47 Ways to Raise Your Credit Score

At Another website I run I often get asked questions about credit scores, and how one can raise them. Yesterday someone emailed me with a 600 Credit Score, who was panicking because she couldn't get a mortgage. She wanted to know how she could raise her score to at least a 700 within 12-18 months. Without Going into detail I have listed 47 different ways one can raise their credit score. Many of these are obvious, yet people continue to ignore them.

1. Make Sure that each Creditor Reports to the Credit Bureaus
2. Add Your Name to Someone Else’s Good Account
3. Get Credit Advice from a Professional
4. Do Not Max Out any Credit Cards
5. Pay All your Bills on Time Every Time
6. Get Current on Past Due Accounts
7. Immediately Settle Disputed Accounts
8. Do Not Close Unused Credit Accounts
9. Do Not Make Too Many Credit Inquiries
10. Reduce Revolving Your Debts
11. Never File For Bankruptcy
12. Dispute Delinquent Credit Accounts
13. Correct Credit Report Inaccuracies
14. Get a Secured Credit Card
15. Open New Credit Accounts with High Limits
16. Close Accounts Slowly, Starting with the Newest
17. Get a Savings or Checking Account
18. Quickly Dissolve Joint Accounts after a Divorce
19. Avoid Consolidating Debts or Balance Transfers
20. Negotiate Better Terms with Creditors
21. Stop Using Credit Cards
22. Ask for a Credit Limit Increase, But Not Too Often
23. Never Take a Cash Advance
24. Occasionally Use Your Credit Cards
25. Pay Utility Bills on Time
26. Maintain at Least One Good Account
27. Something is Better than Nothing
28. Shop for Loans within a Short Period
29. Live Within Your Financial Means
30. Apply for an Auto Loan
31. Don’t Open Too Many Accounts within a Short Period
32 Add Information to Your Credit Report
33. Payoff Existing Loans
34. Pay More than the Minimum Payment
35. Ask Creditor to Delete a 30-Day Late Item
36. Enroll for Automatic Bill Paying Services
37. Resist the “In-Store Credit” Temptation
38. Pay Credit Cards Early
39. Do Not Exceed Your Credit Limit
40. Pay Balances Off in Full
41. Avoid Finance Companies
42. Re-Open Closed Accounts
43. Lower Your Overall Debt Ratio And Increase Your Assets
44. Have at Least Three Open Accounts At Any One Time
45. Do Not Apply for a “Capital One” Credit Card
46. Prioritize Your Debts
47. Always Know Your Credit Score

How to Save Money on Your Auto Loan

With the economy still hurting, and people without work, buying a new car is often way in the back of your mind. Having said this, there are many great deals out there, as the auto makers try to recover from bankruptcy, and get rid of the cars which are left over from the hundreds of closed dealerships around the country. If you are looking to buy a new or used vehicle, there probably is not a better time than today. Here are a 4 ways to save money on your Auto loan and car purchase, and make sure the loan is as affordable as possible:

#1 Pay as much money as you can in cash. The larger the down payment, the smaller your monthly payments will be. Often times if you put a large down payment down, you can shorten the length of the loan, thus also reducing the interest rate quite significantly.

#2 Pay close attention to both the price you would pay in normal circumstances, and that which you would pay with a low rate loan. Often times you will not be eligible for the many discounts provided by the dealership and car company should you opt for the low rate loan special.

#3 Shop around for a bank loan, before even considering getting financing from the dealership. Finance charges add up, and often times you will pay several hundred dollars more with the dealership financing option.

#4 You Are in Control. Go into the dealership, tell them the exact price you are willing to pay, and don't budge. Let them know you are not going to budge, and that you would rather forget about buying the vehicle altogether than pay even one more cent. Time are tough for car companies. Dealers have lots of room to bargain with.

Remember to do your homework, checking out the current rates available, as well as the average sale price of the vehicle you are interest in. When you go into the dealership, you want them to know that you are in control, and are just as knowledgeable as they are.