent it.

Advantages of credit freeze include:

• Prevents unauthorized access to your credit report
• Prevents identity theft
• Provides peace of mind

Disadvantages of credit freeze include:

• Unfreezes of your accounts can be inconvenient
• Does not protect against all forms of identity theft

What is a Credit Lock?

A credit lock is similar to a credit freeze in that it restricts access to your credit report. However, it is different in that it offers less protection. Certain entities will still be able to access your credit reports, and that potentially includes hackers. Credit bureaus and other third-party services usually offer a credit lock, and you can lock and unlock your credit report as needed through a mobile app or website.

A credit lock provides instant protection to your credit report, and you can lock and unlock your credit report at any time, sometimes for a fee. If you need to apply for credit, you can unlock your credit report temporarily, apply for credit, and then lock it again.

Advantages of credit lock include:

• Provides instant protection to your credit report
• Can be locked and unlocked instantly

Disadvantages of credit lock include:

• Not available from all credit bureaus or third-party services
• Does not provide as strong protection as credit freezes
• May not be as widely recognized by lenders

Differences between Credit Freeze vs Credit Lock

How to Implement Credit Freeze vs Credit Lock

Now that you understand the differences between credit freeze vs credit lock, you may be wondering how to implement them to protect your credit. The good news is that the process for implementing both of these measures is relatively simple. Either option requires you to connect with the three major consumer credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

To implement a credit freeze, you will need to contact each of the three credit bureaus individually. You can do this online or by phone, but the online method is much faster. Each bureau will require some basic information, such as your name, address, and social security number, to verify your identity. We have detailed credit freeze guides to walk you through the process.

To implement a credit lock, you can usually do this through your existing credit monitoring service, if you have one. If not, you can sign up for a credit lock service with one of the credit bureaus. Once you have access to a credit lock service, you can use it to lock and unlock your credit report at will, using a smartphone app or online portal.

It’s important to note that while credit lock vs credit freeze offer similar protections, there are some critical differences in how they work. Most notably, a credit freeze is governed by federal law and is free of charge, while a credit lock is a service provided by credit bureaus and may come with a fee.

Regardless of which option you choose, implementing a credit freeze or credit lock can provide a valuable layer of protection against identity theft and fraud. Be sure to carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks of each option before making a decision, and always monitor your credit report regularly to detect any suspicious activity.

Credit Freeze vs Credit Lock Conclusion

Credit freezes and credit locks are two powerful tools for protecting your credit and personal information. Whether you are concerned about identity theft or simply want to take a proactive approach to safeguard your credit score, understanding the differences between these two options is essential.

By implementing a credit freeze or credit lock, you can prevent unauthorized access to your credit report and reduce the risk of fraud. Credit freezes are governed by federal law and are free, but may be less convenient to use. Credit locks are a service provided by the credit bureaus and may come with a fee, but may offer more flexibility in terms of locking and unlocking your credit report. We recommend credit freezes as the superior, more comprehensive option to protect yourself.

Regardless of which option you choose, be sure to monitor your credit report for any suspicious activity regularly. You can do this for free once a year through each of the three credit bureaus. By staying vigilant and taking proactive steps to protect your credit, you can help ensure a strong credit score and financial stability for years to come.

How Applying for Credit Works

Your first credit card application can be intimidating. Every credit application asks for so much information! Lenders need lots of your data to match you to the correct credit file. They will also decide whether you are risky or not. Even more, the government requires certain information for compliance purposes. With this in mind, we will cover the application process, the credit decision, and the new credit account in detail. By the end of this article, your comfort level of applying for credit should be higher than before.

First Credit Card Application Process

From a customer perspective, you submit information and hope the lender approves your account. On the other hand, from a business perspective, much more is involved. Lenders have entire risk departments that aim to determine what kind of person does and does not qualify. Usually, a person’s FICO credit score is part of the process. For example, a credit score of 600 would be required to open a credit card with a particular lender. The score necessary changes based on the credit product. Moreover, the lower someone’s credit score, the higher the interest rates offered. That happens because people with lower credit scores are riskier and more likely not to repay the loan or credit card.

