Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Credit Repair Help - It's Not As Hard As You Think!

By Mark Alison

It's really hard to go and live in this world with bad credit. People everywhere are in debt and in need of help. What are you supposed to do when you want to make that big purchase and the loan gets denied?

Credit repair can be done, but not overnight. You must be patient and keep your spending in check. There are a few things that you can do to repair your damaged credit but you must be patient as you follow these steps.

The next time you order your fancy coffee at the drive through, think about this, How much a month do you spend on just coffee? A typical fancy coffee costs about $3-$4. if you have 4 a week, that's $12-$16 a week or $48-$64 a month! The key to credit resolution is budget. Cut back on frivolous purchases and put the money towards paying your debt off. It's hard but necessary.

Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union are the three credit reporting agencies that report to FICO. FICO is who keeps your credit score and reports it to the banks. You should get a credit report from all three agencies. Your bank will give you a free report every year if you ask for one; otherwise you can find an online solution.

Contacting the creditors is the next step. You need to speak to them to offer a payment plan. They will be willing to work with you because they want the money owed to them. If you offer to pay off the full balance and settle right then and there, usually they will give you a discount and ask you only pay the principal. Any agreements should be mailed to you in writing.

Now you need to close out and pay your credit card debts. Destroy the cards and start paying them off. The best idea is to close all the accounts you have except your three oldest ones. You see, credit scores are based on the account history as well as other factors. Even if these lines of credit are opened, you don't need to use them unless it's an emergency.

It seems simple, but pay the bills on time. This will be the best thing for your credit. The collections and creditors are willing to work with you and understand the situations you may be in. Any payment for the month is good, if you cant afford your full payment, you can still give them a good faith payment of as much as you can afford. This will at least show you attempting to work with the creditors.

About the Author:

No comments: