Our Military Life Blog

Credit Management

Managing credit is crucial for achieving and maintaining financial health. Good credit can open doors to better interest rates, loan approvals, and financial opportunities. Poor credit can limit your chances of renting or buying a home, getting a job, and cost you more in insurance premiums.

Tips for successful credit management:

  1. Always pay your bills on time. Setting up reminders or automatic payments can prevent late payments and the resulting negative effect on your credit.
  2. Keep your credit utilization low. Use no more than 30% of your available credit to keep your score higher. Eliminating high debt balances will help you reach low utilization.
  3. Diversify your credit types. Having a mix of credit types (credit cards, installment loans, mortgages) can have a positive impact on your score, just be careful to take on only what you can manage.
  4. Limit credit requests. Each time you apply for credit, a hard inquiry is recorded on your credit report. Too many hard inquiries can lower your credit score. Be selective about applying for new credit.
  5. Keep old accounts open. Part of the credit scoring formula is based on the length of your credit history. Closing older accounts can lower your credit score.
  6. Monitor your credit report and dispute any errors. Correcting any inaccuracies and errors can improve your credit score.

Properly managing your credit can make a world of difference in your financial future. Take these steps now to be on the right path to financial freedom!

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Charlie Marlow

With over 22 years of active-duty Air Force experience in military pay and travel entitlements, Charlie Marlow brings his extensive knowledge of military finance with his passion to help others reach their financial goals through common sense financial practices. Charlie holds a BS in Business Finance from Liberty University, is an Accredited Financial Counselor®, a Dave Ramsey trained Financial Coach, and co-founder, administrator, and frequent contributor to the Facebook group Military Money Matters. He still supports the Air Force and DoD as a contractor budget analyst at the Pentagon. When not writing or helping others create a personal financial plan, you can find him cycling around the National Capitol Region or enjoying classic TV shows.