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Make the Due Date

Your payment history is one of the most impacting factors in the calculation of your FICO credit score. Late payments are damaging, but consistent on-time payments are beneficial. The challenge for people who struggle with credit is that minimum payments can rise above what they can afford on a monthly basis. Keeping payments in check and paying more when you can helps to keep a manageable monthly payment. As you make your monthly payments by the due dates, your score gradually rises.

Maintain Low Balances

In addition to the practical implications, maintaining low balances on revolving cards in itself is a benefit to a credit score. High outstanding debt balances are bad for a credit score. When you have low balances and low debt-to-limit ratios, your score improves. The debt-to-limit ratio is a comparison of your balance to your available credit. A balance of $500 on a card with a $5,000 limit is a 10 percent ratio, which is favorable. Maintaining low ratios on all cards and overall strengthens your score.

Use Secured Cards

The challenge for some people with especially bad credit is difficulty in getting a lender to take a chance. A good alternative is a secured credit card. With this type of card, your limit is equal to a deposit you make with the bank. If you deposit $1,000, for instance, you gain a $1,000 limit on the card. Access to this card gives you the chance to begin using credit modestly and making payments responsibly. Not all secured card providers report results to the three major credit reporting bureaus, though, according to Forbes. Check before applying. Not all banks and card providers offer equally valuable and customer-oriented products. Always read the fine print on card applications.

Risks and Warnings

Don't overdo it in your efforts to acquire credit. Applying for too many cards can make lenders worry that you're taking on too much debt too quickly and can put a dent in your credit score. Opening too many accounts also allows someone with poor spending habits to borrow excessively. If you can't handle access to a limit, don't get a card to boost your credit. Check your credit report periodically. If you find a problem, dispute it through the reporting agency and the credit bureau.