money

Will These Financial Decisions Improve Your Credit Score?

David Monforton
David Monforton 1 Min Read
improve-your-credit-score.jpg

Certain decisions to make to improve your credit score

A high credit score can be the difference between affording a new home or car—or having monthly payments that wreck your budget. But do you know whether your daily financial decisions improve your credit score? Find out with a few of these common questions people ask.

Should you carry a balance on my credit card?

Paying off your full balance every month ensures that you aren’t carrying any debt on your credit card, while building credit by responsibly using your card. Failing to pay off your credit card each month can indicate that you may be overextending yourself. Paying off the balance helps your credit score and saves you money because you won’t incur interest. 

Should you open a store credit card to save an extra 20%?

It may sound harmless, but applying for multiple credit cards over a short time might cause creditors to consider you a higher-risk customer. Why? They may think you’re short on cash and about to rack up a lot of debt. Saving a few dollars up front usually isn’t worth the long-term impact on your credit.

As you build credit, should you keep credit to a minimum and use one card or take advantage of various types of loans and credit cards?

To improve your credit rating, it’s best to have a mix of credit cards and installment loans. Lenders tend to favor consumers who can handle different types of credit, like home loans, student loans and credit cards. To get the sweetest deals—low interest rates and higher limits—maintain a diverse portfolio of credit.

Could your credit score be affected by being added as an authorized user for a friend or family member?

Although an authorized user gets the full benefits of the card, in the eyes of the credit card company, you are still responsible for all payments. If your friend or family member misses any payments or racks up a high balance, it will lower your score.

Should you request your credit score before applying for a new line of credit?

Requesting your credit score is considered a soft inquiry, so it won’t affect your score. Keep in mind that you are entitled to one free copy of your credit report per year from the three major credit bureaus. Good to know: Credit checks from your existing lenders and from businesses sending you promotional offers are also considered soft inquiries.

Should you charge a store credit cards limit just because there is a promotional offer for six months?

If you’re carrying a high balance and are close to the card’s limit, you may knock your credit score down. And the longer the debt is untouched, the bigger the impact on your score. Your credit utilization—the amount of your credit card balance compared to the credit limit—is one of the biggest factors that influence your credit score.

Manage your money

From savings accounts with competitive rates to assistance with auto and home loans, AAA banking can help you with your finances.

Learn more

Banking Disclosure

The information provided here is not investment, tax or financial advice. You should consult with a licensed professional for advice concerning your specific situation.

†Annual Percentage Rate (APR). Auto Loans. Rates and terms effective as of 6/23/2025. APR is accurate as of 6/23/2025. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without prior notice. Additional terms and restrictions may apply. Other loan rates available. Subject to borrower qualification. Advertised rate includes a 0.25% discount when you set up automatic payments from any checking or savings account. Rate is variable. Offer valid on personal vehicle loans only. Criteria to receive the stated APR: Loan term 48 months or less new or used, model years 2019 – 2025 with a credit score of 740 or higher based on the Vantage scoring model. Buyer is responsible for all state or local fees. AAA Banking uses a managed credit program, and final APR is dependent on your credit score. An auto loan with an APR of 5.24% for a $20,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated monthly payment would be $463. An auto loan with an APR of 5.49% for a $20,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated payment would be $465. Private party sales will not be financed. Auto loans are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

††Annual Percentage Rate (APR). RV Loans. Rates and terms effective as of 3/7/2025. APR is accurate as of 3/7/2025. Advertised rates and terms are subject to change without prior notice. Additional terms and restrictions may apply. Other loan rates available. Subject to borrower qualification. Advertised rate includes a 0.25% discount when you set up automatic payments from any checking or savings account. Rate is variable. Criteria to receive the stated APR : Loan term 48 months or less, $5,000 minimum loan amount, model years 2023-2025, with a credit score of 720 or higher based on the Vantage scoring model. Buyer is responsible for all state or local fees. AAA Banking uses a managed credit program, and final APR is dependent on your credit score. An RV loan with an APR of 7.49% for a $35,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated monthly payment would be $846. An RV loan with an APR of 7.74% for a $35,000 loan at a term of 48 months, your estimated monthly payment would be $850. RV loans are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

§ Auto Loan Calculator

The figures entered on the input page of this calculator are for hypothetical purposes only. You should enter figures that are appropriate to your individual situation. The results provided by this calculator are also intended for illustrative purposes only and accuracy is not guaranteed. This calculator is not intended to offer any tax, legal, financial or investment advice and does not assure the availability of or your eligibility for any specific product offered, nor does this calculator predict or guarantee the actual results of any product. The terms and conditions of products offered will differ and may affect the results of the calculator. Please consult with qualified professionals to discuss your situation. The final APR may differ from the APR in the above results due to additional fees that may be applicable.

1Triple Advantage Savings Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/1/2025. The minimum amount to open an account is $100.00. Triple Advantage Savings Account Holders can earn the following Annual Percentage Yield (APY): 3.50% APY with Eligible AAA Membership and 3.15% APY without eligible AAA membership.* Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

2Triple Advantage Savings account holders with a monthly average balance of $25,000.00 or greater receive free outgoing domestic wire transfers. Triple Advantage Savings account holders with a monthly average balance of $24,999.99 or less will be charged a $10 fee for each domestic outgoing wire transfer.

