Bad credit can hurt your life in many ways. Bad credit makes it harder to get any type of loan including for a car or house. When you don’t pay your bills or if you pay fees too late, your credit score can drop. If you need to improve your credit, here are a few tips to help you start.
Having poor credit makes financing a home a nightmare. Try to secure an FHA loan; these are federal government guaranteed. Even if the applicant does not have money for closing costs or a down payment, an FHA loan is workable.
Try to get a secured credit card if you are not eligible for an unsecured card. This will help you fix your credit. Anyone can get one, but you must load money onto the card as a type of “collateral”. Limited spending and regular payments can turn a new credit account into a valuable credit restoration tool.
You may be able to reduce interest rates by maintaining a favorable credit rating. This will make your payments easier and it will enable you to repay your debt a lot quicker. Obtaining the best possible interest rate saves you money, and helps you maintain your credit score.
Interest Rates
If your debt includes large amounts for interest charges contact the debt collector and see whether you can pay the original debt and avoid some of the additional interest charges. Creditors are skirting a fine line of law when they try to charge you exorbitant interest rates. Remember you agreed to pay any interest that accrued over the life of the account. If you want to sue creditors, you need to state your claim that the interest rates are too high.
Negative-but-correct information cannot be removed from your credit report, so be wary of promises from unscrupulous companies who promise to remove it from the credit reporting agencies. Unfortunately, negative marks will stay on your record for seven years. But, you should remain mindful of the fact that errors can be deleted from your report.
As you work toward repairing your credit score, you should be willing to cooperate and work with your creditors. This will enable you to make sure to keep your credit in good standing and repair any damage that may have been caused. Talk to the company and see if you can change your due date or monthly fees.
Though it is an unsettling prospect, consider asking your credit card provider to reduce the amount of credit extended to you. You will not be able to spend too much and they will see that you are responsible.
If you are trying to improve your credit score but are having difficulty gaining access to new credit in order to do so, join a credit union. Credit unions may be able to offer more credit options or better rates than a larger bank, based on an understanding of the local area rather than the national situation.
Start living within your means. This takes time and a change in attitude to accomplish. In the not too distant past, credit was easy and people could stretch themselves too far, but now the economy is paying the price of those days. Be honest with yourself about what you can truly afford.
Too many credit cards is a common cause of financial strain, so close all of your accounts aside from one. Try to make a payment or transfer your balance to your open credit account. You can pay down one credit card in full, rather than chipping away at many.
Timely payments will keep your credit status in good standing. Every time you make a late payment, it is logged in your credit report which can hinder your ability to take out a loan.
It is difficult to just forget about negative reports, but writing a statement is useless. It can actually backfire. It brings attention to a part of your report you would rather a lender not look at very closely.
Try to avoid using credit cards. Using cash will ensure that you stick to your budget and don’t overspend. If you must use your credit card, pay it back in full.
Having to deal with debt collectors is often very stressful and distressing. The consumer can use cease and desist orders, but these only stop harassment. These letters may prevent collection agencies from making phone calls, but the consumer remains responsible for paying the debt.
Be wary of any company that tells you they can instantly fix your credit. Less ethical lawyers have realized that with the current glut of consumers with credit trouble, there is money to be made by charging high fees for ineffective credit restoration help. Check the reviews and reputation of any lawyer or credit improvement firm thoroughly before you contact them and certainly before you give them any money.
Start reducing your debt. Creditors look at your total debt in relation to your income. You are thought to be a bad credit risk if you have alot of debt in comparison with your income. Because the majority of individuals do not have the cash on hand to pay all of their debts, the key is to commit yourself to a payment schedule.
Credit Score
Having a good credit score is important to most people due to the fact that their credit scores are taken into account when obtaining all types of loans, including personal, business and student loans. If you have a poor credit score, take note of the tips below and start to repair your credit.