Be honest with yourself. There are some problems related to credit that are complicated and need very sophisticated answers that often take many months or even years to solve. If, however, your problems are only "on the surface", there are some things that you can put into place to see some immediate results.
Step #1: Always begin by "paying down" your debt. Make sure that you save enough each month from your earnings to pay off that little bit extra on the balance of your current credit cards. You may have to sacrifice some "luxuries" such as a vacation or reducing the number of meals you eat at restaurants, but the more that you can pay off the debt, the better it is for you. Resist the temptation to pay off the entire amount – it is wise to leave a small balance to indicate to possible lenders that you can manage your credit.
Step #2: Be sure to obtain copies of your credit reports. There is a law that states that all three of the major credit bureaus have to give you a free copy of your credit report annually. View this as an opportunity to check for any problems or inaccuracies and to have them removed. Any reputable lender will want to see a copy of your credit report before they consider lending to you, so you will want your report to be as positive as possible. Keep in mind also that some insurers and even some employers use the credit reports to screen people.
Step #3: Make sure that your bills are paid on time every time. When you have finally cleaned up your act, you don't want to start a new mess. Now that you have your finances back in order it is extremely important to pay each bill on or before the due date, because just one late payment that is reported to the credit bureaus is capable of ruining all of your hard work, negatively impacting upon your credit score.
Step #4: Boost your line of credit. When you put all of the credit limits offered by your various lenders together, you have a "line of credit". There are a few simple methods to boost your line of credit. One is obvious – make a call to one of the companies with whom you have an excellent track record and just ask them to raise your credit limit. It is amazing how often they will do just that. You may also choose to obtain one or two new credit sources, but take care with this, because you do not want to look as though you have too many credit cards. Similarly, you don't want to put too much temptation to spend in your way.
Step #5: Use cash to pay for items. It is far easier to keep your financial matters in check if you use cash for everyday items. It allows you to spend only what you can afford. With a period of "cash and carry" now, you will see the benefits in the long term. But where does all the cash come from? It comes from resisting the temptation to buy that fancy new television, or putting off that vacation and it will allow you to save for the bigger things such as a new car or even a home of your own.
Are you looking towards applying for a mortgage or car loan in the near future, perhaps over the next 12 months? Then now is the time to get your credit under control so there is no need for credit repair in the future. For each piece of "bad' news about your credit that you can make disappear. This is one of the many keys to increased credit rating. This in turn will ensure that you will be offered loans with lower interest rates. So, get on with it!
