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Bad Credit Credit Cards
People who have bad credit have many more credit card options today than they did just a few years ago. Maybe this is contributed to the theory of supply and demand or maybe the credit card companies just realized how much more money they can make...
Different Types of Credit Cards and Features - Part 1
Copyright 2005 Gibble LLC
Just as there are too many credit card companies to count, there seems to be just as many different credit cards, all claiming to offer you the best possible deal. Since no two people are alike, not all programs and...
How to handle small business credit card account
A business credit card allows companies to separate business
expenses from personal expenses and makes business transactions
easily by phone, via the Internet or in person. The advantage of
a business credit is obvious. But what kind of steps...
Rebuilding Better Credit
Today, good credit is the one constant necessity needed to
succeed in any endeavor, from starting a new business venture to
purchasing a home. Without having established prior good credit
and maintaining this status, re-establishing decent credit...
SuperCharged Secret 2, Credit Card Utopia
INTEREST BEWARE, THERE’S SAFETY IN NUMBERS!
Note: The following is part 2 of a 5 part series, Over the course of these 5 articles, I am going to introduce you to several methods for maximizing the use and benefits of the best Credit Cards and...
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5 Ways To Raise Credit Score
It's not as hard as you think to raise credit score. It's a well known fact that lenders will give people with higher credit scores lower interest rates on mortgages, car loans and credit cards. If your credit score falls under 620 just getting loans and credit cards with reasonable terms is difficult.
There are more than 30 million people in the United States that have credit scores under 620 and if you’re probably wondering what you can do to raise credit score for you.
Here are five simple tips that you can use to raise credit score.
1. Get a copy of your credit report
Obtaining a copy of your credit report is a good idea because if there is something on your report that is incorrect, you will raise credit score once it is removed. Make sure you contact the bureau immediately to remove any incorrect information.
Your credit report should come from the three major bureaus: Experian, Trans Union and Equifax. It's important to know that each service will give you a different credit score.
2. Pay Your Bills On Time
Your payment history makes up 35% of your total credit score. Your recent payment history will carry much more weight than what happened five years ago.
Missing just one months payment on anything can knock 50 to 100 points off of your credit score.
Paying your bills on time is a single best way to start rebuilding your credit rating and raise credit score for you.
3. Pay Down Your Debt
Your credit card issuer reports your outstanding balance once a month to the credit bureaus. It doesn't matter whether you pay off that balance a few days later or whether you carry it from month to month.
Most people don’t realize that credit bureaus don’t distinguish between those who carry a balance on their cards and those who don’t. So by charging less you can raise credit score even if you pay off your credit cards every month.
Lenders also like to see a lot of of room between the amount of debt on your credit cards and your total credit
limits. So the more debt you pay off, the wider that gap and the better your credit score.
4. Don’t Close Old Accounts
In the past people were told to close old accounts they weren’t using. But with today's current scoring methods that could actually hurt your credit score.
Closing old or paid off credit accounts lowers the total credit available to you and makes any balances you have appear larger in credit score calculations. Closing your oldest accounts can actually shorten the length of your credit history and to a lender it makes you less credit worthy.
If you are trying to minimize identity theft and it's worth the peace of mind for you to close your old or paid off accounts, the good news is it will only lower you score a minimal amount. But just by keeping those old accounts open you can raise credit score for you.
5. Stay Out Of Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is the single worst thing that will destroy your credit score. Bankruptcy will lower your credit score by 200 points or more and is very difficult to come back from.
Once your credit score falls below 620, any loan you get will be far more expensive. A bankruptcy on your credit record is reported for up to 10 years.
The reality of a bankruptcy is it will limit you to high-interest lenders that will squeeze out high interest rate payments from you for years.
It is better to get credit counseling to help you with your bills and avoid bankruptcy at all costs. By getting credit counseling instead of declaring bankruptcy you can raise credit score over a much shorter period of time.
Copyright © 2005 Credit Repair Facts.com All Rights Reserved.
About the Author
Gary Gresham is a mortgage loan officer and the webmaster for http://www.credit-repair-facts.com He offers you credit information, debt elimination programs and informative facts that give you the knowledge to correct your own credit and credit report. For more credit related articles go to: http://www.credit-repair-facts.com/articles_1.html
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