Tag: credit score

Three Things That Can Severely Damage Your Credit Score

Debt and credit score: even the words themselves are ugly and somewhat scary. Whether it’s our general fear of being graded on anything or the short, staccato sound of the word “debt,” many of us would rather not include those words in our vocabulary. Unfortunately, we have to. Understanding what our credit score is and what factors can negatively impact us can help ensure a healthy financial outlook for our entire lives. Even if you’re currently in debt, it’s a good idea to understand how these three factors can negatively impact your credit rating in a massive way.

Just a Little Late Is Too Late

When you consider your credit score, one of the biggest factors that goes into the calculation formula is your payment history. 35% of your overall score is actually based on your payment history. Generally, being late on payments will quickly impact your rating negatively. Luckily, one of the best ways to address a poor credit rating is to make regular, on-time payments. If you have a chance to run your credit report and see multiple entries for late payment, it’s time to figure out a better way to pay your bills on time. Visit plaingreenloans.com whenever you’re in danger of making a late payment. Remember, while not all companies report on late payments, credit companies and many utility companies do.

Charge Off Doesn’t Mean Gone

Most people find themselves in the difficult position of being unable to pay one or more bills at some point in their life. Failing to pay your credit card bills has a negative impact on your rating, but it doesn’t stop there. After a predetermined period, companies will “charge off” your debt. This doesn’t mean the debt goes away; it simply means the company does not believe it’s collectible. Having one or more charge off accounts on your credit rating is a red flag for any financial institutions you’re hoping to borrow money from. Instead of not making your payments, visit plaingreenloans.com to help get you back on track.

Foreclosure – More Than Just Losing Your Home

With foreclosures reaching epic numbers in the country, more and more people are faced with the word “foreclosure” on their credit report. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most negative items that can appear. If you’ve had a foreclosure, there isn’t much you can do about it, so it is important to work closely with your loan holder to rehab your loan before you get to the foreclosure point. If you are having trouble making a mortgage payment, visit plaingreenloans.com for temporary cash relief.

Having a bad credit score isn’t the end of the world, but it can make things very difficult. Stop being afraid of the words “debt” and “credit score” and start taking control of your financial future.
 

4 Ways to make sure your credit actually stays credit

Credit cards can be useful, but they are also potentially dangerous things. When provided with a credit limit that on the surface doesn’t appear to affect their bank balances, many consumers can end up overspending on their credit cards and go into debt. Credit cards are only really useful when they are used in an emergency or when making especially large purchases. Bearing the following pieces of advice in mind will help you make sure that you don’t overuse your credit privileges and end up getting into financial difficultly later on.

Pay Your Balance Quickly

One of the quickest ways to get into trouble with a credit card is by accruing interest. Credit card companies require a minimum amount to be paid off each month. If you continue to add purchases to a card that already has a deficit, then your minimum repayment figure will go up and up. Pretty soon, you may find that you are only paying off the interest each month and not making a dent in the overall balance. Make sure you keep up monthly payments of a sizable figure to help take large chunks out of your debt in one go. If possible, pay it all off at once.

Don’t Pay Late

This is another common problem with people in debt. Putting payments off because of poor cash flow or bad financial planning can lead to serious problems. Paying a balance late reflects badly on your overall credit score. If you consistently pay bills later than 30 days after their due dates, then you may be the subject of an investigation. Even if you can’t pay off the entire balance on time, at least try to pay some of it off.

Use a Prepaid Credit Card

One way to avoid the regular mishaps of having a credit card is to use a prepaid card. These cards keep you out of financial trouble because you can only spend the money that you have, rather than using credit that you don’t have. You can control spending with the REACH card to help you keep out of financial trouble.

Keep Your Old Credit Cards

A good way to build a strong credit rating is by using a card that you have had for a while. The longer you have owned your credit card, the more trust you will have with the banks because the chances are that you have been paying off debts for a long time. This means that the chances of your become a risky investment for them further down the line are smaller.
Banks will be more likely to reward you with bonuses such as a higher credit limits and lower interest rates.

A little credit can be a dangerous thing, but if you pay attention to your finances and keep and eye on what your credit rating is like, you should be able to keep yourself out of financial trouble. How have you managed your credit? Have you encountered any difficulties not include above that other people should avoid?

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