9 Useful Tips To Help You Repair Your Credit

Living with bad credit could be very frustrating for many reasons. At times, it’s just hard to get what you want when your credit score is in the dumpster. You might find that no one will give you a loan or mortgage, which may keep you from buying what you desire most. Bad credit can also make it difficult for you to rent an apartment. You need to understand at least some of the basics behind fixing bad credit if you will successfully get the situation fixed up.

Many people find that their credit was affected by circumstances beyond their control, like loss of employment or unexpected illness. Others may feel that they were taken advantage of by businesses that left them with unfair fees and accounts that weren’t always beneficial for them. Whatever the reason for your poor credit history, there are steps you can take to begin repairing your credit rating today. We have outlined some simple things you need to know below so you can get started right away on fixing your score today.

Remember: Fixing your bad credit takes time. Some people think that they will only have to follow one quick tip to raise their score, and then they can get back to enjoying the good things in life. Unfortunately, that’s not the reality of repairing your credit. By following the tips below, you should begin seeing changes in your credit within a few months. It won’t happen overnight, but with patience and diligence, you should see positive results by doing these methods consistently over time.

Why You Need Credit Repair

If you want to apply for a loan, get approved for an apartment, or even get that new cell phone you’ve been wanting, you’ll need to understand why credit repair is so necessary. It’s essential if you’re going to find the best credit card offers and personal loans at https://www.creditcardchest.com online. You don’t want to be stuck having to pay the highest interest rates, and many lenders won’t even look at your application if there is something wrong with your credit.

If there aren’t any good accounts listed on your report, it could be difficult for them to trust that you will pay off the loan in time. If there are other negative things listed, like collections or late payments, you can also worry about giving you more money. No matter what you’re applying for, it’s hard to be approved if you have bad credit. Credit repair is about improving your score and getting those negative things off of your records so that lenders will trust you with their money again.

Tips to Repair Your Credit

Credit repair is a lengthy process, and it isn’t easy to do without some help. Even after you have repaired your credit, there is always the chance that negative information may reappear on your report when you least expect it. You can fight back by going to the annual credit report and disputing any items that you feel may not be accurate or aren’t relevant anymore. It’s a good idea to check your reports regularly to know what lenders see when they look for information about you. Here are some essential tips to help you get started repairing your credit:

1. Contact The Creditor

Would you mind making a debt list on your report that is not appropriately listed and try contacting each of them for dispute resolutions? You can also call the general customer service number instead of writing letters to companies if you would rather do that. Be sure to keep track of everything during this process to document any conversations in case they don’t resolve the situation on their own. If possible, use email instead of phone calls because it’s easier to keep records on file this way.

2. Pay Down All Accounts

If you have multiple accounts reporting on your credit report at ‘0’ balance, consider closing them out and keeping just one account open. If keeping more than one account open isn’t an option for you right now, at least pay off as much of the account as possible, so it shows a higher balance or some activity on it. Keep in mind that if you still owe money on an account, the creditor may continue reporting it as ‘open’ on your credit report even though you’ve paid off the actual balance owed.

3. Be Sure to Check All Reports

When checking your credit score, be sure to check both your TransUnion and Equifax scores. You can order one free report from each bureau annually, so use them wisely. If there is an error on your report, fill out a dispute form with the source of information ( credit card company or bank), and they will investigate it for you. Once they verify that there has been an error, they will correct the information accordingly; however, this process can take time (usually 30 days), so be patient and don’t expect instant results.

4. Keep Good Records

If you are disputing an error or something that you feel is not right on your credit report, be sure to keep good records of what is going on in case the company needs proof of your claim. Keep things like receipts, letters you’ve sent out (both the originals and copies), and responses from companies. If they need it to review your claim for inaccuracies, you will make the process go much faster if you provide them with what they ask for immediately.

5. Don’t Close Too Many Accounts At Once

Some people mistakenly assume that canceling multiple accounts at once would help their score because there are fewer open lines of credit; this isn’t usually the case. This can hurt your score because the newest accounts you have open weighed more heavily on the credit score calculation than older accounts that you’ve had for a while. In addition to that, if too many lines of credit close at once, it may look like you’re in financial trouble or having money problems.

6. Don’t Close An Account Before Applying For A Loan

Sometimes people think that they can improve their chances of getting approved for a loan by closing some of their existing accounts and only keeping the most likely to be used in their payment plan; this is another big mistake. When you apply for financing through a bank and mortgage company. They will most likely pull your credit report and see that all of your lines of credit have been closed; this can make them assume that you’re in financial trouble and will most likely deny your loan.

7. Prioritize Debt Payments

This is an essential tip because if you are disputing or trying to get errors off your credit report, the creditor may not remove it until it shows as paid. If you want to pay off multiple accounts at once but want one account to show on your credit report as ‘paid,’ make sure the first payment made each month is for that account. For example, make a $200 payment toward your Visa card first before making any other payments towards the others.

8. Writing Letters

If you have a good relationship with your creditor, they may be willing to work with you if you need a little more time to get your debt under control. Each creditor has its requirements and restrictions, but some will allow you to ‘skip’ payment for one month if it is brought up at the beginning of your conversation with them; this gives you an extra 30 days (in most cases) to make arrangements on how to pay back what you owe. Be careful, though, because there can be penalties and fees attached to doing this, which include:

• Restricting future account activity (credit limits or adding new accounts).
• Charging interest even after the due date passes; any current grace period is canceled once you miss a payment.
• Rescinding rewards or rebates earned on the account.
• Charging fees for returned payments and late payments.

If you struggle to make your monthly debt repayments, don’t be afraid to reach out to creditors for help. Most are willing to work with their clients if they know that there is a genuine reason why they can’t make payments on time. Understanding that some people get into debt situations through no fault of their own (job loss or illness) will hopefully help them give you the time needed to get back on track financially.

9. Have patience

No matter how hard you try, some things on your credit report may not get changed or removed right away. Be patient and continue checking periodically because there’s a chance it may get updated within the next few months; if more than 6-8 weeks pass and it still hasn’t been updated, give the creditor a call and see what they say about it. Sometimes the information takes longer to get updated than others. If you keep good records, dispute things that are wrong immediately, prioritize debt payments each month, and are patient, your credit report will be repaired in no time.

All of these tips and tricks will help you repair your credit report and improve your score so that you have a better chance of getting approved for financing, refinancing, or even being able to rent out a place for yourself. Repairing your credit isn’t an overnight process, but if you stick with it, you’ll notice results in no time.