3 Things I Did in My 20s to Get a Perfect Credit Score

This post may contain affiliate links which may compensate us based on your interaction. Please read the disclosures for more information.

This writer once had perfect credit. Here’s how she pulled it off early in life. [[{“value”:”

In my 20s, I had a perfect credit score. And the only reason I know I had one is that when I applied for my first apartment, the property manager shared that fact after running a credit check on me.

But it wasn’t particularly surprising to me that I had perfect credit. I took steps to manage my expenses well and keep my debt manageable. Here are three things I did back then that helped me build a perfect 850 credit score.

1. I paid every bill on time

Several different factors go into calculating your credit score. But the one that carries more weight than any other is your payment history.

Paying bills on time can help your credit score improve, while a single late payment could drag your score down tremendously. The one thing I always made sure to do was pay my bills on time.

Back then, the only monthly bills I had that were recorded for credit scoring purposes were a credit card (just one) I charged expenses like groceries on, and a monthly payment for the loans I took out during college. But I also made a point to stick to a tight budget so I’d be able to pay those bills on time.

Now, since my 20s were, well, a long time ago, back then, people didn’t really use budgeting apps. Or at least I certainly didn’t. I relied on a boring Excel spreadsheet to track my expenses, but it got the job done.

If you want to make sure you’re paying all of your bills on time, play around with different budgeting apps and find one that works well for you. It could be your ticket to not just a higher credit score, but meeting your savings goals.

2. I paid off every credit card bill in full

In my 20s, I had a rule I’ve upheld to this day: Never pay interest to a credit card company. And sticking to that rule not only saved me money, but allowed me to have a perfect credit score.

Another factor that goes into calculating your credit score is your credit utilization, or the amount of revolving credit you’re using at once. The lower it is, the more your score improves. Since I always paid my balances in full, and I kept those balances low to begin with, I was able to maintain a solid score.

3. I stayed on my parents’ credit card but didn’t use it

OK, so here’s where I’ll own up to a bit of privilege I had in my 20s. At that time, I completely supported myself, and not once did my parents pay any of my bills, whether it was rent or a medical expense.

But I’ll be honest and say that I was an authorized user on my parents’ credit card for emergency purposes only. I never charged a dime on that credit card. And had I done so, I would’ve paid my parents back.

But the simple fact that I was listed as an authorized user on their credit card helped me achieve perfect credit. That’s because length of credit history is another big factor that goes into calculating a credit score.

As a 20-something, I only had a credit card of my own for a few years. But because my parents had me on that long-standing account, it helped my credit score. I realize this option isn’t available to everyone. But if you’re able to take advantage of it, it could give your credit score a lift.

I haven’t had perfect credit in a long time

The things I did in my 20s to achieve perfect credit are things I continue to do today. I pay my bills on time, I pay off my credit cards each month, and I maintain long-standing credit card accounts of my own rather than cancel cards I don’t use often. Instead, I put a small recurring charge on those cards to keep the accounts active and maintain my credit history.

The reason I don’t have perfect credit is because I’ll occasionally apply for a new credit card. And each time you do that, your credit score takes a tiny hit.

Also, while I pay off my credit cards in full, I have more expenses now than I did in my 20s. So sometimes, my balances will be high temporarily, which drives my utilization up on a short-term basis.

Because of this, my credit score tends to fluctuate in the 810 to 840 range, but it hasn’t gotten back to 850 in quite some time. And you know what? That’s OK.

You don’t need perfect credit

Only 1.54% of U.S. consumers have a perfect credit score, according to Experian. And the reason is that perfect credit is really hard to achieve. But if your credit score is strong, it doesn’t matter if it’s not perfect.

Once you reach the 800 mark, you’re likely to get approved for any loan you apply for provided you meet the earnings criteria (you’re unlikely to get a $600,000 mortgage, for example, if you only earn $30,000 a year).

And once your credit score is around 800 or higher, you’re likely to qualify for a top rate on any loan or credit card. Check out this list of credit cards for applicants with top credit scores.

If your credit score is stuck in the 600 range, or the lower 700s, I would absolutely encourage you to take the steps I took in my 20s to bring your score up. But once you get to 800, don’t sweat it. At that point, you’re in a great place credit-wise. And there’s no need to stress yourself out about hitting 850 when it’s pretty darn tough to achieve.

Alert: highest cash back card we’ve seen now has 0% intro APR into 2026

This credit card is not just good – it’s so exceptional that our experts use it personally. It features a 0% intro APR for 15 months, a cash back rate of up to 5%, and all somehow for no annual fee!

Click here to read our full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.

We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers.
The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

“}]] Read More