It seems like more and more credit restoration services are popping up by the minute. You can spot the advertisements for them online, on television and on the radio almost everyday. While I believe the awareness of credit repair and the help available to consumers is a good thing, it can also be very confusing on who to turn to.
When choosing a credit restoration service, one should always research the company’s reputation. Many of the new services that are popping up mean well, but they are not as advanced as some of the credit restoration services that have been around for awhile. I would recommend sticking with a service that has been around for at least a couple years. The more you can find out about them, the better.
Do-it-yourself credit repair is another wise way to mend your credit history and can be a little less expensive. I say “can be” because if you are able to get the same results as a credit restoration service, you are obviously going to save yourself some money. However, if you are not able to get the same or better results as a credit repair service, it may end up costing you hundreds and even thousands of dollars in the long run. I’m not saying that to scare you, but you should take caution when trying to attempt repairing your credit on your own.
Most websites are eager to tell you that credit restoration should be done individually by the consumer. I agree that it should be as well, but encouraging consumers to just jump right in to it without warning them of the horrible consequences that could happen is just very bad advice. The way I look at it is this: Either way you are going to spend time and/or money if you have bad credit, either by paying higher interest rates, spending the time to learn credit repair, or paying for a credit repair service to fix it for you. It’s your choice, but let it be known that sometimes when you try to skimp on things this important it can end up biting you in the end.
By: Chane Steiner
Posts Tagged ‘Bad Credit’
Credit Restoration Tips
April 9th, 2010The Perfect Credit Dispute Letter
April 7th, 2010
The key to repairing your bad credit is the Credit Dispute Letter. You’ve put so much effort (probably a lot of cash too) into eliminating old debts and creating good credit but if you want to rewrite history, credit-wise, you’ve got to convince the credit bureaus to take the eraser to your past. Getting the letter just right requires a lot more than perfect prose. As is so often true with life, success can come from what you don’t say, what you do, how you say it and never forget… timing.
When composing a Credit Dispute Letter remember the old adage: Less it more. Your letter isn’t meant to convince anyone but to point out errors. You are not saying “why” a debt is not listed accurately on your report, but rather “what” is not listed accurately. Start with a simple statement that will explain what you want the the credit bureau to do: On reviewing my credit report, I haved found these discrepancies. Please delete them from my credit report within 30 days as required by law and send me a report of the corrections” – that pretty much sums up everything, doesn’t it. The fact is you don’t need to beg them to remove old credit items, it is there legal responsibility to research anything you say is incorrect and IF they can’t prove it true they must delete it.
Now list virtually everything that could hurt your credit worthiness. It is up to you to decide if you want an item on your report but they probably won’t delete everything, so be aggressive. List the creditor, account number and amount of each item you would like gone. Use no more than three words of explaination: “account never late”, “duplicated account”, or “reported in error” should cover 90% of disputed items. Never say that a credit blemish is from fraud or criminal activity because you are saying that it is reporting true and you will have to prove you aren’t to blame. Say as little as possible.
It is the credit bureaus responsibility to act within 30 days but you want them to know when the clock starts. Send any Credit Dispute Letters certified mail with a signature required. From the moment someone signs for that letter they have 30 days to contact the reported creditors and get a written verification of the bad credit items. Time is on your side and you want the bureaus to know that.
By: Mitchell Torek
How Can a Credit Card Help Repair Bad Credit?
March 28th, 2010
In general, credit cards can do one of two things. They can either help your credit, or hurt it. The way in which you use your card will determine whether or not your card helps you.
Consumers who use their credit cards responsibly find that their credit score is higher. Why? Credit cards can boost your financial position when used correctly. However, when credit-cards are used incorrectly, scores take a nose dive.
If you have made some mistakes in the past and are trying to correct those mistakes, you need to become aware of a few credit card hints. Follow these hints to take your score from bad to good and from good to great. After all, a credit-card really can repair bad credit.
1. Spending. The majority of consumers somehow let their spending get out of control. Whether this includes buying things that you don’t really need or spending more money than you make, these habits can become detrimental to your credit-score. Keep a close eye on your all of your spending, but most importantly your card spending. Make sure that you are making smart decisions when it comes to spending your hard-earned money.
2. Due Dates. One thing that you must never mistake if you want your new card to help repair your bad credit is the due date. The more you make your credit cards payment on time, the more your score will increase. One little secret to ensure that you never miss a due date is to set your own due date several days before the creditor’s due date. Don’t let a missed due date bring your score down.
3. Payments. Why should you simply make partial payments? Consumers who have good credit scores realize that the secret to improving your credit score with credit cards is to pay the entire balance off each and every month. Again, this goes back to spending. If you control and limit your spending, you will have no problem paying off the entire balance in full every month.
4. Moderation. Having too many different cards can damage your credit score or prevent it from being repaired. The key is to have “a few” cards that help you reach your objectives. The goal is not to have every slot in your wallet taken up with a card. Only keep one or two credit cards. This will not only repair your bad credit, but it will be much easier to manage a few credit cards, rather than an entire pocket full of them.
Credit-cards can absolutely repair bad credit. The secret is knowing how to use a credit-card wisely. Control your spending. Never miss a due date. Pay off the entire balance in full every month. Keep the number of open cards to a minimum. Follow these helpful hints to ensure that your cards help repair your bad credit.
By: Amanda Sargent
