Monitor your credit month-to-month to make sure your habits are improving your score. Checking your own credit doesn’t affect your credit score.

Keeping your credit utilization rate below 10% improves your chances of qualifying for a loan. Do this by keeping all your credit payments (utilities, phone, credit cards, etc.) consistent and at least 10x less than your credit limit.

Applying for credit (hard inquiry) because you were pre-approved or to “test the waters” is not advised. Applying for these types of credit consistently for an extended period of time will signal to lenders you are taking on too much debt.

Applying for the same type of loan/credit within the same 14 to 45 day timeframe will limit the number of hard inquiries on your credit report.