Get a copy of your credit report.
It is important to be aware of your score and what is on your credit report. Then once you are familiar with this you can move on to how to improve it. Take some time to really understand the components that make up your score
Never miss a payment.
Missing a payment can be detrimental to getting a good credit score. If the payment is 30 days or more late, it could potentially drop your score by 100 points. This is why it is important to set reminders for bill due dates or even set up auto-pay if possible as this is one of the leading causes of a bad credit score.
Keep your balances low.
Having a large balance across all of your cards or even just on one card can have an impact on your score. Your utilization percentage needs to be under 30% in order to continue improving your score.
Make a plan to tackle your debt.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have more debt than seems manageable, it is time to make a plan. Making a plan to tackle your debt allows for less stress since you will have a budget planned out to ensure you can pay down your debts. If you can afford to, throw as much money as you can at the card with the highest interest rate. Then focus on paying that card off and work on the others.
Use your credit in a responsible manner.
An important thing to keep in mind is to use your credit responsibly when trying to improve your score. Be sure to pay off your balances either on or before the due date and keep your utilization under 30%.
Do not close your credit accounts.
Closing an account can hurt your score. It is best to keep the account open, even if you do not use the card. Your balance to limit ratio will change which will negatively affect your score.
Do not open multiple accounts within a short period of time.
Opening multiple accounts in a short period of time makes you appear as a risk to lenders. It also makes the age of your credit accounts appear young, which hurts your credit score.
Try not to open too many accounts.
As stated in tip number 5, closing an account negatively impacts your credit score. So if you open too many and then want to close some, your score will decrease by a large amount.
Check for errors on your account.
Sometimes, inaccurate information can appear on your credit report. Don’t worry, if this happens to you can dispute it by contacting the creditor and credit bureau. They will guide you through the steps to ensure accurate information is displayed on your report.
Get help from a professional.
If you are still struggling to boost your score, or need help figuring out how to manage your debt, connect with a credit counselor. Credit counselors can help you put together a budget and debt management plan.