Fixing Bad Credit Doesn’t Have To Be Difficult
Getting off track with your credit can have a negative impact on your life’s path. A bad credit report closes doors to financial options and opportunities. However, it is possible to fix your current credit problems and take steps to protect your future credit rating.
When you want to fix your credit, you need to start somewhere. Have a realistic plan and stay with it. You must be dedicated to making some significant changes in the way you spend your money. Don’t buy the things that aren’t needs. Before making any purchase, determine if it is within your means and if it is indispensable. Don’t buy the item unless you answer “yes” to both of these questions.
Credit Limit
If you have credit cards with a balance that exceeds 50% of your credit limit, you must continue to pay on them until the balance is lower than 50% of the credit limit. Once your balance reaches 50%, your rating starts to really dip. At that point, it is ideal to pay off your cards altogether, but if not, try to spread out the debt.
You can dispute inflated interest rates if you are being charged more than you should be. You may be able to challenge an interest rate that is extremely high. Although, in reality, you did agree in advance to pay any interest charges incurred. It is possible that you can sue a creditor and claim that the interest rate charged is unreasonably high.
When you’re looking to fix your credit, be cautious of credit repair companies. They may tell you they can remove negative information, but if it’s correct, it can not be removed. Unfortunately, this negative information stays on your credit record for at least seven years. However, information that is not correct can be removed.
You need to carefully scrutinize credit counselors before you consult them for help with repairing your credit. Although some can be quite legitimate, others have motives that are less than kind. Also be aware that there are other credit counseling services run by dishonest people. These services are scams and should be avoided at any cost. If you’re smart, you’ll make sure the credit counselor is not a phony first.
Put the spending brakes on yourself by lowering your credit limit on all of your cards. Doing this keeps you from overtaxing yourself. It also shows the lending company that you are responsible.
If getting a new line of credit is vital to your credit score improvement efforts, look into joining a credit union. Credit unions sometimes have better rates and more options for your credit rather than a large bank. You can base this on how well the economy is in your area instead of the national situation.
If you are living beyond your financial ability, stop now. This might require a re-thinking of your lifestyle. If you’re buying flashy items to boost your reputation, consider that a smart person who isn’t being chased by collectors will have an even better reputation! Instead of spending more than you can afford, take a long hard look at your income and expenses, and decide what you can really afford to spend.
Credit Card
Too many credit cards is a common cause of financial strain, so close all of your accounts aside from one. You can transfer all of your balances to one credit card, ensuring you choose the one with the lowest interest rate. By doing this you can make your bills more manageable. Instead of a mailbox full of credit card bills, you will only have one.
Always examine your monthly credit card bill to make sure everything is accurate. If there are, you will need to contact the company immediately to avoid them reporting this to a credit reporting agency,
Try not to file for bankruptcy. The record of the bankruptcy appears on your report and affects your credit rating for up to 10 years. It can be tempting to just go ahead and file bankruptcy to get out from under the debt, but the detrimental effects can be long lasting. You may never get a line of credit for any purchases you might need to make if you go ahead, give up on repairing your credit and file for bankruptcy.
These tips will make a big difference in your fight against bad credit. The time you invest learning about ways to repair credit can be fruitful in improving your credit rating.