In todays hard economic times it is getting more difficult to be approved for any type of credit. By following these simple suggestions you can help to increase your credit score making you more likely to be approved the next time you apply for credit.
When trying to increase your credit score consumers must realize that there is no legitimate way to boost your credit score overnight. It takes time and patience to build a solid credit history which is the best way of obtaining a high credit score.
There has been an increase in the number of companies that claim they can do just that, boost your credit score by around 100 points or more in a very short period of time. Consumers must remain very cautious when dealing with such companies as many of the tactics they use can backfire, causing your score to decrease and damage your credit rating.
But there is still hope for the many consumers out there who have been hard hit by the declining economy. With foreclosures and credit card defaults still on the rise, lenders all around have tightened up their underwriting guidelines making it much harder to be approved for a loan or line of credit. But there are still many ways for you to start building a higher credit score, making it more likely for you to be approved the next time you apply for credit.
1. Make payment arrangements to get current with any delinquent accounts you may have. Being behind on your payments can make it nearly impossible to be approved for credit even if you have a high credit score.
2. Pay down the balances on your credit cards. If you carry an average of 50% or more of your credit limits than this can have a negative affect on your credit score. You should always try to maintain balances of 30% or below on all of your lines of credit.
3. Add yourself as an authorized signer on another person’s credit card. If you know someone who would be willing to add you as a signer on their account than most credit card companies will also start reporting that account under your credit as well, helping to improve your credit rating.
4. Don’t close any accounts that are currently open. You may have heard this before and it is certainly true that your credit score can drop by closing accounts. The longer an account has been open the better it is for your credit.
5. Open a secured credit card. This works best for someone who is just starting to build up their credit. There are many lenders that offer these so make sure to shop around. All secured credit cards will have some sort of fee associated with it but some are much lower than others.
6. Contact your creditors. If you are currently behind or having trouble making all of your minimum payments than it wouldn’t hurt to try and negotiate with your creditors for a lower interest rate or see if they can lower your monthly payments making it easier to pay your bills on time.
7. Monitor your credit reports. In many cases you may find inaccurate information being reported on your credit reports that can damage your credit. A simple dispute letter to the credit bureaus can correct any false information and get you back on track to building your credit.
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