Improve Your Credit Score and Improve Your Life

Everyone wants to be able to earn more money no matter what they do for a living. Maximizing one’s income is one of the most basic desires of Americans simply because we live in a land that is so rich with opportunity. But what has become just as important as earning a lofty salary is maintaining a good credit score. Some might argue that good credit is even more important than a lot of money because, assuming you’re not a millionaire but still doing well financially, you can often do more with good credit than you can with large sums of cash.

So if you want to maximize your credit score, there are some things that you can do that over a relatively brief period can result in significant improvements.

Apply for a Credit Card

This may seem like a no-brainer but it is so fundamentally important to establishing a good credit score that it is easy to overlook. Having a credit card is one of the most fundamental ways to not only establish credit but to build and improve credit. If you have had some troubles with credit in the past but are still able to get approved for a credit card, do so. Once you have it, be vigilantly disciplined about using it only when it’s absolutely necessary and paying off as much of the balance every month as possible. Don’t put in too many applications though. If you apply for several credit cards and get rejected for them, that too will have a negative impact on your credit rating.

Sign on to Someone Else’s Credit Card as an Authorized User

This may sound like a strange tactic but it is very helpful in getting people to use credit responsibly. The idea is to find a close friend or a relative who would be willing to add you to one of their existing credit card accounts as an authorized user. You then use the card conservatively and pay off your share of the balance every month. It may be difficult to convince someone to do this for you but if you can find someone, it is a great way to establish better spending habits.

Dispute Mistakes on Your Statement

It is easy to just ignore mistakes on your credit report since talking to the folks at Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax – the three major credit reporting agencies in the United States – is never an enviable task. But it behooves you tremendously to take the time to look over your credit report thoroughly and dispute any errors you may find. You don’t necessarily have to talk to credit reporting agents on the phone either. Disputes can be done online and it is well worth the time and effort since the alternative is to have a lower credit score through no fault of your own. The credit agencies are willing to listen and will indeed help you correct any legitimate eorros, but you have to take the initiative to make them aware of them.

Essentials