You have most likely done damage to your credit, whether you got a card from friends, went on too many shopping trips or were hit by economic pressures. There are some things you can do to turn your credit around.
If you can’t get a normal card due to low credit score, look into a secured card. These accounts are much easier to get as you will have to fund the new account ahead of time with a deposit to cover any purchases. If you get a new card and use it responsibly, it will help to improve your credit score.
You may be able to reduce interest rates by maintaining a favorable credit rating. By lowering your monthly payments, you’ll be able to reduce your debt more quickly. Asking for a better deal from your debtors can help you get out of debt and back to achieving a better credit score.
Interest Rates
If you want to avoid paying a lot, you can pay off debts that have a huge interest rate. Creditors are skirting aspects of the law when they hit you with high interest rates. It is important to take into account the fact that you did sign a contract and agreed to pay off the attached interest. The only way you are legally able to sue the creditors is if you are able to prove that your interest rates are much too high.
One of the first steps of improving your credit score is ensuring that your bills are always paid. Even more important than just paying your bills, is to pay off the entire balance, and pay them on time. Once you have started to pay towards your past-due accounts, you credit score will gradually improve.
Work closely with all of your creditors if you are aiming towards repairing your credit. This will help you stabilize your situation and start working towards a better financial situation. Politely ask if it is possible to have your minimum monthly payment adjusted or due date changed.
Give the credit card companies a call and find out if they will lower your credit limit. You will not be able to spend too much and they will see that you are responsible.
Debt Settlements
Know how debt settlements will influence your credit score prior to making a decision. Some debt settlements are better than others. Do your homework and find out how your score will be impacted before agreeing to anything. They do not worry about how your credit score looks; they want to get money.
The first step in repairing your credit involves a thorough and careful check to ensure your credit report doesn’t contain erroneous information. The debt itself may be legitimate, but if you find errors in its metadata (e.g. the date, amount, creditor name), you might be able to get the whole entry deleted.
Dispute any errors that you find on any of your credit reports. Send an official letter to companies that have wrongfully lowered your score, and include documentation that shows the mistake. Always send your dispute letters certified mail, so that you can get return confirmation. This will give you proof that the agency received your dispute paperwork.
If you are able to get a payment plan worked out with any of your creditors, make sure you get the terms in writing. You need to have a contract in writing so if the creditor goes belly up or they change your terms, you can catch them on it. Once the debt is fully paid, you need to get a statement verifying this from the creditor and send it to each of the major credit bureaus.
Make sure that you pay more than the minimum balance owed on all of your credit cards to improve your credit. First, work on the accounts with the highest interest rates and the highest balances. This will show future creditors that you take your debts seriously.
When you receive your credit card statement, go over it carefully. Take a second look to make sure that you are being charged only for what you actually purchased. You should ensure everything is okay and does not have any errors.
Avoid using credit cards. Try to make purchases using cash only. When you find credit card spending unavoidable, pay down your balance immediately.
Store Credit Card
Your credit score will get damaged each time you open another line of credit. When you are at the checkout, resist the urge to open a new store credit card. Credit scores are adversely affected by opening a store credit card, because of their high interest rates.
Fixing your damaged credit may seem like an overwhelming task in the beginning, but with a bit of work and a bit of guidance, you can turn things around and get your credit back on track. With the advice you were given in the above article, you can get to work on improving your credit score today.