Good credit is the key to building a healthy financial future.
As interest rates continue to rise, it is more important than ever to ensure that your credit is “very good” or “exceptional”. The benefits of having such higher credit are worth the time and effort to build it up. For starters, good credit allows you to borrow money at a lower interest rate, get better terms and deals on credit cards and cell phones, and get a better, lower interest rate on a mortgage. In addition, a solid credit score to lenders shows that you are reliable in keeping your promise to repay the money lent to you.
But what if your credit is not in good standing or if you are just starting to build up your credit? You are not alone. In the first quarter of 2022, ending March 31, credit card balances rose year-over-year to $841 billion, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The national average credit card debt among cardholders with unpaid balances was $6,569. That kind of debt can really put a strain on your credit score, but fear not, there’s still hope that you can build a better credit score.
If you have a sub-optimal credit score, we can show you how to build credit quickly so you can get the things you and your family need.
What is a good credit score?
There are two types of credit scores: the Experian score and the FICO score. The FICO score is more commonly used, but both are used interchangeably depending on each individual.
The FICO scale runs from 300 to 850, with the latter reserved only for those with the best credit. From there it ranges from good to fair to bad depending on your numerical score†
FICO® Credit Score 8 Model
|
Arm |
Honestly |
Good |
Very good |
Exceptional |
|
300 – 579 |
580 – 669 |
670 – 739 |
740 – 799 |
800 – 850 |
How to quickly build your credit
Want to improve your credit score? ZDNet offers the following steps to help you amplify your numbers without lengthy delay or added stress.
You don’t know what to fix if you don’t know what’s broken. You can get a free copy of your credit report from: Annual CreditReport.com or Experian’s Free Credit Report, which allows you to see your updated FICO score every 30 days. It’s also an invaluable tool to help you track your month-to-month growth so you know your options when it comes to applying for a credit card or loan.
Another advantage of your credit report is that it can inform you about incorrect information, which can negatively affect your credit score. Because your credit report lists the items against you, you can confirm or refute whether each item is correct and whether it is a late payment or account closed. It is a quick way to build your credit quickly and without much effort. Just file a credit report dispute with the three credit reporting agencies — Equifax† Experian and TransUnion — to correct the incorrect information and see your score increase over time.
Make sure you pay your debts as soon as possible. Making timely payments can help you improve your credit score quickly as it shows that you are a responsible borrower and able to repay your debts. Your debt-to-income ratio shows how much credit you have against your outstanding debt. Your credit usage score can help you determine if you have room to get that new car or upgrade to a better credit card.
Sometimes you can take advantage of someone else’s credit. If you have a close relative or friend you trust, ask if you authorized user on the bill. You can take advantage of that person’s higher credit limit, and as an authorized user you add another account to your credit score and you can achieve a balanced debt-to-credit ratio (ideally less than 30%).
A secured loan is another option to quickly build your credit if you bad credit† This type of loan requires you to pay upfront in exchange for a line of credit. After a period of responsible use, you can secured credit card for a unsecured credit card† A secured loan is another recommended way to build credit quickly.
Over time, life changes. Maybe you now have a double income from the marriage, or maybe you got a raise at work and made more money. Whatever the reason, such positive changes could affect your credit limit. If you request increase to your credit limityour credit score could benefit from a better balance of your credit utilization ratio.
Don’t apply and start applying for credit cards left and right. Constantly running your credit can put your credit score at risk. Instead, keep what you have and focus on making responsible, timely payments. Over time, you will see an improvement in your credit score when you stick to a credit usage level of less than 30%.
Building your credit doesn’t have to be a mammoth task. In fact, your credit score is not cast in stone, but rather one that evolves over time. If you now have a bad credit score, you can improve it faster than you think if you take the steps above proactively and responsibly. Start managing your credit card usage and reviewing (and updating) your credit reports to keep your credit usage level below 30%.
When you can trust that you will pay back what you owe, you may be surprised at how quickly you can build credit and improve your credit score.