Rest assured, you can definitely improve upon and bolster a flagging FICO score. Revitalizing your FICO score is as easy as taking these steps:

• Paying all of your bills on time: This is probably the single most important factor in the FICO calculation. You simply cannot make a habit of slow-paying any bills. If you consistently run thirty days overdue, your score can drop 100 points. Get a handle on the bill-paying process, and, if possible, arrange for automatic withdrawals or pay your bills when they arrive (via mail or e-mail). This includes insurance and household bills such as utilities and telephone.

• Keeping your balances low: The FICO score evaluates your credit utilization — how much you owe in relation to your available credit. Maxed-out credit cards can lower your score. If possible, limit spending to no more than 30 percent of your credit limit and spread out your spending among several cards.

• Establishing a positive history: If you have no credit history, applying for one or two credit cards, charging small amounts, and paying promptly will create a favorable history.

• Minimizing credit card or loan applications: Too much availability of credit may indicate that you're spreading yourself too thin. Every time you fill out an application for a credit card or loan, the inquiry is noted on your FICO score, whether or not you open the account or accept a loan. This is another good reason to just say no to all credit card offers. Be very selective and save your credit worthiness for big-ticket purchases like houses or cars.

• Not consolidating to take advantage of lower interest rates: While you may think you're beating the system, the credit reporting agencies take a dim view of juggling balances and opening a series of new cards. That's not to say that you shouldn't do it once or twice, but whatever you do, don't run up all your cards again, and don't open a string of new accounts.

• Not charging new debt: While you do want some activity on your accounts, paying down balances only to charge them up again will deflate a high score.

• Thinking twice before closing accounts: Maintaining older accounts that you have managed well over the years will boost your score. Also, if you close five or six accounts within a short time, lenders may wonder why you're tightening the belt. They judge your ratio of credit available to credit being used, which means having extensive (unused) credit could boost your score, as long as you have the income to afford payments.

• Paying off small balances: Any time you can strike off a debt, you're ahead. However, don't let your credit sit idle for long periods of time. Remember, most lenders are likely to review the past two years, so you'll want positive history visible.

Follow these guidelines, and you will have a sparkling FICO score that would make the best money-manager proud!