Credit mix: the 10% almost nobody should chase

Scoring models reward variety — revolving accounts like credit cards alongside installment accounts like auto loans, mortgages, or student loans. It's roughly 10% of a FICO score, and it exists because a file that shows you can handle both structures predicts risk slightly better than one that doesn't.

The mistake is treating it as a to-do item. Taking on a loan you don't need for a 10% category, while adding a hard inquiry and a new account that drags your average age down, usually nets out negative. Credit mix improves on its own as your financial life does.