Search Results for: credit repair

Do It Your Self Credit Repair

Given our whole discussion on credit counseling and credit repair companies, you may wonder… can I just do it myself? The answer is… absolutely! Everything a credit repair company will do, you can do yourself instead. The advantage of DIY credit repair and debt management is you save yourself money AND prevent the hassles of finding a reputable company. Before you launch into this… there is one key thing to consider. Ask yourself seriously, how did I get into this credit and debt mess to begin with? You will have a lot of trouble with doing it yourself, if you … Continue reading →

Credit Repair Scams

If you are on the hunt for ways to improve your credit, be very careful of credit repair scams. Anyone that makes big promises about erasing your debt or any guarantees of quickly improving your score… be wary. In the world of credit and debt, if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is. Debt reduction and credit repair take dedication and hard work. There are no quick fixes. The Federal Trade Commission monitors and regulates the credit repair businesses. Due to good consumer watchdogs, many have been shut down. Still, it pays to be very careful… … Continue reading →

More Tips on Repairing Credit

To continue our discussion from yesterday, you have lined up all your important credit documents and set up a reasonable budget. The next steps are some specific tips you can do to get that credit score up a little quicker. With a goal of 720, your score is best improved by regular full payments to all your accounts, ON TIME. Even one late payment can dramatically affect your score and take months or years to remedy. Always, always pay on time… even if all you can do is make the minimum. Pay on time! In addition, a few other factors … Continue reading →

Repair Credit

If you have a poor credit score, it is time to get in gear. There are many ways to improve your report, but they all take time to heal the injuries. Therefore, it is important to start now, and then you can reap the benefits of good credit sooner than later. The first step should be to get your most recent credit report from all three reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You are entitled to one free report each year, so this is well worth your time. The best place to visit is AnnualCreditReport.com; they will easily process your … Continue reading →

DIY Mortgage Repair

Unless you have your head in the sand, you are aware of the foreclosure crisis. More families are losing their homes than ever before. If you are nervous about your mortgage situation, there are some “do it yourself” solutions to consider. Your mortgage is the most important loan you have. It enables you to keep a roof over your head. You should pay your mortgage first if you don’t have enough money to go around for all your bills. The problem that often leads to foreclosure is the inability to pay that large payment each month. The first step to … Continue reading →

DIY Debt Reduction – Multiple Creditors

Most people don’t have one type of credit account. Most of us have our debt spread out in multiple locations. This can often make managing our bills complicated. If you have many different types of credit accounts – loans, lines of credit, credit cards, overdraft accounts – and want to reduce your overall debt, you will need to get organized first. Start with a file folder and put in your most recent balance statements into this folder. Collect them all, even the ones you don’t use often. Next, take this folder to a quiet place. Using a calculator and piece … Continue reading →

DIY Credit Card Debt Reduction

Is most of your debt with credit cards? Do you have lots of cards with large balances? Are you having trouble making your minimum payments? Credit card debt is one of the worst kinds of debt. It is considered empty debt, as you often have little to show for it. With a mortgage or car loan, at least you have the house or car. Credit card debt tends to sneak up on you with lots of little purchases. This is especially true these days where almost all businesses accept credit cards. If you want to get out of credit card … Continue reading →

Choosing a Credit Counseling Agency

This month I have been discussing credit counseling services. In Do you Need Credit Counseling?, I gave some possible benefits to credit counseling services. Then in Credit Repair Scams, I gave some possible pitfalls of credit counselors. Today I wanted to offer some help on how to find a good credit counseling agency if you have decided to take the leap for help. Unfortunately, the credit counseling industry is full of scams and poorly run companies. The rules that govern them can vary greatly from state to state, plus they are confusing and disorganized. Relying on the law to help … Continue reading →

Credit Scores and Life

Some people blow off the concept of credit history and credit scores because they don’t plan to use credit. Living without credit is possible. There are growing numbers of people in this society who have chosen this path. Certainly, debt has its demons. Starting a credit line can be a dangerous path. Still, no matter what your personal feelings are… society has begun to rely on credit scores to determine just how responsible you are in everything. This means, even if you never plan to take a loan or open a credit card, your credit history (or lack there of) … Continue reading →

Buying a Home with Bad Credit: Part 2

Earlier I started answering a question by one of our members here at Families.Com. She asked: “We have really bad credit, should we find a realtor that will help us fix/rebuild our credit before buying a house. Or should we try to fix it ourselves?” We are now in the second part of answering this question. If you missed the first part, you can read it by clicking here: Buying a Home with Bad Credit. Now, let us continue. Begin to work on repairing your credit. As much as you can, pay off old debts and loans. Start with the … Continue reading →