7 Steps to Repair Your Credit Score

Steps to Repairing Credit Score - picture of credit report and eyeglasses

This article may contain references to some of our advertising partners. Should you click on these links, we may be compensated. For more about our advertising policies, read ourĀ full disclosure statementĀ here.

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not a huge fan of the credit score. But, I’m also practicalĀ enough to realize that most people can’t buy a home with cash. And since it affects so many other parts of our lives (insurance premiums, anybody?), it’s important to try to keep your credit score in good shape.

But, what happens once you’ve already destroyed your credit score? What should you do then?

Rebuilding your credit might seem impossible, but it’s not. By taking the properĀ steps, you can eventually get your credit score looking dapper again.Ā It’s going to take time, but you really can do it! Here are 7 steps you canĀ take to start rebuilding your credit right away.

Fixing Your Credit On Your Own

Fixing your credit score takes time and effort. Although itĀ takes some leg-work, you actually can do it on your own.Ā Just follow these steps:

Step 1) Understand Where You Are

Before you can fix your situation, you first need to understand what it means. Although there are a number of places that assign credit scores, when most people mention their “credit score,” what they actually mean is their FICO score. This is a particular credit score createdĀ by the Fair Isaac, Co. which is used by most banks when you apply for a loan. Generally, scores range from a low of 300 to a high of 850.Ā Find out what your credit score is and use the listĀ below to see how much work you have to do.

  • Excellent:Ā 750 and above
  • Ā Good: 700-749
  • Fair: 650-699
  • Poor:Ā 600-649
  • Bad: Below 600

See also:Ā How Is My Credit Score Calculated?

Step 2)Ā Obtain Your Credit Report and Correct Errors

Now that you know what your score is, it is time to take a look at your credit report. If your credit score is already low, you’ve clearly had a few problems with your payments. What you definitely don’t want is to have any mistakes causing your credit score further damage. Comb through your report and see if anything stands out. If so, call the creditor and ask them to fix it immediately. As a reminder, you are legally entitled to one free credit reportĀ every 12 months from each of the three major consumer credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

Step 3) GetĀ Current

If you’re behind on any payments, now is the time to get caught up. Generally, most places are willing to work with you if you are willing to talk with them. Ask for a payment plan and get everything in writing. If the account is already in collections, tryĀ to make a deal. Most collection agencies will settle your account for pennies on the dollar. Of course, they aren’t going to accept yourĀ first bid, but hold firm and keep trying. They will come down eventually… and when they do, make sure that your agreement means that your account is marked “paid-in-full.” It is super importantĀ that youĀ get all agreements in writing…and don’t pay a penny until you do. Furthermore, never ever ever give a creditor access to your bank account. Write them a check, bring them cash, or send them a cashier’s check. Period.

Step 4) Stay Current

It probably took a lot of work and saving money to get caught up. You definitely don’t want to blow it by falling behind again! It might seem obvious, but you need to make sure that you continue to pay on time. This isn’t just for mortgages, credit cards, and loans. It’s important to stay current on all of your bills to continue building a positive credit history.

Step 5) Don’t CloseĀ Open Lines of Credit

This might seem counter-intuitive, but hear me out. Although the largest part of your credit score is determined by your payment history (about 35%), there are two other important parts to your score that factor in heavily – credit utilization and length of credit history. In fact, when combined, these two categories make up 45% of your score. Your length of credit history is determined by the oldest account that you currently have open. On the other hand, credit utilization is the amount of credit that you’reĀ currently using compared to how much credit you have available to you. So, if you have more open credit than what you’reĀ using, your credit utilization score improves. Therefore,Ā if you’re trying to improve your credit score, you want to pay these accounts off but leave them open (if possible). Make sense?

Step 6) Open a Credit Card

Unfortunately, it ‘s pretty much impossible to repair your credit score without using credit – but good luck getting a loan. It just isn’t going to happen. Since your goal is to repair your credit score, a good place to start building credit is by opening a secured credit card. If youĀ make your payments on time, there’s a chance you can get an unsecured card in a few months. You can also attempt to get a store credit card. But, be extremelyĀ careful with this strategy. The last thing you want to do is rack up more debt. Open it, use it sparingly to build your credit, and pay it off every single month. Use it like cash. If you don’t have the money to pay for it, don’t put it on the card. Once you have mastered the art of using a credit card the proper way, then they can become beneficial, such as helping pay for your vacations by using some of the best travel rewards credit cards!

