Your credit score affects mortgage rates, insurance premiums, apartment applications, and even job opportunities. Here are five common mistakes that silently destroy your score.

1. High Credit Utilization (Even If You Pay in Full)

Using more than 30% of your credit limit hurts your score even if you pay the full balance monthly. The score checks your balance on the statement date, not after payment. Solution: pay down before the statement closes or request a credit limit increase.

2. Closing Old Credit Cards

Closing a card reduces your total available credit and shortens your credit history — both hurt your score. Keep old cards open, even if unused. Put a small recurring charge on them to prevent closure.

3. Applying for Too Many Cards at Once

Each application creates a hard inquiry (-5 to -10 points). Multiple inquiries in a short period compound the damage.

4. Ignoring Small Collections

That $50 medical bill you forgot about can drop your score 100+ points if it goes to collections.

5. Being an Authorized User on a Bad Account