Nobody likes bad credit, and you shouldn’t have to constantly deal with it over the course of your life. You can keep a positive credit score by avoiding these common ways people fall into bad credit.

Missing a payment

One of the most common causes of bad credit is simply forgetting to make payments. It’s too easy to have a payment slip your mind in this day and age. All it takes is a small distraction; say your kids needing help with their homework or a surprise visit from your in-laws, to make you completely forget about making a payment on your credit card. Fortunately, credit card companies often let you miss a payment here and there without any real consequences. However, if you make a habit of it, you are in for some serious trouble in regards to your credit score.

Getting Rid of Old Credit Cards

It can be easy to cancel an old credit card after you have not used it in years. You may think that what you did with that particular card doesn’t matter and that your spending habits at the time that card was in full swing are irrelevant to your current credit score. Think again. The reality is that the longer credit history you have, the better your score will be today. This is particularly true if you are and always have been a responsible credit card holder who never missed a payment.

Spending up to Your Credit Limit

Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Nowhere is this rule more relevant than it is concerning your credit card limit. The bank just approved your application for a card with a $15,000 limit? So that means it’s time to start living a life of luxury right? Wrong. You should never use your credit card to buy things you know you cannot afford. Making a habit of doing this is the easiest way to fall into credit card debt and come out with a terrible credit score.

Not Paying Attention to Credit Reports

Keeping on top of credit reports is a great way to make sure you are always in the know when it comes to your credit. You should also take advantage of a free credit report if it is available to you at any point throughout the year.

Frequently Opening and Closing Credit Accounts

Opening too many credit accounts too quickly can have a negative impact on your credit score because credit is better when it’s nurtured and allowed to grow. If you have too many accounts opened, you may neglect certain accounts and allow them to slowly wither away, resulting in a poorer credit score.

Ignoring Other Bills

Your credit card bill is not the only bill that will affect your credit score should you forget to pay it. Your credit score is the accumulation of your entire history of non-cash spending; all of the bills you pay electronically or with another means besides cash are equally important when it comes to your credit score. Do not solely focus on keeping up with your credit card payments in order to keep a good credit score.

Nobody is perfect, and it’s normal to run into some trouble concerning your credit score at some point in your life; you can keep the damages to a minimum by avoiding these common causes of bad credit.