Many people fall victim to the consumer driven society we live in and spend more than they could pay off at the interest rates offered by credit card companies. Fortunately, there are quite a few ways that you can remedy your credit situation.
Credit Cards
If you have credit cards with balances that are greater than fifty percent of the maximum, you should pay those down as quickly as possible. It’s best to keep all of your credit cards below the fifty percent mark! You should keep your balances under fifty percent; anything over this and you can lower your credit rating, so spread out the money you own and pay down your credit cards.
Try opening an installment account. An installment account requires that you make a minimum payment each month. It is imperative that you only take an installment account that is affordable. If these accounts are properly managed, they can provide a quick boost to your credit score.
Interest Rates
In order to make sure that you do not overpay, know that you can dispute your really high interest rates. An interest rate that is shockingly high can possibly be ruled as illegal in certain cases. Keep in mind that you did sign a contract agreeing that interest rates were acceptable. If you’re going to try taking your creditors to court, make sure you can prove the interest rates they charged were excessively high.
When trying to improve bad credit, beware of companies who promise that they can erase any negative, but correct items, on your credit report. Negative entries on your record stick around for a term of seven years at a minimum, even if you take care of the debts involved. You can, however, succeed at having incorrect information erased from your credit reports.
Make sure you do your research before deciding to go with a particular credit counselor. While many counselors are reputable and exist to offer real help, some do have ulterior motives. Others are outright scams. Smart consumers will always check to see that credit counseling agencies are, in fact, legitimate before working with them.
Give the credit card companies a call and find out if they will lower your credit limit. You will not be able to spend too much and they will see that you are responsible.
Credit Score
Before you sign any debt settlement, research what effects it will have on your credit score. There are ways to go about this that will have less of an impact and should be learned about before you make any kind of deal with a creditor. They are just out to get their money and do not care how that effects your credit score.
Do not spend beyond your means any longer. You may have to overhaul your entire mindset when it comes to money. A lot of people rely on credit to maintain an unrealistic lifestyle, but when the credit runs out, all that’s left is a very big bill. Examine your finances and make wise decisions about how much you should be spending.
Make sure to review your credit card statement monthly to make sure there are no errors. If you spot any mistakes, contact the credit company right away to keep them from reporting the mistakes.
This will make sure that you maintain a good credit status. Every late payment appears on a credit report, and could potentially hurt your chances at a loan.
Good credit starts with rebuilding. Prepaid credit cards make for a simple way to build up your credit, because there’s no risk of late payments or over drafting which can cause negative marks on your score. Doing so indicates to the person lending that you are a responsible person.
Payment Plan
Contact your creditors directly to work out alternate payment plans if you are having difficulty making your monthly payments. If you contact them proactively, creditors often work with you in developing payment plan that they do not report to credit bureaus. This can help you get some breathing room. It can also help you pay the bills where you aren’t able to negotiate a different payment plan.
Although it can seem daunting, you can get your credit on the mend by learning about it and taking the proper steps. Put the information you just learned into practice and start repairing your credit today.