There are many reasons why you may have a poor credit history. Credit cards could have been your primary means of support while you were gaining an education, a passion for shopping may have gotten the best of you or the decline in the economy might have left you jobless for a time. The good news is that there are some things that you can do to repair it.
An imperfect credit rating can make financing a home even more difficult than normal. If possible, apply for an FHA loan; these loans are backed by the United States government. FHA loans are a good option regardless of your down payment amount or funds available for closing costs.
The first step in credit score improvement is to build a plan. You can’t just make up a plan and not change how you spend your money. You should only purchase the necessities, and skip the impulse buying. See if each purchase is necessary and affordable and only purchase something if the answers are “yes”.
When you want to fix your credit, you need to start somewhere. Have a realistic plan and stay with it. You must make a commitment to making changes on how you spend money. If you don’t need something, don’t buy it. Ask yourself whether every purchase is both affordable and necessary, and only buy if the answer to both questions is “yes”.
Interest Rate
You can receive a better interest rate if you have excellent credit. This will help you afford your payments, and get out of debt quickly. Compare offers and choose the best interest rate you can find when borrowing money or subscribing to a credit card.
Opening an installment account can give quite a boost to your credit score. It is necessary to at least pay the minimum, so insure the account is something that you can pay. You can improve your credit rating quicker using this type of account.
If you are unable to get an unsecured credit card due to your low credit rating, consider a secured card to help reestablish your rating. These are extremely easy to qualify for. A secured credit card looks just like a regular card, and works like a regular card, but you have to have the necessary money in an account to guarantee payment. Responsible use of any credit card can help your credit rating. However, never forget that irresponsible use will get you in trouble every time.
Interest Rates
Excessive interest rates can be contested. However, it is best not to sign contracts containing them in the first place. It is bordering on illegal for credit card companies to charge you skyrocketed interest rates. On the other hand, you’re likely bound by a contractual agreement to pay any interest charged by lenders. If you choose to bring a lawsuit against your creditors, use the high interest rates against them.
Do not fall for the false claims many have about their ability to fix your credit. The claim that they can remove accurate debts from your credit report is false. These bad marks stay on your record for seven years or more. You should know that mistakes and anything incorrect can be removed from your credit report.
Start by paying off credit cards with accounts 50% over your limit. You can concentrate on another card once these accounts are lowered to under half of your limit. Your credit score can be negatively impacted if you are carrying a large balance compared to the available credit you have. While you are paying off these cards, reduce the balance to a small percentage of your available limit.
Although it can seem daunting, you can get your credit on the mend by learning about it and taking the proper steps. With the advice you were given in the above article, you can get to work on improving your credit score today.