 TITLE: How Long After Paying Off a Credit Card Will My Credit Score Go Up? CONTENT: How to Continue Using Your Credit Card Responsibly\n--------------------------------------------------\nGoing forward, the best way to keep the momentum going is to use your credit cards responsibly. That means keeping your spending and debt under control, whether you decide to use them regularly and pay off your balances every month, or keep your cards open but hidden away (some cardholders go as far as freezing their cards in a block of ice).\nA few tips to consider:\n*   **Use your credit card regularly.** Regularly using your credit card demonstrates your ability to manage debt well and ensures the account isn't closed due to lack of use. A monthly bill as small as a streaming service payment can keep your account open and reflect positively in your credit.\n*   **Always pay your bill on time.** As a safeguard, consider setting up your account to make automatic minimum payments right before your due date—just make sure you have enough in your bank account to cover the payments. Payment history accounts for more than a third (35%) of your FICO® Score.\n*   **Lock cards you don't plan to use.** Some card companies let you turn your cards \"off\" through their mobile app as an added security measure. This keeps the account open, but can protect you from credit card fraud that could drive up your balances.\n*   **Make a payoff strategy before you spend.** Using your credit cards may earn you rewards or other benefits like extended warranty protection, but these perks lose their luster if you have to pay interest on a balance you're struggling to pay off. Before you spend, establish a game plan for paying your purchase off over a reasonable period of time. END