Your credit score is like your criminal record. Both follow you around for a very long time, and both are supposed reflections of the person you are. Only you and perhaps your lawyer know your criminal record. But your credit score can be pulled when you apply for a credit card, or go to get a new car, or even try to move in to a new place.

For those not in the know, your credit score is based on a number system between 300 and 850. A secret formula (OK a mathematical algorithm) determines what your score should be. Analysts and creditors agree that your credit score is a very accurate prediction of how likely you are to pay off your bills.

Your credit score is imperative. If you already have a credit card, the creditor will probably take a gander at your credit score to try and decide whether to decrease your credit limit, or give you a higher interest rate. Those lucky people with the highest scores get the lowest rates.

But don't freak out yet if you have a low credit score; there are ways to improve your credit report. The most important thing is to try to pay your bills on time. Paying late or even worse, allowing a negative account to go to a collection company can have a negative impact on your credit score. It logically follows that the longer you pay your bills on time the better your credit score will be.

Attempt to pay off debt rather than move it around. It's just the most effective way to improve your credit score. Don't close your unused credit cards. Closing is going to close the gap between the amount of credit you are using, and the whole amount available. If you have a lot of credit, and only use a little, its good.

And for the love of everything holy, don't open new accounts. New accounts aren't even useful in credit scoring because they will diminish your average account age. Which leads me to my final point. Longevity. Try to maintain your oldest accounts. Longevity has a lot of clout on credit reports, so the oldest account you have is the most available.