After submitting your first credit card application, several things happen. First, the lender verifies your basic information against address history services and employment history companies, like theworknumber. Second, the lender uses your social security number (SSN) to pull your credit report(s) from one or more of the big three credit bureaus. Requesting the credit report costs the requesting business a few dollars. For a credit card account, the lender may only retrieve your report from one bureau. Lenders usually retrieve your report from all three bureaus for a more significant loan account like a mortgage. Lastly, the lender uses fraud and card gamification security checks. For example, Chase will deny your application if you opened five or more credit cards from any lender in the last 24 months.

Applying for Your First Credit Card: The Credit Decision

There are three possible credit decisions: approval, denial, and an ‘on hold’ or pending status. Approval is the best-case scenario. The other two can sometimes be fixed by speaking directly with the lender.

Application Approval

Approval is the best outcome. After approval, you will receive account welcome information by mail and email. The lender will also describe additional account terms, interest rates, and other information. Be sure to opt out of optional marketing and sharing if you would like to avoid those. By law, the lender has to provide the option.

Application Denial

Denial is not uncommon and shouldn’t be taken as “bad” in all cases. By law, the lender must provide an “adverse action letter” to describe why they denied your application. Usually, after 7-10 business days, the letter will arrive via regular mail. Read it closely, as there may be an easy reason to correct the denial issue and re-apply.

Application On Hold/Pending

An on-hold application commonly occurs when required information is missing. For example, few major lenders will approve new credit card accounts without checking your latest credit report. It is possible to freeze and unfreeze your credit at the three major US credit bureaus. When your credit is frozen, the lender cannot access your credit file and may place your application on hold.

Your New Credit Card Account

If you applied and the lender approved your account digitally, you will immediately have access to your account online. You can log in and see various information about your new credit account, like the credit line the lender approved you to use. Some lenders like American Express have a feature that provides all your credit card information for immediate use after approval. This eliminates the need to wait several business days for the card to arrive in the mail. However, most lenders do not have this feature. Instead, most lenders will congratulate you on your approval and mail you a physical card in 7-10 business days. You will not be able to use your card until you receive the card in the mail. After receiving the card, you will need to activate the card to use it. This is a simple process that only takes five minutes. Call the number on the back of the card, follow the prompts, and you’re good to go! You can also activate your new card online in many cases. Now it’s time to start earning rewards.

Establishing credit as an immigrant to the US or after bankruptcy takes a little planning. Credit files, which are the records that lenders check before granting you a credit card or loan, are not automatically established for everyone. Before applying for credit for the first time, you will likely need a credit file. Only certain accounts report your monthly credit use to the three credit bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. That reporting establishes your credit file for other lenders to check before approving or denying credit cards or loans.

Furthermore, the reporting action is up to the lender whether to report or not. Just because something is a loan product does not automatically mean it will appear on a credit report. To make matters worse, opening a credit card or loan can be next to impossible without a credit file. Is this a situation of which comes first — the chicken or the egg? How can young adults, immigrants, and bankrupt people establish a credit file?

The Best Method of Establishing Credit: The Piggyback

Yes, similar to a specific season finale of Stranger Things on Netflix, a “piggyback” is an excellent shortcut to getting where you need to be. We call it a piggyback because you will share someone else’s credit account to benefit yourself. It’s the simplest and easiest way to establish a credit file and is a smart move for parents who want to help their children get ahead in life. However, the piggyback method is not limited to family members. Any person can add any other person as an authorized user to a credit card. Upon doing so, the person added will then benefit from the (hopefully well-maintained) credit account history. The person added will also then show that credit card as a credit account on their newly established credit file!

If you don’t have any friends or family members who are in a position to add you as an authorized user, then there is another less recommended option: pay for a stranger to do so. This is called selling or buying credit “tradelines.” There are several websites where you can pay a stranger to add you as an authorized user for a few months to establish or repair your credit file. If this sounds odd to you — it is! You will not receive a credit card from the stranger you hire. The goal is to piggyback onto the stranger’s credit card for a short time to establish or repair your credit file. Technically, doing this is entirely legal. Certain banks may frown upon it, mainly from the stranger’s perspective. As a buyer who is piggybacking, you are in a safe position.

