A good credit score is the foundation of financial success. Without a good score, it can be hard to buy a home, get a loan, and even qualify for a job or rental apartment. While no one will deny that maintaining a good credit score is important, many people don't know how to raise their credit score. However, by following some simple strategies, anyone can improve their credit score.

First, it’s important to pay your bills on time. Payment history is one of the most important components of your credit score and accounts for 35% of your score. Even if you can’t make the full payment, make some sort of payment to keep the account in good standing.

The second thing to know is that you should avoid carrying a high balance on your credit cards. Your credit utilization rate, which is the amount of your total available credit you’re using at a given time, is the second biggest factor in your score. It’s best to keep your credit utilization rate below 30%.

The third factor that affects your credit score is length of credit history. The longer your credit history, the better. That means keeping old credit cards open even if