| Yes! Today is the big game on TV and you are just | | | | posted to your account. |
| getting yourself ready to take up your favorite | | | | Why bother? Because if you create a consistent |
| armchair quarterback position to watch the game. But | | | | history of paying your debts on time every month, your |
| during the pre game show, you realize you are out of | | | | credit score will go up because you will have a credit |
| munchies, so you hightail it to the nearby store. But | | | | history that reflects on you favorably. The cascading |
| then you stop and slowly walk back into the house. | | | | effect is that with a better credit score, you will be |
| Why? Because you realize that you do not get paid | | | | approved for offers from other credit cards, probably |
| until next week and your credit blows. | | | | offering a much better interest rate than you are |
| Scenes like this are not unusual these days. With the | | | | paying right now, and you are in a position to negotiate |
| cost of living going up, and with the desire of people | | | | with your current lenders to get a lower interest rate. |
| wanting to live a better lifestyle going up even faster, | | | | But that is not all there is to the game. You need to |
| there is a good chance that you have piled on more | | | | know that just based on the sheer volume of |
| debts that you can comfortably handle. So starting | | | | information that the credit bureaus need to maintain |
| around the third week of every month, you are doing a | | | | about you for years and years about your credit |
| very careful juggling act, robbing from Peter to pay | | | | history and every loan you have ever had, it is very |
| Paul, and still trying to keep a few extra bucks in your | | | | likely that your credit report contains errors. The thing |
| pocket. At some point, this is all going to catch up with | | | | that compounds this fact is that the errors do not get |
| you, and you probably know it. | | | | corrected automatically, but they stay on your credit |
| Part of the problem is that you never really understand | | | | report for years and years, with the detrimental effect |
| how the credit system works. It is much more than | | | | of lowering your credit score. |
| applying for a credit card, being approved for it, and | | | | For example, say you are shopping for a new car. |
| then charging it up to the hilt. Unfortunately, that is the | | | | With a credit score lower than it should be, the best |
| typical sum total of credit knowledge of many people, | | | | interest rate you can get is probably much higher than |
| and to be a smart consumer, you need to know more | | | | it could be, which can cost you hundreds of dollars |
| than that about how it works. | | | | extra. If you need tips about finding a great loan deal |
| But consumers who will take the time to understand | | | | on a new car, you should visit Great Car Loans and |
| how the credit game is played are the ones who are | | | | Car Lease Deals. |
| going to save big money consistently. Put it in terms of | | | | Get a copy of your credit report multiple per year, and |
| your favorite football team - if they could not | | | | get a copy from each of the three major credit |
| differentiate between an interception and a fumble, | | | | bureaus. Go over it with a fine tooth comb, and then |
| how successful would they be? By the same token, if | | | | follow the advice detailed at my web site about |
| you cannot differentiate between a fico score and | | | | disputing the inaccurate and unfavorable information |
| your own credit history, you cannot be successful | | | | you see there. The credit bureau is legally on the hook |
| either. | | | | to either verify the information, or if they cannot, to |
| Very simply, make a list of the debts you owe. That | | | | remove it, but you must follow the right procedure for |
| includes mortgages, gas credit cards, department store | | | | this to work in your favor. |
| credit cards, Visas, Mastercards, Discovers, everything. | | | | Take the time to understand how the credit game is |
| For each one, note the date that the payment is due, | | | | played, because if you do not know the rules, any |
| then either visit the store or be sure to mail the | | | | game becomes much more difficult to win. |
| payment in time for it to reach the lender and get | | | | |