The calendar may show March, but the busy summer selling season will be here before you know it. That spells opportunity for your business – a chance to grow your sales and build that all-important bottom line.

Americans are reaching for their credit cards more often, paying for everything from food to fuel as they wait for the next direct deposit to hit their accounts. Charging necessities – and everything else –  can sometimes have unintended consequences. Credit card balances for U.S. adults rose to new heights at the end of 2025, growing by some $44 billion to $1.28 trillion, according to a January report by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. 

When it comes to credit scores, there’s almost always room for improvement. If you’ve pulled your score and you’re not satisfied with the number you received, there are several strategies to boost it. But first, you need a little insight into how that score is calculated.