subject: Great Ideas For Fixing Bad Credit History [print this page] When your credit is bad it doesn't have to be like a scene from Star Wars where Yoda says, "Once you start down the dark path, forever does it dominate your destiny." Contrarily, it is very manageable, so long as you have the willpower and at least some form of income coming in, to help alleviate the debt.
An important tip to consider when working to repair your credit is the benefit it will have with your insurance. This is important because you could potentially save a lot more money on your auto, life, and home insurance. Normally, your insurance rates are based at least partially off of your credit score.
Stay organized. Filing your credit card and other loan bills all together in a location that is easily accessible will go a long way in keeping you organized and able to stay on top of your bills. It's easy to forget to pay a bill that you have carelessly tossed in a growing pile of unwanted mail. Segregating your bills will help to prevent this.
Maintain a good credit score. Car insurance providers have begun looking at your credit score to determine your premium. In some instances this is illegal, but there are plenty of loopholes for car insurance providers to take advantage of. In order to keep your car insurance costs low, keep your credit score high.
Use your credit cards to pay for daily expenses. You can repair your credit by using your credit card to pay for the small things you buy everyday such as gas and food. Make sure to pay the bill in full every month of course; this kind of regular payment in full is very good for your credit score.
If you are struggling to make the payments on your current mortgage, consider looking into the option of loan modification. In many cases a lender may be able to lower the interest rate that you had initially agreed on. This process used to be just for homes that were in danger of foreclosure but many lenders are now extending this service to many others.
If you have challenged or denied negative items on your credit report and some still remain, you may be able to reduce that number even further by contacting the collection agency or creditor. By law, these companies need to provide written proof that the account is yours. This means a hard copy of a signed contract or other legally binding document, not just a printout of the information they have in their computer system. Many of these companies do not hold onto these documents. If they can't come up with acceptable proof, they are required to remove the account from your credit report and stop all collection attempts.
Never EVER trust a credit repair company who only accepts cash! This is a major red flag and tells you that this is not a company you need to be working with. Look for a company who will allow you to at least pay via check or some other reversible form of payment.
A great tip for people who are trying to improve their credit score is to develop an action plan. Once you see what your credit report looks like, you can begin to develop a strategy that will help raise your score. Focus on the areas that affect your score the most and find ways to rectify those problems.
As was said before, a good credit history is vital to economic success in today's world, so repairing bad credit is a vital first step to financial stability. Educating yourself on how to do so is of great importance, and by using what you have learned in this article, you will be able to get back on the path to good credit.
