Super Ways To Get A Better Credit Score
Super Ways To Get A Better Credit Score
In this economy, you're not the only person who has had a difficult time keeping your credit score high. That can be little consolation when you find it harder to get financing for life's necessities. The good news is that you can repair your credit; here are a few tips to get you started.
If you are serious about getting your finances in order, start by making a budget. You need to know exactly how much money is coming into your household in order to balance that with all of your expenses. If you have a budget, you will avoid overspending and getting into debt.
Keep all of your credit card accounts open, provided there are no fees to do so, in order to keep your credit score up. Closing a credit card account may hurt you in the end, so if your credit score is fragile and you need to build it up, keep your accounts open, particularly if they have a balance currently.
The key to successful repair of your credit is to know your rights about how your accounts are reported. If you feel that errors have been made in the way an agency has reported to your credit history then it is in your best interest to know your rights and contact these creditors with that information in your toolbox.
If you have negative items on your credit report, you have the right to challenge them at any time. Even if you don't think an item is disputable, there is a chance you can have it removed if the credit bureau doesn't investigate your challenge in a timely manner. For items that are two years old or more, the credit bureau may have trouble finding information to verify its accuracy, in which case they will have to delete it from your report.
To build up a good credit score, keep your oldest credit card active. Having a payment history that goes back a few years will definitely improve your score. Work with this institution to establish a good interest rate. Apply for new cards if you need to, but make sure you keep using your oldest card.
When working to repair your credit, it's important to consider the different ranges that different reporting agencies use. This is important to know, so that you know the meaning of your own score. The main scores used are FICO: 300 - 850, Experian: 330 - 830, Equifax: 300 - 850, and TransUnion: 300 - 850.
The better your credit score is the better rates you are going to get from your insurance company. Pay your bills on time each month and your credit score will raise. Reduce the amount of money that you owe on your credit accounts and it will go up even more and your premiums will go down.
A low credit score can run your life in a number of ways, so having a bad credit score can make you feel the squeeze of a bad economy even more than other people. Following these tips will help you to breathe easier, as you find your score starts to improve over time.