Step 6: Stop Racking Up Hard Inquiries
Every time you apply for new credit, that’s a hard check—and too many can shave points off.
👉 Play it smart:
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Don’t apply just to “see what happens.”
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Use pre-qualification tools (soft checks don’t hurt).
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If you’re rate shopping for a car or mortgage, do it within 30 days—those usually count as one inquiry.
Step 7: Borrow Someone Else’s Good Credit
This is a hack a lot of people forget: become an authorized user on a family member’s card (someone responsible, of course).
👉 Benefits:
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Their positive history reflects on your report.
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You get more available credit = lower utilization.
You don’t even need to use the card. Just being on it helps.
