Bad credit can make it difficult to do business with certain types of companies. A poor credit rating limits your credit options and reduces the amount of choice you have in the marketplace. However, there is hope — you can repair your credit with a few steps and re-open those doors to access lower borrowing rates and other benefits once more. Follow the tips and information below to get started cleaning up your credit.
If you are unable to get an unsecured credit card due to your low credit rating, consider a secured card to help reestablish your rating. These types of credit cards often require a good faith deposit to open a new account. If you show a good history of payments with this card, it will help improve your credit standing.
If you have a card that carries a balance of over 50% of the limit, you should pay it down to below 50%. If your credit card balances exceed 50% of their limits, it will lower your credit score, so spread your debt over multiple cards, or better, pay down the balances.
A good credit report means you are more likely to get financing for a home. Staying current with your mortgage payments is a way to raise your credit score even more. Having a major asset like a house also looks good to potential creditors. This will also be useful in the event that you end up needing to borrow funds.
If you can afford to pay another monthly bill, an installment account paid on time will increase your credit rating. With this sort of an account, you need to keep a minimum. Paying on time and maintaining a balance will help improve your credit score.
Interest Rates
You can dispute inflated interest rates if you are being charged more than you should be. Some companies that charge high interest rates are running the risk of having those rates challenged by consumers. However, when you signed up for the line of credit you also agreed to pay the interest. Suing your creditors can be effective in some circumstances in cases where the court considers the interest rates to be excessive.
Before you hire a credit counselor, make sure that you have done your research. The industry is rife with fraud and people with ulterior motives, so finding a legitimate credit counselor can be challenging. Other programs, while they sound good, are complete and total scams. To help protect yourself from fraud, investigate any credit counselors. One way to check an agency out is to check with the Better Business Bureau.
Dispute any errors that you find on any of your credit reports. Contact the credit agency in writing, with documentation to support the errors that you are disputing. Mail your dispute packet with receipt confirmation so you will have proof the agency has received it.
You need to read and understand the credit card statements you receive in the mail. Always check to make sure that you are being charged correctly, and not being double charged or charged for items that you did not buy. You should ensure everything is okay and does not have any errors.
Fix your credit problems today to give yourself a happy financial future. You just need to know where to start and what you can do. Repairing your credit takes some discipline and a little time. Apply the tips from this article to send you on your way to credit score repair success.