10 Tips on How to Boost Your Credit Score From an Industry Insider
Is your credit in such bad shape you have no idea where to even start. Credit problems can be a drain on yourself personally and even spillover to your relationships with friends and family. I wanted to share with you ten super easy tips on how to get your credit score up, up, up.
1. First things first you need to understand what your report looks like is and to make sure there are no errors on your report. You can obtain your credit report for free on the internet or for a small charge. You will not get your actual score but you will be able to see your report and identify if there are any errors.
2. Check for errors. There are billions of people on this earth and it is entirely possible that your report has picked up some or all of another persons bad credit. You will then need to take immediate action and follow up with the agencies with a letter. This is a simple task when you understand exactly what they are looking for.
3. Pay off any and all delinquent accounts found on your report. Start with the most recent items and work your way backwards. The more recent derogatory items have a greater impact on your score and you will get more bang for your buck by attacking the newest items first.
4. Do not cancel out any old credit cards! This is the first step most uninformed consumers take and this has the exact opposite effect than what you are looking for. Pay off the balance and let the card sit in your sock drawer but do not cancel your card. In the eyes of the credit agencies they want to see a long credit history.
5. Pay your bills on time! This is not a secret but it is one of the most important tips out there. You need to place an importance on paying your bills on time. If you are serious about raising your credit score (and isn’t it about time you got serious) you need to make a commitment to pay all bills on time starting now!
6. Online Banking: I have not wrote a check in years. A couple clicks of the mouse and my mortgage is paid, credit card balance is paid in full, etc… Most banks have this set up for customers for FREE. You must take advantage of this feature. You can even set up reoccurring payments to pay your mortgage on time without even thinking about it.
7. Pay down your credit balances to 30% of the max limit on the card. The credit agencies look to see how much you have borrowed against a particular card and if you are getting close to the max it sends off red flags and hurts your score.
8. Do not open any new credit. Every time you open credit your report takes a hit (an inquiry) and too many of these inquiries can damage your score. If you are serious about getting your score above 700 you need to take a break from opening new accounts and focus on cleaning up what you have.
9. Live below your means! You will never break the debt cycle until you get serious with yourself and say this is what I can afford and this is something I will have to take a pass on. Don’t keep up with the Jones’s, with gas at over $4 per gallon that SUV your neighbor was bragging about seems a little silly now doesn’t it.
10. This is a repeat because it is so important. Pay your bills on time. All of them. Draw the line in the sand and declare to the universe that I (your name here) am a responsible individual who pays my bills on time and I deserve a fantastic credit score.
Take action on any one of these tips and you are sure to see an improvement in your score. You need a plan and now you have one so get to work. A plan + action = Results.
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