Apply For Credit Infrequently
In terms of FICO, the formulae recognizes that responsible credit, users don’t apply for credit they don’t need. The credit bureaus are very wary of people in open a bunch of lender accounts in a short period of time. It reeks of financial desperation to them.
If you don’t have much credit history the first few credit accounts that you open can help improve your score. However there comes a point where applying for credit can start to reduce your score. The problem is it might be very difficult for you to determine when you actually reach that point. This is because the whole FICO scoring system is so mysterious in the first place.
This is why you should always resist applying for those instant pre approved accounts that are often marketed in retail store. Even though they might offer you savings on your groceries you could end up paying more in overall interest if the inquiry the credit company makes at the credit bureau serves to lower your score.