<prompt> Human: Hello,I have a few accounts in collections. I paid off 3 accounts and my credit score only went up by 9 points? I could have saved that 700 for something else. Is it really worth it? I wont be making any big purchases for at least the next 10 years..I was trying to man up and do the right thing, but it seems like my efforts are fruitless. Can someone help me understand more?My credit score is 529 and I feel depressed because Ive been advised to pay the accounts off and the returns are small.  <response>: I am not a fan of doing the right thing when it comes to finances. The cost of not doing the right thing has already been priced into everything. Unless you can come out ahead by doing the right thing, i.e. pay-for-delete, it is pointless.If everybody, especially corporations, had a moral obligation to repay debts, this would be a different discussion. But lets face it: financial markets work in such a way that if the cost of not paying a debt is less than the cost of paying it, businesses will choose not to pay almost every time. Why should individuals be any different? 