The latter means that the credit reporting agencies "evaluate" how you're doing at specific times, so instead of paying off your card when it is due, you can no

The latter means that the credit reporting agencies "evaluate" how you're doing at specific times, so instead of paying off your card when it is due, you can notice when they evaluate and pay it off right before they check. If you do, try and pay off enough to have it below 10%, but above 1%, since that'll give you the best evaluation (i.e. the highest credit score). For anyone else, pretty much anyone with income can more or less fix their credit in 6-9 months if you just work at it. It's a game, you can game it, and get a good credit score. (If you scoff at the notion of credit scores being "a game", realize that it's the whole point. People who "care" enough about their credit score to learn the game and play it are—by definition—good credit risks. So doing well "at the game" is exactly what credit providers want you to do.)