this post was submitted on 31 Aug 2023
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Unethical Life Pro Tips

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An Unethical Life Pro Tip (or ULPT) is a tip that improves your life in a meaningful way, perhaps at the expense of others and/or with questionable legality. Share your best tips you've picked up throughout your life, and learn from others!

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[–] [email protected] 81 points 1 year ago (3 children)

You can have good credit and a low salary.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I had 800 credit working fast food because l carried extremely little debt.

Twenty years later, my score is fighting to stay about 750 because I make 6 figures, a few credit cards with zero debt. Because they WANT me to hold onto debt to show my trustworthiness? Fuck that.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Nah, there’s something else that’s triggering it. Average length of credit matters a lot, so if you cancel cards and get new ones frequently that would do it.

Long term debt for sure is good, carrying balances on cards is never rewarded.

The reason they’re OK extending credit when you have debt is because they can see you are managing it. Mortgage or auto loans (asset backed) aren’t bad. Don’t carry balances on cards ever if you can avoid it.

As another poster said, there’s probably no functional difference for you between 750 and 830.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes, they do. You get extra points for holding a balance.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

No you don't. Technically you get a small (~10 point) bonus for showing literally anything other than $0. But you get zero points for carrying that balance beyond the payoff date.

You should never ever ever pay interest on credit cards. It doesn't help you in any way.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

Landlords also ask for pay stubs / proof of income.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Yes, but also you don't get good credit by entering into contracts you can't afford. What I can and can't afford are my decision to make.

Just like you can have good credit and low income, you can have high income and be shit with money. It really doesn't prove anything by showing a pay stub.