Your credit score holds significant influence over your financial and life goals. Whether you’re aiming for a better job, seeking to make a major purchase, or simply desiring to minimize stress, improving your credit should be a top priority.
In 2024, it’s more crucial than ever to understand how to enhance your credit score. Rising loan and credit interest rates combined with the need for affordable loans demand a solid credit rating.
In this article, we will delve into seven surprisingly simple methods to boost your credit score this year and provide you with a financial advantage.
1. Get a Secured Credit Card
If you’re starting from square one, it can be tricky to find credit options that are accessible and affordable. With little to no credit history, you’ll have a hard time getting new loans or lines of credit. In other words, you need credit to build credit.
That’s where a secured credit card comes into play. When you open a secured card, you put up a cash deposit as collateral. Usually, this deposit will be equal to your credit limit.
It’s easier to qualify for a secured credit card, especially if you keep your balance low and make payments on time. When you use credit responsibly, it’ll be only a matter of time before you see your credit score rise.
2. Become an Authorized User
Another way to qualify for credit in your name is to get a shared account. The easiest way to do that is to get added as an authorized credit card user on someone else’s account.
Ask someone you trust to add you to their credit card account, and it will be included on your credit reports. As long as the account is in good standing, it should reflect well on your creditworthiness and help increase your score.
Make sure the original cardholder is responsible with their debts. Any overborrowing or missed payments will hurt both your credit scores.
3. Review Your Credit Reports
Mistakes in credit reports are surprisingly common. In fact, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reports that a staggering 75% of credit reporting complaints relate to inaccurate information.
Regularly obtaining copies of your credit reports helps detect and dispute such errors. Additionally, these reports offer insights into various factors that impact your credit.
4. Monitor Your Credit with Free Tools
While annual credit reports are useful, they do not include your actual credit score. Thankfully, numerous free credit monitoring tools exist to help you track your credit score monthly. Your bank or credit union may offer this service as a credit card or bank account benefit. Alternatively, you can rely on services like Credit Karma to check, monitor, and strategize ways to build your credit.
5. Pay Down Debt Balances
Paying your debt ahead of schedule is another borrowing behavior that can positively affect your credit score.
Paying down credit card balances, in particular, can help you lower your credit utilization ratio — a key factor in how credit bureaus calculate your score. Working to prepay loans or other forms of debt also can help when you’re learning how to improve your credit score.
6. Request a Credit Limit Increase
In addition to reducing credit card balances, you can request a credit limit increase from your credit card issuer.
This increase directly impacts your borrowing capacity, lowering the credit utilization ratio when maintaining a low balance. Keeping this ratio below 20% significantly contributes to an upward trend in your credit score.
7. Always Pay Bills on Time
Consistently paying your bills promptly is vital for maintaining good credit. Late payments or delinquent accounts negatively impact your credit report and, subsequently, your credit score. Setting up automatic payments ensures you stay on top of all your accounts and due dates, minimizing the risk of derogatory marks on your credit history.
Conclusion
Your credit score acts as both a financial advantage and an insurance policy. As loan and credit interest rates rise, having a good credit score provides access to credit at reasonable rates, ensuring stability during financial crises.
While it’s essential to prioritize debt management and emergency funds, maintaining a positive credit history offers an extra layer of financial security. By following these seven simple techniques to boost your credit score, you’ll witness substantial progress by the end of 2024.