3Triple Advantage Certificate of Deposit (CD) Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/14/2025. The minimum deposit to open an account is $500. 4.25% APY applies to a 6-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 4.20% APY applies to a 9-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 4.10% APY applies to a 12-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.95% APY applies to an 18-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.75% APY applies to a 24-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. 3.50% APY applies to a 36, 48, and 60-month CD with balances of $500.00 and up. CDs are opened and interest begins on the day the funding deposit is received. The interest rate and APY are fixed for the term of the CD. The APY assumes interest remains on deposit until maturity. Withdrawal of interest before maturity will reduce earnings. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Fees may reduce earnings on the account. Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

Early Withdrawal Penalties

An early withdrawal penalty will apply if you withdraw funds before the maturity date. For terms of 6 to 12 months, the penalty is 90 days of interest. For terms of 13 to 60 months, the penalty is 180 days of interest. In accordance with Regulation D, a minimum penalty of 7 days’ simple interest will apply to withdrawals made within 6 days of deposit or within 6 days of a previous withdrawal.

4Triple Advantage Checking Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of 4/1/2025. The minimum amount to open an account is $100.00. Triple Advantage Checking Account Holders can earn the following Annual Percentage Yield (APY): 1.00% APY with eligible AAA membership and 0.75% APY without eligible AAA membership.* Deposit products are offered by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. Member FDIC.

5Cash Back rewards offer 1.00% cash back on all qualified purchases made by eligible Triple Advantage Checking account holders with an eligible AAA membership.* To qualify for cash back, Triple Advantage Checking account holders must meet all requirements and a transaction must be deemed as a qualified purchase.

Qualified purchases are signature-based purchases made with a AAA Banking debit card from a Triple Advantage Checking Account. To make a signature-based purchase, select “credit” rather than debit at point-of-sale kiosks. The “credit” option is most often pre-selected when making purchases online using a debit card. Online subscription payments may not be considered signature-based purchases. The payment transaction type (signature-based or other) is ultimately decided by the merchant and how the transaction is transmitted to AAA Banking at the time of processing. AAA Banking reserves the right to determine if a transaction was a qualified purchase, and to establish additional types of qualified purchases that could be made available in a variety of ways. Any goods or services purchased with the debit card that are returned or otherwise credited to the account are not qualified purchases. Unlawful purchases and purchases of currency, cash or cash equivalents (including, without limitation, currency from the U.S. Mint, travelers cheques, gift cards, cryptocurrency, casino chips, peer-to-peer payments, prepaid debit cards, account openings, loan payments, or other cash equivalents) made with a debit card are not qualified purchases. Documentation may be required to validate that certain purchases are qualified purchases. If you or AAA Banking closes the account for any reason before the end of the statement cycle, you will forfeit all rewards accrued through your linked debit card during that statement cycle. The AAA Banking Visa® debit card is issued by Grasshopper Bank, N.A. pursuant to a license from Visa U.S.A. Inc. and may be used everywhere Visa is accepted.

Important Tax Information

The value of this reward may constitute taxable income and may be reported to the Internal Revenue Service as miscellaneous income to the first signer on the account, in the year received, as required by applicable law. Offer is limited to clients who are citizens of the United States that furnish or have a valid Form W-9 on file and the account must not be subject to backup withholding. You may be issued an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 (or other appropriate form) to you that reflects the value of such reward. Please consult your tax adviser, as AAA Banking does not provide tax advice.

*Eligible AAA Membership Definition: you must be a "Basic," "Plus," or "Premier" member of AAA - The Auto Club Group (ACG). ACG serves households in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Applicants must be 18+ and a U.S. resident. Other AAA memberships are not eligible.

AAA-Member Verification & Product Eligibility

By applying for a AAA Banking deposit account, you acknowledge and agree that if you select a AAA-member product, your AAA membership status with Auto Club Group (ACG) will be validated at the time of account opening and periodically thereafter. If your AAA membership cannot be validated or your membership status changes, your account may be moved to a non-member product with different terms, including but not limited to a lower Annual Percentage Yield (APY) and the removal of other AAA member-only benefits. If this occurs, you will receive a notification regarding the change in the product and applicable terms. If you believe your AAA Membership status was incorrectly validated or that you have been placed in the incorrect product, please contact us to review and correct your status.

Offer valid through 9/02/2025. Offer valid for Classic/Basic Memberships only. Pricing valid at member join only. Offer excludes Motorcycle coverage. Payment of full AAA Membership dues is required upon renewal. Offers, terms, conditions and restrictions apply and are subject to change without notice. Not combinable with any other offer. Offer not valid in FL, GA, MI or PR. A member can add one eligible family member for free for up to one year. Additional Associates are half price. Associate memberships are available to the Primary member’s spouse, one other adult living in the household, and their children living at the same residence or away at school. Associate members must have the same type of membership as their Primary member, with the exception of Motorcycle. Associate membership expires on the renewal date of Primary member.

Upon activation and with proper identification, AAA will provide regular AAA services and full privileges for the new member. Roadside benefits begin three days after payment of dues. Some restrictions apply. Roadside assistance is provided by independent facilities contracted by AAA. Coverage in taxis, limousines and other ride-sharing conveyances is excluded. Visit AAA.com/MemberHandbook for details about member benefits, including any limitations or restrictions. Offers, terms, conditions and policies are subject to change without notice. Savings partners subject to change. Source: 2023 AAA U.S. Market Track national surveys. Includes service vehicles owned by clubs and service vehicles owned by third parties under contract with AAA to provide services to AAA members. Taxes, fees & options excluded. Terms apply. Partners and offers are subject to change and restrictions apply. For a complete list of offers, visit us online at AAA.com/Save or your local AAA office.