credit repair specialist
credit repair specialist
credit repair specialist

7 Simple Tips To Improve Your Credit Score

Improving your credit score can be tricky, especially if you don’t know what makes up the number and what factors can affect it. While there are plenty of myths surrounding the numbers, understanding them and improving them is essential to have better financial opportunities down the road. Here are seven simple tips that will help you improve your credit score, which may even result in being able to qualify for things like car loans or mortgages more easily in the future.

(1) Don’t Close Unused Credit Cards

1. If you don’t already have a credit card, get one.
2. Choose a credit card that has no annual fee and is offered at your local bank or credit union.
3. Apply for a secured credit card through your bank.
4. Pay your monthly bill on time every month, and avoid over-drafting your account by only using a fraction of the money in it for payments (paying only what is due).
5. Keep your credit utilization ratio low – which means that you owe less than $30 per $100 worth of available credit. The lower this number, the better your score will be.
6. Be careful not to close any unused accounts as this can decrease your available amount of credit and could negatively affect your score as well.
7. Build your credit history by making small purchases on time and consistently paying them off.
These purchases will show up on your report, so they won’t cost much. If you pay off these little bills right away each month, then lenders see a pattern of responsible behavior that leads to an increase in their confidence level when considering whether or not to loan you more money. Once you have paid off a few small debts on time, the lender may consider lending you larger sums of money with higher interest rates, such as buying a car or home. With increased credit and higher interest rates come higher returns, so your willingness to use your credit responsibly now pays off later!

(2) Use Your Card Regularly

The best way to improve your credit score is by being responsible with your credit card. Paying off your bills in full every month and staying below 30% of your limit are both ways you can keep good track of your spending habits. The best way to ensure this happens is by always paying off the balance before the due date and not carrying a balance from one month to the next. If you can’t pay it all off, put as much as you can afford on it, and then make sure that’s paid before the due date too! Don’t worry about missing a payment once or twice; if you do it won’t have any effect on your credit score.
It’s also important to maintain an active account, which means having an open line of credit that has been used within the last six months or so. You should check your bank statements at least monthly to see if any charges weren’t authorized.

(3) Check Your Credit Report Annually

Request your credit report every year so you can see where you stand. You’re entitled to a copy of your credit report every year, and errors on it can result in incorrect information being provided by potential lenders. When the mistakes are caught early, they can be corrected quickly and at no cost. Simply contact each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) separately; they are required by law to provide one free copy of your credit report annually if you ask for it.

(4) Get Rid Of Collections Accounts And Late Payments

The best way to improve your credit score is by paying your bills on time and keeping your accounts in good standing. First, see if there are any delinquent or delinquent payments. If you see that you owe a lot of money, pay it off and then stop any new charges. Try contacting the company and telling them you have a record of being a good customer. If they agree, ask them if they will remove the account from your credit report. If they don’t remove it right away, let them know that you will continue to pay on time so the account will be in good standing when they do remove it.

(5) Build Up Your Savings First

Step one is to build up your savings. Save and stash every penny you earn, even if it’s a small amount. Use the 50/30/20 rule: spend 50% of your earnings on necessities (like food and utilities), 30% on desired purchases like going out or buying something special, and save 20%. Over time, this will help you build up a nice nest egg in your savings account that can be used when you need some funds (not yet in retirement).

(6) Consider A Secured Card

Get a secured card and make your monthly payments on time. Once you’ve improved your credit history, you can switch over to an unsecured card with better terms. You could also see if any banks offer unsecured credit cards for people with fair or poor credit. You will have better chances of getting approved if you use a co-signer who has good credit and a high income.

(7) Pay Your Balance In Full Every Month

One of the most important things you can do for your credit score is to keep your balance as low as possible. This can be accomplished by paying your balance in full every month. It’s also important that you never go over the credit limit on any account, so monitor those balances, too. Be sure that if you’re offered a new card or a higher limit on an existing card, and it doesn’t have a promotional rate, you don’t take the offer right away. Get some time first to think about whether it’s a good idea for your budget; then when you make the decision, apply only if it will help improve your score without costing you more than necessary.