Answer: -First and foremost, if you clear your credit card every month your not in fact doin yourself any favours. Your better off using it and making payments on a monthly basis. I say this because my inlaws had a credit card for 20yrs and cleared it every month. They were advised that technically as they werent using credit they werent accumulating any credit points. -The credit card payments will be on your credit scoring, the collection agencies will be on it and even though you have cleared the debt it stays there for 5 years, i would keep the credit card going -firstly- any check on your credit file - in this case your own- may extend any entries on that file.if you are paying a debt collection agency then their client will have undoubtedly registered you with experian as a default payer- this will remain on file for 6 yrs and will not be updated until paid in full when it will be marked as satisfied. it will not show a reduced balance or marked as paying regularly. when you have paid the account with a collection agency you should ask for a letter of satisfaction.send a copy to your original creditor and ask if they would consider removing their default notice- i would advise writing a nice charming request as they are not obliged to remove their entry.credit is not a right and it is up to the business that you apply to how they view your history.my advise regarding your credit card . if you have any surplus cash pay off your old debts first before incurring others.especially if you have any CCJs. I would not advise anyone to regularly check their own credit file unless they suspect identity fraud.