Understanding credit scores is the most important way to improve credit scores. Here some tips to protect our credit scores.

-DON’T MISS A PAYMENT
This is the biggest no-brainer, but it’s importance cannot possibly be stressed enough. Make more than one or two missed payments, and it will really start hurting your credit score.

-DON’T OPEN OR CLOSE A LOT OF TRADELINES
Tradelines is a fancy word for credit accounts. If you a lot of accounts at once, it will ding your credit. If you close a lot of accounts at once, it will ding your credit.

-DON’T LOOK AT YOUR CREDIT OFTEN
Don’t let anyone look at your credit. By alowing creditors to “pull” your credit, you are reducing your credit score.

-QUIT USING YOUR CREDIT CARDS
Many people use their credit cards too much and pile up too much debt.

-TAKE OUT A SHORT-TERM INSTALLMENT LOAN
An installment loan is a loan that has a set payment every month. These loans look good on your credit score and can easily be set up for automatic payment, making it almost impossible to miss a payment!

-AVOID CREDIT COUNSELING SERVICES
You might save a few bucks up front with credit counseling, but it will cost you much more down the road.

-CONSOLIDATE YOUR CREDIT CARDS
The best way to consolidate your debt is to wrap it all together with your mortgage. Either refinance the first mortgage or take out a second. Then cut up every credit card but one. People’s credit scores go from 550 to 750 within MONTHS as a result of a refinance combined with payments made on time and credit cards not being used.