There’s no need to waste your time — and some short-term damage to your credit score — by applying for a credit card offer that’s out of your league. This first step is crucial because the information in your credit reports — and the scores that are calculated as a result — will be critical in determining which cards you get and how much you pay for them.

Insurance companies can use use drivers’ credit scores and personal credit score information to determine how much to charge for auto insurance rates.

Credit reporting bureaus continually update credit reports as they receive information from lenders. Your credit score may change with these updates as lenders add new information to your credit report but also as old information drops off your report. How updates affect your credit score can depend on your overall credit history.

A credit bureau is an information clearinghouse that compiles information on consumers. The credit grantors, or lenders, report consumer payment history to the credit bureaus. The credit bureaus then compile that information together with information on tax liens, bankruptcies, and court judgments that is available in public records. In return, when consumers apply for credit, lenders can check credit reports to determine the creditworthiness of consumers.

Free FICO Scores have become more available to consumers since 2013, when Fair Isaac Corporation announced its FICO Score Open Access Program, which gave banks the right to share a FICO Score with consumers. Additionally, banks claim the free FICO Scores have increased customer loyalty.