Once you've finally finished discharging your debts, which is what you've been focused on for a long time now, it can be hard to figure out what comes next. Making a list of the things you need to do after bankruptcy can help you keep it all straight.
--The first thing you need to do is deal with any feelings you have about everything that has happened. Don't let fears about your past hinder you from moving forward. Be confident that you'll be able to rebuild your credit and start over.
-- Set up an emergency fund of around $1,500. After bankruptcy any unsecured credit cards or loans you manage to get will have very high interest rates and be financial traps. If you have some money stashed away for unexpected expenses this won't be a problem for you.
-- Check your credit report about a month after all of your debts should be discharged and look it over for mistakes. A lot of old creditors will fail to mark your old debts as "included in bankruptcy" and you'll need to keep on top of this to have it fixed.
-- Get a secured credit card as soon as you can afford to. You can do this through your bank or most other companies. Use the card each month, but less than 30% of your limit and pay it off in full each month. This will help you build a history of positive use, improving your credit rating.
-- After about a year get a small loan. Be prepared to have high interest rates. If you can get some kind of secured loan you'll have a much easier time than if you need to go with something unsecured. If you fail to repay a secured loan they'll repossess whatever you put up for collateral, so the lender knows they'll be able to get their money back some how and are thus more willing to lend to you.
If you keep all of the things you need to do after bankruptcy in mind while moving forward you'll be able to build up a good credit score in a few years and put your past problems behind you.