How to maintain a good credit score?

A good credit score is not luck. It is a few habits, repeated. Here is what actually keeps mine healthy:

1. Pay every bill on time
   (Late payments and collections do the most damage to your score, so automate them if you can.)
2. Check your credit regularly
   (Review your report often and dispute any inaccuracies with the credit bureaus right away.)
3. Manage your debt
   (Watch your credit utilization and review your statements through online banking on a schedule.)
4. Build credit history
   (Show you can use credit responsibly: keep older accounts open and always pay at least the minimum on time.)
5. Avoid too many inquiries
   (A cluster of applications in a short window signals risk to lenders and can pull your score down.)