How to Improve a Bad Credit Score
There are a lot of people who suffer from a bad credit score. Our credit scores are numbers that tell us about our financial health. It informs us about how much debt we carry. Your credit lists the number of bills you either didn’t pay or paid late. Every time you create more debt, your credit score will tank. Consider these fixes to improve your bad credit score:
1. On time bill payments
Figure out the exact dates your bills are due. Make sure you stick to sending your payment either a week before and never after. On time bill payments can increase your credit score very quickly. Most credit reports will tell you how you’re doing with payments if you don’t know. Too many of us assume we are hitting the bill’s due date when we never have. Learn to create a habit of paying bills on-time as a personal challenge or goal. You’re creditors will love this. They’ll start to see you in a more favorable light. This helps when need a loan or things you need to support a family.
2. Pay down or off debt
Don’t allow yourself to continue stacking up debt without a care in the world. Mountains of debts can destroy your credit score. Either pay it down or pay it off. Work out a plan how you can slowly send money to these bills. Talk with the collectors and negotiate payments so you can reduce the amount.
3. Keep balances low
Run a credit check to see where your bill balances stand. For credit cards, the golden rule is to only use 30 percent and no more. It’s a good habit to learn to maintain your financial life. Many of us overspend on credit cards because we have large amounts of credit offered to us. If you want to repair your credit, then stay within 30 percent and you’ll be fine. Low balances means you’re in control of your credit. You’re no longer at its mercy and frantic if you’ve overspent.
4. New credit
There’s no doubt you’re going to be offered some kind of new credit card in the mail. Only consider new credit when you need it. Avoid signing up for every credit card offer that comes to your mailbox. No one says you have to take the credit though it’s given to you. Try to resist the temptation of adding more credit that can only get you in trouble.
5. Digital finance trackers
With the advancement of technology, we live in a world where most things are turning digital or into an application. Use the internet to find the best financial tracker that can keep you in line with your spending. These are the best applications that allow you to discover where all of your money is going that eventually hurts your credit score. Try several out to see how they work with your spending lifestyle. The great thing about the available millions of applications is that you get the chance to find the right on. You will have to log in to your information like a checking account. Be aware of requests for personal social security numbers and whether that’s needed. Create a strong password as most of your financial life will be inside the app.