5 Important Ways you can Improve Your Credit Score

5 Important Ways you can Improve Your Credit Score
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

Did you know that your personal credit score is not something that is set, it is a breathing and living thing. Your credit rating will change with your personal financial behavior.

When making applications for a mortgage, credit card, loan or other types of credit such as a mobile-phone account or utility contract, lenders will analyze your current credit report in order to make a decision on your current credit score. They do this so that they are able to make a decision if they think that you will be classified as one of the responsible borrowers and that you will be able to repay the amount that you will owe to them.

There Are No Magic Numbers

The various lenders may score differently, by using their preferred formulas which is associated with their factors, but there is never a "magic number." In most cases higher scores will mean you are regarded as a lower risk, which means you have a higher chance of obtaining credit at a better rate.

The Experian Credit Score is the guide which can assist you in understanding how your own credit report works as well as information on how you managed your credit in the past that may have an effect on applications that you make now. This report also gives you indications of the type of loan that you may qualify for. When you improve your credit score it can open you up to the potential to obtain better loans or credit at a better rate.

5 Tips To Improve Your Credit Score

You should attempt to stay in your credit limits and to make sure you have paid these bills early or on time. Late or missed payments will feature on your report for up to 6 years and can impact negatively on your overall score.

Credit scoring may also involve the "average age" of your different accounts, which means it is important to try and stick to the same accounts and avoid chopping and changing them.

You should be checking on your credit-report on a regular basis and ensure that the information is accurate and up-to-date. If you happen to find something that requires corrections, you need to make contact with that lender and ask them to amend this information.

You can also use Experian in order to raise any disputes you may have. Even minor details such as the way in which your address and name is recorded can result in significant impacts on your overall score. If you need help, then a company like this can do so.

Try to avoid the scattergun approach when it comes to applications for credit. This is because each application that you make will be appear on your report and the lenders view this as a sign of desperation or they may even suspect fraudulent behavior.

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot