Building your credit fast should be your priority since this is going to measure how you’re doing financially. Financiers will know at a glance if you’re responsible when it comes to handling money, and you’ll have better chances of getting approved for loans if you apply for one. See more about the application for consumer debt on this page here.
Higher scores will open several doors of lower interest rates and larger borrowing limits. This is why so many people read helpful tips and books like Credit Secrets to help them out. However, is it a realistic goal to achieve 100 points?
Fortunately, for those who have a lower credit rating, it’s possible to get that significant increase in a short amount of time. Going from the bottom to the top is simply a matter of using the right strategies, mindsets, and techniques that bear fruitful results. Some of the things that you can do to get a higher score are the following:
Paying the Balances in a Strategic Manner
A portion of the limit on your credit card constitutes a part of your utilization ratio. This is where you should use only less than 30% or less, and the lower you have, the better chances of you to increase credit score quickly and efficiently. View your current standing by requesting a report from the bureaus and see where you’re at in your life right now. Pay on time and set reminders when the payment is due to avoid late fees.
This is going to yield faster results because the moment the credit bureaus receive your lower balance, they are going to use a chunk of it to base your score on.
Asking for a Higher Amount
Limits can go up over time automatically, but if not, you should request for it. This is very beneficial if you can make your balance stay the same and get a lower DTI ratio. When you’re promoted, and the income drastically goes up, you’ll also have a decent chance of getting approved.
Before making this request, make sure that your spending habits are becoming steady and predictable. Don’t go into a shopping spree and max out the extra, and if those higher numbers are a temptation to you, this is best avoided at all costs. Call your card issuer to see if they can avoid a hard inquiry that will cause a temporary drop in your score but see if they can grant your request. Remember to not use that extra “legroom,” and have emergency funds as a backup.
Become an Authorized User of Friends and Families’ Cards
If you’re good with your words, you can be a part of the authorized users that are often granted to individuals that are creditworthy. These relatives can do credit piggybacking on your behalf, and their reports can be a part of yours that will allow you to have an excellent repayment history.
Make sure to have a conversation first with the cardholder and always pay what you owe to prevent strained relationships. See info about how you can do this at this link: https://www.healthymarriageinfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Strategies-for-Couples-Dealing.pdf.
On-Time Payments
One of the things that can help you be seen as someone trustworthy is to make full payments on the due date. Small and insignificant late fees and penalties may not be a concern for now but know that they can stay on your report for almost seven years.
Missing the dues for 30 days will mean that you’ll have to call the bank or the private lenders immediately. Pay everything as soon as you can so they won’t report it to the regulatory bodies. Every delinquency mark on your account can hurt you over the long run so prevent this as much as possible. Fortunately, the effects of these can fade over time, so you can have a chance of making things right.
Check for Errors
A mistake that you didn’t make might be the one pulling your score down. Disputing these miscalculations and removing them from your report can help with your rating big time. An example is those bills that were marked late, but you have the receipt that you were actually on time.
Someone’s activities or fraud may be mixed up in your list, so you can follow up and track the actions that were taken to your score, so that you can apply for a lump sum loan. Investigation can take 30 days or more, but it will be worth it.