Your credit score is a number that lenders rely on when trying to determine whether you qualify for a personal loan or line of credit. The higher your credit score, the more likely you are to be approved and get a competitive interest rate on the amount you borrow. So you may want to keep your credit score as high as possible. And you may even have a goal of having a perfect credit score.

In the context of FICO, the most widely used credit scoring formula, that means achieving a score of 850. And that’s no easy feat. But a tiny percentage of consumers — 1.54%, according to Experian — have perfect credit scores. And they probably do it to maintain it.

1. They pay more than the minimum monthly payment on their credit card

Your payment history matters more than any other factor in calculating your credit score. So if you pay your credit card bills on time each month, that helps a lot.

But that’s not enough to make the minimum monthly payments and call it a day. People with excellent credit keep their utilization very low, meaning they don’t carry large balances forward and instead tend to pay their bills in full.

If you want to have perfect credit, you should get into the habit of doing the same thing – paying off your debts whole balance each month instead of just the minimum amount. This can not only help your credit score, but also save you money on interest.

2. They keep accounts open in good standing for years

The length of your credit history is another important factor in calculating your credit score. People with excellent credit tend to keep their accounts in good shape for many years.

That doesn’t mean you should refinance an installment loan you’re almost done paying off to keep that account open on your record. If you have a five-year auto loan with one remaining payment, you should do that and move on. But you should keep credit card accounts open as long as possible, provided there are no negative consequences.

If you have a credit card with a pricey annual fee that you don’t use, that alone is reason to cancel it. But if you have a no-annual-fee card that simply doesn’t have the best loyalty program, it’s worth keeping it if it’s older and in good standing (meaning you’re paying your bills as they come due). In that case, you might want to set up a small recurring fee, like a Netflix bill, to keep the account in use, and then make most of your purchases on the card with better benefits.

3. They check their credit reports regularly

You’re entitled to a free copy of your credit report from each of the reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — every week. People with excellent credit don’t necessarily check their credit reports every week. But they probably do so regularly, like once every three months or so.

Regularly checking your credit report is a great way to keep your score in great shape. If you spot a bad mistake and fix it, your score can go up significantly. It’s also important to check your credit report for fraud.

If you see an open loan or credit card on your report that you don’t recognize, it may be a mistake – Or a sign that a criminal has set up an account in your name. This is something that should be investigated as soon as possible. But you won’t know to do it if you don’t check your credit report. And the sooner you spot fraud, the less damage it can cause.

Summary

It’s not easy to achieve perfect credit. And the truth is, you don’t need perfect credit to get a loan or a credit card. If you can keep your score in the upper 700s or somewhere around 800, you’re in great shape, so you don’t have to stress over a hard-to-get 850.

It is definitely worth adopting the habits of people with excellent credit histories to improve your score and keep it at a high level.