The Regular Method: Opening Accounts

If you are not in a position to piggyback on someone else’s credit card, then take the traditional route. First, make sure you open a basic bank account and then go from there. That same bank may be able to issue you a credit card once you have enough time with them. Once you have some time using a bank account, regular lenders will look to other aspects of your life to validate your creditworthiness. Without a credit file to reference, these other aspects may include employer history, address history, utility history, and rental history. Keeping good standing and records for each of these will help streamline the process of opening a credit card or loan account. We call this the ‘regular’ method because this is the way credit files are traditionally established in the first place.

Traditional Methods of Establishing Credit

1. Your bank. Your bank knows you and your existing bank account history already. Therefore, your bank is the best option to open a starter credit card if you lack an existing credit file. Opening a credit card with your bank will likely establish credit in your name, including reporting to the bureaus. Before opening the card, be sure to check with your bank that they will report your monthly credit card usage data to the credit bureaus.
2. A big-name store that offers a store card. Store credit cards are usually not attractive. They have small credit lines and generally do not have great benefits. Some store cards are beneficial, however. The “best” standard is a 5% cash back on anything you buy. Target’s Redcard was the first to offer this, and other retailers have followed Target’s lead. Amazon’s Chase card also offers 5% cash back on everything, although you must be a prime member. Non-prime members only get 3% cashback. Being smart with rewards can be a huge benefit.
3. Secured credit card. A secured card means you must keep money on deposit to use the card. Unlike a regular, unsecured credit card, the lender is floating the funds based only on who you are. There are two reasons why a secured credit card is the least attractive option. First, secured credit cards force you to park money on a deposit that you cannot use for anything else. Second, although it is called a ‘credit card,’ the card itself does not necessarily establish credit for you. However, some lenders let you convert the card to a regular, unsecured card after some time.

Once you have established a credit file, maintain good credit to have an excellent credit score of 800+!

Common Airport Lounge Amenities

Airport lounges are a haven for travelers. They offer a variety of amenities to make your time at the airport as comfortable as possible. There are comfortable seating options like chairs, couches, and even private spaces. There are complimentary snacks and drinks, including soft drinks, beer, and wine. Further, there are even hot meals, commonly referred to as “premium food” in some cases. As you might expect, most lounges offer free high-speed Wi-Fi for guests to stay connected, and many have entertainment options such as TVs, newspapers and magazines, and books. Business travelers appreciate the amenities like printers and computers available in most lounges. Incredibly, showers are also available in some lounges, making it a lifesaver for those with extended layovers or just arriving from a long flight. And lastly, the lounges are staffed with employees who can assist with flight information, baggage storage, and other travel-related needs. It’s worth noting that amenities vary depending on the lounge, location, and airline, so some lounges may have more limited amenities while others may have more luxurious and exclusive amenities. One thing is certain – it absolutely beats sitting at any airport gate.

How to Enter Airport Lounges with Cards

Many credit cards offer airport lounge access as a benefit. The most common program is Priority Pass, which most premium travel cards offer. The most common credit cards with lounge access are:

• Amex Platinum Card
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Citi Prestige
• CapitalOne VentureX

There are also a handful of co-branded airline credit cards. These cards only make sense to apply for if you frequently use a single airline and wish to utilize the airline lounges.

• Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card
• United Club Infinite Card
• American Citi AAdvantage Executive World Elite Mastercard^®

Click here to apply and learn more about these and other best credit cards with our partner, creditcards.com.

It’s important to note that lounge access benefits can vary depending on the card issuer and specific card product, so it’s best to check with the card issuer for the most up-to-date information on what lounges are accessible with a particular card.

Before applying for any credit card, make sure you thaw your credit. After getting approved, freeze it again for maximum security against identity theft!

Even the simplest cards come with rewards, which credit card spending experts always maximize. Rewards come in the form of cashback, points, or miles. Starter credit cards will usually come with cash back, which is the simplest form of reward. Cashback is an excellent introduction for first-time cardholders and those establishing credit for the first time. Cashback, like 1% on all purchases, is just super simple to understand. Nonetheless, the concepts described on this page can also apply to points and miles-earning credit cards. The goal is to focus your spending in places that will maximize your rewards, whatever those rewards are. That is how you can become a spending expert – even as a newbie.

