Another tidbit to remember - don't close out accounts once they are paid off. Now of course car loans etc... will close but keep those credit cards and revolving lines of credit OPEN. One of the factors in your credit score is how LONG your credit history is. If your average account age is only a few years - you will have a lower score. If your average account age is longer you will have a higher score. So even if you don't use those older credit cards any longer - keep them open!