| If you have said to yourself, "I want to fix my credit," | | | | by making certain that you pay your bills on time and in |
| you have taken the first step to improving your credit | | | | full before the due date. You can create a budget to |
| and your financial health. There is no quick fix to | | | | help you make certain that you put enough money |
| improving your credit. However, there are things you | | | | aside each pay for your bills. Keep a calendar handy |
| can do in order to obtain a better credit rating. | | | | to write down your bills and due dates each month. |
| You cannot say, "Fix my credit" and have your credit | | | | This will help to prevent you from forgetting a bill. A |
| score rise instantly. Instead, you will need to start doing | | | | good payment history will go a long way in fixing your |
| some work on your credit. Order a copy of your credit | | | | credit. |
| report so that you know what you are dealing with. | | | | Contact any creditors with whom you have accounts |
| Look over the list of negative accounts to make | | | | in good standing. Many creditors are willing to work |
| certain there are no errors. Sometimes mistakes are | | | | with you to bring your accounts back to good standing |
| made on credit reports. | | | | and to improve your credit. Try to make arrangements |
| Look over your credit file to ensure that there are not | | | | for reasonable payoff or monthly payment options to |
| any credit files listed that are not your own. You will | | | | take care of bad debt. Ask a creditor to state in |
| also need to make sure that there are no files listed as | | | | writing that they will write your balance as paid in full |
| past due or unpaid that has actually been paid on time | | | | when they receive your completed payoff. |
| or in full. If you find a mistake on your credit report, you | | | | Do not start closing old accounts with zero balances if |
| will need to file a dispute and submit any necessary | | | | you are saying, "fix my credit." It might seem like a |
| documentation. | | | | good idea to close these accounts, but it is not always |
| If a credit reporting agency finds that information has | | | | the right approach. Old accounts that are in good |
| been listed in error, your file will be updated. If there is | | | | standing can work to improve your credit. You start to |
| negative information on your credit report that the | | | | establish a credit account with no negative balances. |
| reporting agency is unable to properly verify, you can | | | | With careful planning and research of your credit and |
| have that information deleted. (Just keep in mind that | | | | financial history, you can start to fix your own credit. |
| the original creditor can add the information to your file | | | | You need to clean up any accounts that are in poor |
| again when they are able to verify its accuracy). | | | | standing. You need to take any steps possible to |
| Start paying all your bills before the due date each | | | | make certain that you do not repeat your poor credit |
| month. One of the easiest ways to repair your credit is | | | | choices of the past. |