How Your Card Earns Rewards

Understanding how your card earns rewards is essential to maximize your benefits. For example, most cards accrue 3x or 2x points in some categories while accruing 1x points in “everything else.” The everything else category is simply the spending that does not fall into the 3x or 2x categories. While understanding what the 3x or 2x categories are is essential, what’s arguably even more important is how your most frequent transactions show on your credit card statement. In fact, that is how a transaction becomes a 3x or 2x point reward. Instead of earning only 100 points for a $100 transaction, a 3x category earns 300 points for the same $100. Understanding these categories and the earning structure of your credit card spending is critical to maximizing your return on spend.

Some credit cards that are popular with newbies have rotating reward categories. The plus to this added complexity is that the category typically earns 5x cash back. Remembering to use that card for the particular 5x back category is what a credit card spending expert would do. Paying attention to the rotating category can yield great rewards. Chase Freedom cards were some of the first to do this. You can track those quarterly categories and activate your card for them at www.chasebonus.com.

Maximizing Your Rewards as a Credit Card Spending Expert

Maximizing your credit card spending is all about where you use your card. Think about where you spend money. For example, if you’re a student, does your campus dining hall count as a restaurant, grocery store, or neither? Both of those are common reward categories. The difference between your dining hall as one or the other could cost you hundreds of dollars in points. These days, it’s not uncommon to find a 3x spending rate on restaurants or dining, which is fantastic. The easiest way to check a merchant category is to go into your credit card account and click on an individual transaction. Usually, the individual transaction will show what category the spending falls into. Remember those categories when deciding how to pay or use your credit cards!

In conclusion, where you spend money on your credit card is just as important as understanding the card’s 3x or 2x points per dollar reward structure. If you’re a big traveler, perhaps rewards in the form of travel or airline points are the most intelligent reward to accrue. Spending the smartest and best way on your credit card is different for everyone. Figuring out the best way to do it is not hard, and you can become a credit card spending and rewards expert for doing so. Your wallet will thank you.

Credit repair companies charge hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars to fix your credit.

Any small financial mistake can send an account to a collections agency. An account in collections on your credit file is terrible and will hurt your credit score. The frustrating part is that your internet service provider, a hospital, or any other organization that sends your account to collections could easily make such a mistake. That mistake could ruin your life for years.

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Performing a DIY Credit Repair

1. Request your free credit reports from each of the three bureaus. It is easiest to do this via their websites, but if you want to feel more serious, you can write to them via snail mail.
2. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act of 1970, you have the right to remove inaccurate information within 30 days of receiving the reports. We recommend making this request via postal mail, because you’re playing for time here. If a credit bureau does not respond within 30 days of your letter, you win by default and the information in question is removed!

Credit repair companies follow these same steps. Why pay them when doing it yourself is easy and removes a middleman?

Account Sent to Collections Example

Let’s say a small hospital bill of $60 that you never received gets sent from the hospital to a collections agency. If you dispute it, the hospital – not the collections agency, must produce the original bill within 30 days. From the hospital’s perspective, the account is effectively closed because they sent it to collections. Producing the original bill does not benefit the hospital; it’s only extra work. The hospital often does not produce the original bill that the credit bureau requests.

When companies and hospitals do respond, you can escalate further using legal threats. Because the credit bureaus are liable under the Fair Credit Reporting Act for incorrect information, you can sue them for damages. Remember that these credit bureaus are gigantic corporations that do not care about small individual claims (or your credit score, for that matter). When hit with a consumer lawsuit, the bureaus can either fight it in court or remove the incorrect information from your credit report. As you might think, the bureaus usually remove the information and call the case closed. Even if that doesn’t happen, the legal teams at the credit bureaus are incentivized to settle lawsuits well before a trial is held.

Always dispute inaccurate credit reporting info! And always keep your credit frozen when not using it.

If you want to use your credit, unfreeze it and shop our offers!