A new credit scoring model will potentially boost scores for many credit applicants and help establish credit for millions of people who previously had little or no credit history. The new scoring model will be used in the latest version of the VantageScore, the credit score created by the three major credit bureaus — Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.

If you haven’t started playing the FICO game yet, here are 10 little-known credit cheats that will help you get to the next credit level. There’s one score that follows you around for life — your credit score!

When an individual gets into a serious accident or incurs a large sum of medical bills from an illness, it can be hard to repay the debts before the hospital turns the debts over to a collection agency. Once the debts are at a collection agency, they are placed as line items on that individual’s credit report.

Your credit score or FICO is very important as you are defined by this ever changing number attached to your name. It can affect your ability to get a loan, your chance of getting a job and even increase the interest rate you pay.

Home ownership is a part of achieving the American dream. For many, the only thing standing between them and owning a home is a low credit score. Lenders rely heavily on FICO Scores when determining whether to fund a mortgage — low credit scores equate to high risk. Still, it isn’t impossible to get a mortgage with a low credit score.