5 unique ways to help repair poor credit score

Your credit is a delicate part of your life. It doesn’t take much to hurt it, and if you know what you are doing, it doesn’t have to take much to fix it. Here are a few ways that you can repair your credit without having to make major investments or put yourself at serious financial risk. These are tips that anyone can use for credit repair, no matter how much money they are working with.

Determine your score

Begin by figuring out what your credit score is. You can do this by calling one of the several credits reporting bureaus or using their online services to have a report sent to you. You are allowed to request a single credit report free of charge every year. Once you have that information and you know what your score is and what is affecting your credit score, you can start to take targeted action.

Focus on paying bills on time

We don’t know what your credit score problem is and what is preventing you from having a good credit report, but we do know that the most serious offender for most people is late or underpaid bills. If you don’t pay your bills on time or don’t pay them in full, then it will seriously affect your credit score.

Medical bills and student loans won’t factor in as much, but utility bills, rent, car payments and credit card payments all have a major effect on your credit report. Focus on paying those bills on time and then on paying them off. Simply by making payments in a timely manner, you will see an impact on your credit score, but paying off bills goes a much longer way toward boosting that credit report of yours.

Consumers can improve their credit score by paying bills on time which in turn will lessen or avoid monthly interests. (Source)

Open accounts and keep them in good standing

A simple thing that anyone can do to give their credit score is to open a credit card account and keep it in good standing. Now, if you already have lots of credit cards, then you’ll want to disregard this step. This is mostly aimed at people who think that getting rid of all their cards after they pay them off is the way to go. What they may not realize is that their credit score is based partially on how much of their available credit they are using.

If you have almost no credit to work with, then that is going to hurt your credit score. So, you will want to apply for a credit card and then use it regularly. Then just make sure you pay it off as soon as possible, keeping the balance as low as you can. This looks great on your credit report and shows that you can handle credit responsibly.

Get some help

You may not know how to handle your finances or keep your bills paid. You may not know which bills to focus on and pay off first or how to spend the money you bring in. in that case, you may want to enlist the help of a credit repair company. This is going to cost you, but it can help you understand your financial situation and get the help you need to start toward credit repair. It can be worth the expense to start getting your bills paid and to use your credit and assets effectively. While we are offering general information, a credit repair agency can give you advice specific to your situation and help you get on the other side of a bad credit score.

Only take out loans you can pay

You’ll want to avoid any high-interest loans, if possible. That means payday loans and other borrowing opportunities that charge you a lot of money in interest are something you should be wary of. You are better off trying to find a friend to borrow money from instead. You want to make sure your bills are paid on time and in full, and won’t be able to do that effectively if you are taking out money you won’t be able to pay back on time. Just be careful about any loans you apply for and be sure you plan your spending wisely.

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DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation in writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.