Stop applying for credit cards
You’ll hear a lot of people say, “Always keep a $0 balance on your credit cards to boost your credit score.” While that advice is solid, there’s actually a smarter play: maintaining a small revolving balance—around 9% of your credit limit. Here’s why. Every time you get a new line of credit, you're resetting your credit age. FOR EXAMPLE: let's say your credit age is 12 years old and you accept a new card (0 years old). The average of your credit age will now show 6 years. INSTEAD, ask for a credit increase on existing cards, AND you can avoid an inquiry this way too Keeping a low utilization like 9% shows lenders you can responsibly manage credit without maxing out your cards, which makes it easier to request credit limit increases, instead of applying for new credit cards. You can simply raise your limit on existing credit lines. Every time you apply for a new card, your credit age takes a hit, but a credit limit increase keeps your credit age intact while still boosting your total available credit. Not to mention, you won't get an inquiry. But here’s the catch: this strategy only works if you know how to manage your budget. If you’re not disciplined with spending, you’re better off paying your balance down to zero every week to avoid debt creeping up. Pro Tip: If you’re hitting your card limit too quickly, call your card issuer and request a credit limit increase. Let them know you’ve been paying on time and managing your card responsibly. Often, that’s all it takes to get approved for a higher limit without applying for new credit. ⸻