Over the years, I’ve been fortunate to earn and keep an excellent credit rating. And I’ve used my excellent credit many times to my advantage. From opening premium rewards credit cards and earning free vacations to qualifying for four low-rate mortgage loans, my excellent credit has saved me tens of thousands of dollars.

But you don’t have to take my word for it.

I reached out to financial professionals across the country and asked them to share their best credit-related wins. Here’s a look at 9 ways that 9 financial pros used good credit scores to get ahead.