Credit scores — they’re like report cards for grown-ups. It’s a three-digit “grade” you get on a scale that ranges from 300 to 850. Your score indicates your creditworthiness to potential lenders, banks, landlords, insurance companies, and even to some employers, for instance. I’m sure you know that the higher your score the better.

Credit scores influence nearly all things financial in your life. Banks, credit card companies and others use credit scores in deciding whether to give you a loan, how much money you can borrow and how much interest to charge you. Here’s some advice for improving your credit score: