There is nothing more inconvenient that having a low credit score. This can affect whether or not you qualify for loans and credit cards, what the interest rates are, whether or not you are able to rent an apartment or buy a car, and even sometimes whether or not you are able to pursue a higher education.
If you have a low credit score, you will likely be wondering how you can go about fixing it.
Repairing your credit is a process that can take some time. Generally speaking, there is not really a quick fix that’s going to help overnight. However, there are some things you can do to get a jump on fixing your credit and drastically improve it in three months.
Check your credit score
The first thing you need to do is to check your credit score. You can’t do anything if you don’t know where you stand.
Generally, a credit score will range from 301 to 850. Anything about 750 is very high, but anything above 700 is good. If your credit score is below 600, it needs to be improved as you likely won’t qualify for loans or if you do, they will have high interest rates.
Pay outstanding accounts
So what can you do to fix your credit? There are a few things. First of all, if there are any outstanding accounts, it’s important that you pay them off as soon as possible.
You may want to approach a debt consolidation company or a consumer credit counseling company to help you with this. It’s important to pay any outstanding debts that you may have acquired.
Have active credit cards
Also, you’ll want to have at least one or two active credit cards. This may mean you have to open a secured credit card. Once you have done this, you’ll need to use the card responsibly. This means if you want to add another user to the account, you’ll need to do so in the proper way. Luckily, there is a lot of helpful information about adding an authorized user to credit card that you can take advantage of.
Another way to use it responsibly is to only charge $100 a month on the card and pay it off on time every month. Making payments on time every month is the best way to increase your credit score.
Fix and update your credit report
You may have negative items on your credit report that are old or incorrect. You can get these items removed if you go through the process of writing the credit bureaus to have them removed. There are also some companies that can help you with this process although you can do all of it yourself.
Takeaway
Fortunately, there are a lot of helpful articles and resources that will help you to educate yourself and repair your credit. Invest your time to learn as much as you can, and take action; practice what you learn, and see how it goes.
One last thing: The most important thing to keep in mind is that you need to be persistent and remain optimistic. Repairing your credit isn’t something that happens overnight, but if you work at it, you can make real improvements in just three months.