If you are waiting around, waiting for your credit to fix itself, that is never going to happen. The ostrich effect, putting your head in the sand, will only result in a low score and a poor credit report for the rest of your life. Keep reading for ways that you can be proactive in turning your credit around.
Before doing anything, sit down and make a plan of how you are going to rebuild your credit and keep yourself from getting in trouble again. Consider taking a financial management class at your local college. Having a plan in place will give you a concrete place to go to figure out what to do next.
Do not close that account you’ve had since leaving high school, it’s doing wonders for your credit report. Lenders love established credit accounts and they are ranked highly. If the card is changing interest rates on you, contact them to see if something can be worked out. As a long term customer they may be willing to work with you.
For the best credit score possible, you should apply for multiple cards and make sure you do not use more than 20% of the available balance on each card. Pay off all your cards before applying for a new one. By not going over 20%, you are not damaging your credit and not raising the interest rate.
Buy in cash. Credit and debit cards have made purchasing a thoughtless process. We don’t often realize how much we have spent or are spending. To curb your shopping habits, only buy in cash. It will give you a visual to how much that item actually costs, and make you consider if it is really worth it.
For a quick boost to your FICO score, start paying down your credit cards. Your FICO score is heavily influenced by how much available credit you have. Try to get your cards down to where you are only utilizing 50% of the available limit at most and keep them there.
Recognizing tactics used by disreputable credit repair companies can help you avoid hiring one before it’s too late. Any company that asks for money in advance is not only underhanded but criminal. The Credit Repair Organizations Act prohibits credit repair companies from accepting payments before their services have been rendered. In addition, they neglect to inform you of your rights or to tell you what steps you can take to improve your credit report for free.
If you use an online credit repair service, be sure to take the time to read all of the fine print that is in the agreement. Do not just skim any agreement just to get through the process or you may find that you have a pile of fees added up when you finalize the process.
Some people who want to repair their credit wonder how a credit counseling organization can help them. If you consult a credible credit counselor, they can help you develop skills to help you manage both your money and your debt. They can also instruct you on how to construct a feasible budget. Some even offer complementary educational materials and workshops.
Don’t use all of the credit available to you. Credit agencies use a debt to available credit ratio when calculating FICO scores. When debt is at a high percentage, the credit score is lowered. Keeping available credit on every account that you have will not only help your score, but will also give you some options should there be a costly emergency.
When trying to repair your credit it is important not to miss any more of your monthly credit card payments. You will never be able to truly repair your credit if you do that because this missed payment will go on your credit report and stay there for at least seven years.
If you’re thinking of getting a new credit card so you can make on-time payments to improve your credit, make sure to spread out your credit applications. Having too many inquiries on your credit history in a short period of time can lower your credit rating, which of course will make it more difficult for you to get approved for a credit card.
Make sure the credit repair agency is reputable. There are lots of disreputable credit repair agencies out there. Some people have been victimized by scams that were supposed to help their credit. Take the time to read reviews of different agencies. This will allow you to find an honest one to work with.
One good and easy way to repair your credit is to establish new credit. Establishing new credit can boost your credit score in just a short amount of time. Getting new credit is fairly easy with a secured credit card that will report to all three credit bureaus.
Lowering your debt limit will increase your credit score. Try to get to at least 35% of your overall debt to income. If you have more debt than that your credit score is going to fall. Use your income tax refund to pay off some of that credit to open the door to a better score.
You don’t have to be a financial wizard to have a good credit score. It isn’t rocket science and there is a lot that you can do starting today to raise your score and put positive things on your report. All you need to do is follow the tips that you just read from this article and you will be well on your way.
