March 6th, 2009 by Nesa Vasmorea

There is no secret formula for improving your credit score, but a good understanding of credit restoration strategies can help you get started on the path to a better credit score. It is possible to improve your credit score and get those negative items and late payments off of your credit record, but you have to go about it the right way. It will require commitment and motivation to succeed, but it is doable.

First, did you realize that you can raise your FICO score without magic-bullet fixes? Instead, you’ll need to be determined to change your financial profile and make wise credit choices from now on, especially when it comes to paying on time.

Timing of your payments is one of the factors that most influences your credit score. If you’ve missed many payments, or been more than thirty days late on a payment, it’s very important to get current on your payments and stay that way. This is because recent payment history ? usually for about the last two years ? has the most impact on your credit. So start fresh now on your way to credit restoration. Another thing to consider is that if you have missed payments but didn’t realize it, or if any of your accounts have gone to collections, this will stay on your report for up to seven years. This is why it’s so vitally important to pay on time.

It’s much easier to raise a credit score if you keep your revolving credit card balances low. You should aim for carrying balances at 50% or less of your total available credit, and 10-20% is even better. Keeping balances low helps you in two ways ? first, it helps you control spending, and second, it can raise your credit score.

Considering this guideline, it is sometimes necessary to apply for a new line of credit to increase your overall credit limit and lower the ratio of your debt to available credit. If you don’t qualify for unsecured credit, you can even open a secured line. This may seem counterintuitive, since your goal is probably to get out of debt, not acquire more. But low balances compared to overall credit limit are important for raising your credit score. On the other hand, if you have a hard time controlling your spending, you may not want to open a new account as part of your credit restoration strategy. Take a good hard look at your spending history to see if you can handle this kind of risk.

Another reason that opening a new line of credit isn’t always the best solution to increase your credit score is because the score is based in part on the age of your credit accounts. Opening new accounts will reduce the average age of your credit profile, making you look like a new and inexperienced credit holder. Also, if you have too many open accounts, creditors might worry that you will suddenly borrow all of your available credit and not be able to pay it back.

Only apply for credit that you actually need to use. Mix up your type of payments. For example, get one installment loan, for a car or a personal loan. Manage one or two credit cards to have a revolving credit account. Having mixed credit demonstrates that you can manage installment payments for a larger purchase, and can keep you balance low on open credit.

If your credit is less than perfect because of prior credit mistakes, don’t let it get you down. Using these credit restoration techniques, you can improve your credit with a bit of time and dedication. There is no shortage of information available for helping you get back on track and increase your credit score.

Whether you work with credit repair agencies or work on your own credit restoration, you’ll find that you begin receiving premium offers of credit once you’ve built a consistent payment history. And, better credit offers will allow you to keep more of your money instead of spending it on high interest rates. This will provide you with the financial freedom to spend your money on the things you really want and need. In the end, you are the ultimate winner if you work toward credit restoration.

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March 4th, 2009 by India Moon

Do you ever think about what a life without debt would be like? How would you manage with out credit cards, with a paid off mortgage and without any debts at all? How would you deal with hiring a car, booking a hotel room or buying tickets to a concert?

When the financial worries of the global economy continues to be foremost on our TV news each day, it can become really worrying. The recession is continuously blamed for many jobs losses, family homes being foreclosed on, businesses crumbling and people are becoming more and more stressed. The share market has already claimed many victims and for those of you who lost money or life savings there, then you already know what it feels like.

Are you sick of thinking negatively? It only makes our stress greater and drains our energy. How about some positive energy. What can we do? How would it feel if you made a goal to start today living without debt? Would that give you something positive to get stuck into? Would you know how to begin? If not, I can help you with some good ideas

Cut up the credit cards now. Then get into your bank or look online for the best deal in debit cards. With a debit card you can only spend the money that is already in your account. If there is no money in there, then you can’t spend it. Debit Cards are the wonderful no debt way that you can pay for your hotel reservations, you can pay for your rental car with them and you can also pay for necessities with them.

Yes I know you still owe lots of money on your credit cards, its time now to start paying them off. The quickest way to do that is, pay the minimum amount owing on all the cards except for the one with the lowest amount owing. That one you need to pay extra, as much as possible above the minimum. Do this until you have paid the credit card off. Now add the money you have been paying off this card to the minimum on the next lowest balance owing card and pay that one off. Keep doing this till all your credit cards are paid off completely.

Construct a workable budget and stick to it. Pay for things with cash or your debit card only. Save an emergency fund and have goals and save for the things you need.

Living without debt will be so very wonderful for you. It takes away all the stress. It gives you feelings of security, knowing that you are rowing your own boat and are not owing anyone money. You will never be vulnerable again in times of boom or bust financial markets. It becomes a way of life that is so great that I don’t think you would ever want to go back. Enjoy!

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