Avoid The Credit Wreckers

It might be shockingly easy to wreck your credit score, but it‘s far less likely to happen when you

By watching the video, you are agreeing to the YouTube Terms of Service (https://youtube.com/terms) and Google Privacy Policy (https://www.google.com/policies/privacy).

Max Out

Max Out’s eyes are bigger than his wallet. When he sees something he wants, he buys it… and his credit score pays the price. What Max Out doesn’t know is that he should only use 30% or less of his credit limits, because using his full line can lower his score.

Stay Below 30% Credit Limit Utilization

Learn More

Miss Payment

Miss Payment means well, but more often than not, she misses her monthly credit card payments. What she doesn’t know is that each one missed can stay on her credit report for up to seven years! If only she would set up AutoPay, she’d never miss a payment again.

How Not To Miss A Payment

Learn More

Cancelina

Watch out for Cancelina. She just loves canceling her unused credit cards once they’re paid off. But what she doesn’t know is that canceling them can decrease the length of her credit history and hurt her credit mix.

Don't Cancel Your Old Or Unused Credit Cards

Learn More

One Track Jack

One Track Jack only has eyes for one... one type of credit, that is. But what he doesn’t know is that by focusing all of his attention on only one type of credit, he isn’t building a more robust credit mix — which could limit his credit growth.

Why You Should Diversify Your Credit

Learn More

Articles

A large pair of scissors held by Cancelina the Credit Wrecker cuts up one of her credit cards because she doesn’t understand how closing a credit card can hurt her score.

Wed Oct 01 2025

Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt My Credit Score?

Your credit card is part of your financial ecosystem. Closing it can affect your score, so it’s important to understand the repercussions before you do.

Do I Need Installment Credit In My Credit Mix?

If you review your credit report(s)—like you should at least annually—you may notice a preponderance of revolving credit accounts, or tradelines. And the majority of those are