every month. Your FICO score is based on several factors, including number of accounts (generally the more in good standing the better), credit age (how old are your accounts) and credit utilization ratio. Back in the day women disproportionately did not have credit cards in their own names, but were only authorized users on their husbands accounts. Folks made a stink and the company that does the FICO score made it so their score took into account any credit cards for which you are an authorized user.