Personal Finance

6 Ways to Raise Your Credit Score in 30 Days

Y our credit score could be saying a lot about you to your lender. This is exactly why knowing how to raise your credit score is an important piece of information everyone should have access to. 

Let’s be honest. Negative information, like positive activity, usually takes about 30 days to reach your account. 

Therefore, if your score is a bit low, perhaps because you have too much monthly debt or your credit history is unknown, implementing these ideas will help speed up your credit growth process. So, let’s look at the 6 ways to raise your credit score in 30 days.

1. Make Sure Your Credit Report Is Accurate

The most important thing you can do to improve your credit score is to make sure that your credit report is accurate. You should check your credit report at least twice a year through services like Credit Karma and can visit AnnualCreditReport.com and request a free credit report each year from all three major credit reporting agencies (Transunion, Equifax, and Experian). 

If you try to inspect the error in the credit report and spend hours removing bad or inaccurate information, the score can increase significantly depending on the result. According to a 2012 Federal Trade Commission (FTC) survey, about 25% of Americans have incorrect credit reports. 

Read the report extremely carefully. If you find an error, ask Schufa to fix it. If you find something that shouldn't appear in your credit report, you can challenge the credit reporting agency Transunion, Equifax, or Experian.

2. Bill Payment on Time

Paying your bills on time has a big impact on your credit score. Your payment history accounts for a whopping 30-35% of your overall score, so missing or late payments can really hurt your score. On the other hand, good payment history can contribute to a better credit score. Monthly, at least a minimum payment for each debt and other financial obligation can significantly improve your credit score as well. 

3. Use of Credit Cards Responsibly

Aside from cashback and travel benefits, credit cards are a great credit-building tool when used responsibly. The focus here is on responsibility. But whether you don't have credit or have bad credit, making on-time monthly payments using your credit card may help you on your way to great credit.

Bonus Tip: Make sure you pay your card before the reporting date (not the due date) as it may improve your credit score even faster. 

4. Pay Down a Credit Card or Loan

Credit utilization also affects your score. This is the amount of potential credit compared to the number of credit lines you actually use. You can use different strategies to utilize your credit such as the snowball method and Avalanche Method to improve your credit score quickly. 

If you want to increase your chances of increasing your credit score, you should consider cashing out with a credit card that is currently close to the maximum. Not only will your score increase by reducing the amount of credit available that you are using, but your credit card issuer is more likely to offer an increase in your credit line. This will take you to the next tip.

5. Increase Your Credit Limit

If you are paying on time on a regular basis for at least 6 months, you should consider applying for an increase in credit lines from your current lender. Once the credit line increase is approved, credit utilization may decline and your credit score may increase rapidly. Some credit card companies also automatically offer higher credit limits. This usually happens with the card with the most spending activity. Be careful not to overuse it as there are more credits available.

6. Consolidate Your Debt

If you have multiple high-interest rate credit cards, consider applying for a credit card that offers a balance transfer promotion to consolidate your credit card debt. Due to a large amount of credit available, your credit score may improve. You can also save some money by paying less interest to consolidate your debt and saving interest paid on interest.

If you're worried that your credit history or financial failure may be affecting your credit, know that there are steps you can take to improve it. Your credit score is usually updated almost every month when your payment activity is reported to the credit bureau. Therefore, consider these 6 ways to raise your credit score in 30 days.

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