With the high prices of food and gasoline in the nation today, it’s incredibly easy to fall behind on your bills. Once you fall behind just a little bit, things begin to snowball out of control for even the most responsible people. So if you’re one of the millions currently struggling with bad credit, you need to read this article.
Open and maintain around 2 to 4 different credit cards. It’s tempting to use less, but it will take a lot longer to rebuild your credit with only one account. Using more than 4 cards makes the impression that you aren’t managing your debt well. Keep your balances low on all of the accounts and keep them paid on time.
Repairing your credit file can be difficult if you are opening new accounts or having your credit polled by creditors. Improvements to your credit rating take time, however, having new creditors check your standing will have an immediate impact on your rating. Avoid new accounts or checks to your history while you are improving your history.
Nothing will repair your credit other than time. If you have late payments, defaults or even bankruptcy, your score will go down. There is no way to remove these once they have been reported. Only time and good behavior will eventually make them less and less of a determining factor in your score and the credit that you receive.
Knowing how individual agencies report to bureaus will greatly improve your repair efforts. Different creditors may report problems based on certain criteria and use different time frames for reporting. Research the standards for credit cards, utilities and mortgage or rental companies to know when and how these issues are reported.
Contact the creditors of small recent debts on your account. See if you can negotiate having them report your debt as paid as agreed if you can pay the balance in full. Make sure that if they agree to the arrangement that you get it in writing from them for backup purposes.
If you know that you are going to be late on a payment or that the balances have gotten away from you, contact the business and see if you can set up an arrangement. It is much easier to keep a company from reporting something to your credit report than it is to have it fixed later.
Keep using cards that you’ve had for a while for small amounts here and there to keep it active and on your credit report. The longer that you have had a card the better the effect it has on your FICO score. If you have cards with better rates or limits, keep the older ones open by using them for small incidental purchases.
Stay away from Payday loans. They have the highest interest rate of any loan you can get. In the event that you can’t pay on time, you will literally be digging yourself into a hole that you can’t get out of, as the penalties and interest rates continually rise.
Pay down credit card debt. Most people carry a debt on their credit cards, usually at an exorbitant interest rate. By paying the minimum amount each month, you will only be making a small dent on the balance. If you have any excess cash, you should start trying to pay off the credit card that has the highest interest rate. Once you have paid off that debt, focus on your other cards in the same manner. Always pay down the debt of the card with the highest interest rate, first.
Legitimate credit counselors can help you repair your credit. Good counselors will work with you over the long haul, assisting you for the weeks or months it takes to patch up your credit. They can help you prioritize your bills and debts and offer assistance if your financial resources are lacking. Credit counselors rarely work for free but they can be worth the money if your credit problems are serious.
An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit is that if you have poor credit you probably won’t receive funding from a bank to start your home business. This is important because for some there is no other option other than borrowing from a bank, and starting up a business may be a dream that is otherwise unattainable.
One tactic to use in repairing your credit is to contact your credit card companies and request a decrease in your credit limit. This is a signal to your card company and to the credit bureaus that you intend to use less credit. It implies fiscal responsibility – and it encourages it by making it harder for you to carry high debts.
If you are not having any luck working directly with the credit bureau on correcting your report, even after months of trying, you should hire a credit repair company. These businesses specialize in fixing all types of reporting mistakes and they will get the job done quickly and without hassle, and your credit will improve.
One can repair their credit by responsibly using their credit or debit cards. By avoiding carrying bills on these cards one will not only avoid awful interest fees that will add up, but they can also repair their credit rating. Being responsible with credit cards and not overspending will boost your credit score.
The odds are great that no one ever explained to you the dangers of bad credit, especially not the creditors themselves. But ignorance is no excuse here. You have bad credit, now you have to deal with it. Using what you learned here to your advantage, is a great way to repair your credit score and to permanently fix your rating.
