Improving Credit Score

May 27, 2008 · Print This Article

A credit score is listed on the credit report and is used by many companies to evaluate the likelihood of the borrower to repay loans and how high or how low the interest rates on credit cards will be. This score is becoming more and more important through the years as many are seeing a need to turn to credit cards or mortgage loans to make ends meet or to pay for emergencies.

With this in mind, it is crucial that everyone be aware of their credit score, and constantly works to improve it. The FICO credit score is the most widely used scoring method used today. The Fair Isaac Corporation scoring method is used to show how likely it is that the potential borrower will default, or fail to pay, on the loan. The more likely it is the higher the rates of the loan will be and in some cases the more likely it will be for banks and other lending agencies to deny the loan. While there are many agencies that offer credit scores it is generally the FICO score that is looked at.

The FICO scores range between 300 and 850 with the higher numbers representing the better credit. Anything over 700 is considered good credit and robust financial health while scores falling below 600 are considered high risk or a sign of bad credit.

For those consumers wishing to take out a mortgage loan, apply for a credit card, or to just simply clean up their credit score there are a few common sense steps to take.

The most obvious of these steps is to pay all bills on time. This includes utility bills, car payments, mortgage payments, and any other bill that finds its way to the consumer’s home. It is suggested that by putting bills on an automatic program then this will aid the consumer in paying the bills on time. Many utility companies offer services that automatically deduct the bill amount directly from a bank account. By paying bills on time and in full, consumers will see their credit score improve dramatically.

It is always a good idea to use cash and less plastic. This will not only reduce the amount the consumer owes to the credit card company each month but will also improve their credit scores. This is a great technique and is used to boost the consumer’s appearance when they apply for loans and credit cards. When lenders see a smaller balance on the existing credit card then they will be more likely to offer better terms on the loan.

Another tip to follow in order to avoid bad credit scores is another fairly obvious one, stay out of bankruptcy. Nothing will ruin a credit score like a bankruptcy. Bankruptcy will easily take off up to 200 points from a credit score. After a bankruptcy, consumers will find it incredibly hard to find a loan with interest rates that are low. It takes an incredibly long time to rebuild after bankruptcy and may take a much longer time to rebuild a credit score to an acceptable level.

Credit scores are extremely important for consumers looking for a loan, credit card, or mortgages. Often times these credit scores are the only piece of information looked at when processing a loan request. This means consumers should maintain a good if not exceptional credit score at all times.

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Comments

23 Responses to “Improving Credit Score”

  1. Making Decisions That Help Your Credit on October 6th, 2008 9:30 am

    [...] Building a good credit score takes time. There’s plenty of considerations to take when approaching your credit, but the best way to start is to eliminate debt first. If you have several petty bills that are outstanding, you can take care of them individually and work towards clearing your name of debt. Even if this doesn’t immediately improve your score, it goes a long way towards setting the stage for a good value. [...]

  2. phonenknep on July 31st, 2010 12:03 pm

    New post, Does <b>debt consolidation</b> damage your credit score | Your Family <b>…</b> -

  3. poline bruget on August 1st, 2010 9:22 am

    I think it would be best to keep your credit limit the same. Unfortunately the credit score system (FICO) can be complicated to understand.

  4. koe maryk on August 1st, 2010 3:04 pm

    credit should only be given when the risk is lesser than the reward……credit should only be taken when the reward is greater than the risk…and visa versa. Its called logic and should be avoided unless you understand.

  5. nand jana on August 2nd, 2010 2:39 am

    How you can improve credit score fast: Experts know the ways for how to improve credit score quick. But by simply answering the subsequent fundamental queries, you have a guide on how to make it. Do you maintain your accounts at their minimal balance? Have you been paying before or on your due date? Do you overspend? Do you verify your customer report regularly? Should you answered “no” to any, most or many of these queries, you’ll need information about how to improve credit score quick.

  6. sukhtallan on August 2nd, 2010 1:48 pm

    How to get and maintain a good credit score

  7. beredin toshitsosn on August 4th, 2010 11:20 am

    Keep what you have. The most important thing is to pay the bills before they are due. Also keep the balances on the CC's low or better yet pay them off every month.

  8. chak on August 6th, 2010 12:32 am

    Twenty Five Reasons for Lower Credit Scores. 1) Amount owed on accounts is too high – What this refers to is … your own credit report and score, in order to check it (Consumer …
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  9. coppiah kiminah on August 8th, 2010 5:07 pm

    Congrats on getting your first card and, more importantly, on caring enough to ask about the impact of a $1600 purchase.

    Are you considering applying for credit any time soon?

    If not, don't worry about the impact to your score. In fact, consider, don't worry, about the amount of interest you'll pay for delaying full payment of the $1600 purchase.

    That is, you indicated it will take you 2-3 months to pay it off.

    Unfortunately, the hit is much more than the one point suggested by a different poster.

    Thirty (30%) percent of your FICO comes from "amounts owed."

    Not a problem…unless you're considering new credit. If so, hold off. Get a credit history with on-time monthly payments. Show responsibility with the card you have.

    Don't laugh..but really nurture it. Develop a long-term credit relationship and you will benefit.

    Hope this helps,

    Best,
    Mike

  10. mohabonney on August 12th, 2010 3:28 pm

    Excellent info! YouTube marketing rocks. But, I think the reason why most people fail online, is because of the complexity of the programs. Most people don’t want to SELL, especially expensive programs.

  11. balar demadorf on August 14th, 2010 11:02 am

    Some banks will allow you to upgrade your current card to something else. I have done this twice with no problem.

  12. panie on August 16th, 2010 4:44 am

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  13. sana on August 16th, 2010 7:14 am

    Once your percent gets to below 30% of your available credit, you will see improvements. They lower the percentage, the higher your potential score is.

  14. hori enry on August 18th, 2010 5:55 pm

    bank, a credit card company, or any other. business gives you credit, it may send … to provide you with an instant approval status based on your score. …
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  15. sayes on August 23rd, 2010 2:29 am

    I have bought credit secrets bible, I wouldn’t say its bad, good product overall.Make sure to read my review at squidoo(.)com/creditsecretsbiblereview2 before you buy it.

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  18. lyderlit on August 26th, 2010 9:27 am
  19. rich mae on August 29th, 2010 9:06 am

    Keep your payments up-to-date and you should be good. Don't get more credit. A score of 750+ is average for a good IR. Just keep showing the credit companies that you can be trusted to repay loans. Now is a good time to pull all three of your credit reports and analyze them. Correct any errors and make sure everything is correct.

  20. graw dermacnabe on August 30th, 2010 7:57 am

    Having a good credit score (also known as a FICO score) during an economic downturn gives a person a huge advantage over someone with a poor FICO score. Typically, when the economy turns sour, there are bargains to be had, particularly in the real estate market , that are only available to people with large amounts of cash on hand (not likely), or people with good credit who can borrow and make bargain basement real estate investments. Applying for loans and other unsecured lines of credit credit just makes life a lot easier for you in a bad economy. So what can you do right now to improve your FICO score?

    http://www.worldbestloans.com/creditscore.htm

  21. fourtl on August 30th, 2010 6:27 pm

    Did you Know each time someone checks your credit score it goes down? I didn't know this until they told us.

  22. shreenfeld colberntje on September 1st, 2010 3:43 am

    You can use this credit monitoring service to pre-estimate future scores for different scenarios of such payments – buildcredit.ifastnet.com

  23. daner ura on September 1st, 2010 9:14 pm

    Credit Repair -How to-Repair Credit – Improve Credit Score

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