As much as possible avoid maxing out your card to the limit. If you have a monthly charge to that card that causes it to max out, get a card with a greater limit since that can lower your score when the formula is used.

If you have several credit cards then you are at risk of becoming a statistic in this credit-debt-bankruptcy spiral. In most bankruptcy cases credit card debt is the prime reason for the financial crisis.

The world, Americans included, is suffering from a serious disease – the disease of excessive debt. The problem has been an availability of very cheap credit in recent times, and no real regulation on who can or cannot take on debt. It has meant that many people have taken out credit cards and loans that [...]