Fix Your Credit Report And Score Now With These 7 Best Tips And One Secret!

You Can Easily Fix Your Credit Report And Score With These 7 Best Tips And One Secret!

1. Get a copy of your absolutely free credit report instantly online - then make sure the information is correct.  You can get your credit report for free online each year for all three credit bureaus - Equifax, Esperian and Trans Union. You'll find the credit report easy to read. You'll be able to determine which accounts are actually listed on your credit report and which are correctly listed.  Check closely for any errors - go through again. Check all of your information so that you can be sure there are no errors. Any errors can be devastating to your FICO or credit score.  Dispute and resolve any errors as soon as possible. Get Equifax Score Watch Now!

Free credit score? Your credit score at the time of this writing is not free.  There is a small fee through credit report services.  However you can usually talk a lender into giving it to you if you have applied for a loan or auto loan through a credit union, bank or other lender.

2. Make sure to pay your bills by the due date.  This is one of the most important things you can do to improve your credit score.  If you have paid any of your bills late, have had any of your accounts referred to a collection agency, or have declared bankruptcy in the past this credit history will show up on your credit report if its been in the past few years.

3. You can easily set up online automatic payments from your checking account to help you pay your bills on time. .Figure out the average minimum payment for each credit card you have.  Make sure you have enough money in your account to avoid any bank charges or overdraft fees.

3. How much money do you owe now or in other words what is your outstanding debt? Many of the models used for scoring compare the amount of the debt you have to your credit limits. If the amount of your current debt is anywhere near your credit limit, it's apt to have a bad effect on your credit score.

4. How long have you had a credit history? A short credit history may actually have a negative or bad effect on your credit score, but you can offset a short history with timely payments and low credit balances.

5. Have you applied for any new credit cards or loans recently? If you've applied for too many new credit card accounts or loans it may have a negative affect on your credit score (FICO) and credit history. These inquiries are always reported and affect the credit score whether you're approved or not.  However when you request a copy of your personal credit report, or any creditors are watching your accounts these inquiries are not counted as applications for credit.

6. What types of credit card accounts and other credit accounts do you have now? Many of the credit-scoring models take into consideration the number and type of credit accounts you have. A healthy mix of installment loans and credit cards may actually improve your score. But too many loan or finance company accounts or credit cards may hurt your credit score.

One secret tip - make sure to check your credit limits.  If more than 50% of your total available credit limits are used you may want to know this tip. There is a little-known quick way to fix or increase your credit score and that is to bring down your debt ratio. You can try calling your credit card company and requesting a credit line increase.  If you can get your credit line increased so that it makes your debt ratio less than 50% you may be able to increase your credit score by several points in next month's report if it's your only account. Of course you can try doing this with others too.  You must keep in mind how much your total credit availability will affect your score also.

7. Be fully aware there are many credit-repair scams out there.  The best way to repair your credit is to sit down and do it yourself. Use a credit repair ebook or other manual.  It is actually pretty simple and involves only writing a simple dispute letter. You want to do this as soon as possible to remove any negative credit marks.

When following these best tips to fix your credit report and score and credit repair tips make sure to always do your best to take care of the credit you have and you'll build a good credit history. Get Equifax Score Watch Now!

copyright©2008 Helen Hecker All rights reserved. No permission is given to copy or reproduce this article in any way or in any form.