Step 7) Wait

Now that you’ve got your ship straightened out, all you can do is wait. It takes time for your credit score to heal. As a general rule, major negative marks against your credit take seven years to fall of your credit report. But, that doesn’t mean your credit score can’t improve in the short-term.Ā Just keep doing the right things, and you’ll eventually get back into good shape.

See also: 4 Simple Tips to Improve Your Credit Score

NeedĀ Help to Fixing Your Credit Score?

If you don’t want to do the work yourself, you can certainly hire somebody to do it for you. The trick is to find a company you trust and afford. While I haven’t actually used their services, I’veĀ spoken with the people at CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law. To me, they really seem like they want to help people and that their heart is in the right place. We even have a special phone number for Club Thrifty readers below.

If you’re interested in receivingĀ a free credit summary and consultation, here’s their info:

CreditRepair.com or Lexington Law

Phone:Ā (844) 346-3281

Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday: 8 a.m. – Midnight ET

Saturday: 9 a.m. – 11 p.m. ET

Sunday: 9 a.m. – 10 p.m. ET

Please note that we are an affiliate of CreditRepair.com and Lexington Law and may receive a small finder’s fee if you choose to do business with these companies after usingĀ our links or dialing our specialĀ toll-free number. So, if you’re going to use a credit repair company, we would appreciate your support by using our affiliateĀ links.

Good luck, and keep coming back to Club Thrifty to help keep your finances on track all year long!

Similar Posts

Disclaimer: Comments, responses, and other user-generated content is not provided or commissioned by this site or our advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by this website or our advertisers. It is not the responsibility of our advertisers or this website to ensure that all comments and/or questions are answered. Club Thrifty has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Club Thrifty and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

18 Comments

  1. I’m not a fan of credit scores either but it’s the world we live in, you have to make it better if you want access to some of the better financial opportunities. šŸ™‚

  2. I found a store credit card helpful in repairing my credit in my 20s after getting too deep in credit card debt. The rates are rotten, but store cards can be easier to get, so I got one Target credit card and charged toiletries on it each month, because I could buy shampoo and body wash just as easily at Target as I could at the grocery store. I kept the purchases low ($20-$30 a month) so I could keep it paid off, only bought stuff I would have bought anyway, and was very diligent about payments.

    1. Thanks for the comment Emily. That is actually a great idea, and I’m gonna add it to the article!

  3. Great article, thanks for sharing. There is a new community out there that helps people find good credit repair companies. It is a review-based system that helps people hold the company they hire accountable. This ensures that the customer gets what he/she pays for. Check it out at creditrepairconnection.com!

  4. In the depths of my financial crisis, my credit was nonexistent. But I followed a similar plan to get out of debt and repair my credit to the high 700s it is today. Make a budget, negotiate all your debts, pay something to everyone every month even if it\’s just $1, and get a secured credit card.

    It may be a slow painful slog, but it will get you there eventually.

  5. Churn credit cards and never carry a balance. I think my last credit score was 816.

    1. Not carrying a balance is huge. We pay our cards off every single month. Unfortunately for those who have already destroyed their credit, the cards we have are probably not an option.

  6. There’s been an error sitting on my credit report for the last six months and it’s been crazy-making trying to get the credit bureau to fix it (Or the business that goofed the report). It took twenty points off my score and it’s been ongoing. Maybe it would be worth it to hire someone – thanks for the recommendations!

    1. Hey Lindsey,
      What a pain in the butt. You can certainly keep going after it yourself, but it could help to get somebody in your corner to fight for you. It’s a tough decision to make, but the choice is yours šŸ™‚

  7. Credit scores are a bitter reality of life because life would be a lot less stressful without these numbers following you around. I agree that getting a credit card is a good way to improve this score as long as you use it responsible. It\’s important to show that you are capable to taking out credit and paying it back on time. I even read somewhere that you should use your credit card for the smallest of purchases, like buying a pack of gum, and then paying off that credit card bill before the month ends.

    1. That’s true. As long as you use it and pay it off, you are showing that you can use debt responsibly. In theory, that should improve your credit score.

  8. I’m in the process of cleaning up my credit an I paid 1 of my debts with my bank card. I read that you said never pay with with your card. Now im worried.. what’s the worst that can happen.

    1. Hey Ericka,

      Did you use a bank debit card or a credit card? You wouldn’t want to use a credit card because all you’re doing is shifting debt around and not really paying it off. If you used a bank card that draws from your checking account, you’re fine. What I mentioned is that you don’t want to give them access to make direct withdrawals from your bank account. That gives them the opportunity to take money out of your account at will.

      Hope that clears things up, and keep working hard to clean up that credit!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.