Credit is hard to come by if you have a bankruptcy on your record. You are guaranteed higher interest rates. You may even be targeted by unscrupulous lenders who believe that you are probably desperate and will agree to anything. Don't despair; there are ways to re-establish your good credit. Make this your main goal. First make a budget. Look at your income and your expenses. Decide what your priorities are for spending and saving your money. You have to learn to control your money, don't let it control you. Learn that cash is your best friend. Make a deal with yourself. You can only pay in cash. Once you run out of cash, that's it until the next pay day. Make sure that you pay every bill on time every time! This is one of the most important factors for repairing your credit report. Bounced checks, overdrafts and bank fees can show up on your report. Pay attention to what you spend and when you spend it. Keep an eye on your credit report. You want to make sure that everything is reported accurately. You want to make sure that there aren't any errors. You need to know what others are seeing when they look at your report. Only then do you know what to fix. You do need to get a credit card. This card should only be used to raise your credit rating. Only charge very little. And you must pay it off every month in full. This shows that you have changed your ways and can use and pay for credit wisely. You could try deducting your credit card charges directly from your checkbook register. When the bill comes in, you've already taken the money out of your account. A line of credit through your bank can help you to reestablish your credit. Use a savings account to secure the loans and be responsible in your spending. Don't go out and buy a car. While you will find financing, the terms will make it crazy. Wait a little bit and you'll do much better when your credit is looking better. You need to prove you are responsible first. Long-term relationships will pay off. A steady income and a steady job really help. Don't do a lot of credit card hopping, because it will adversely affect your credit rating. Having long-term credit shows that you can form a lasting business relationship. If you are having trouble with a lender, just let them know the truth. Explain your situation. The lending business does have a human factor. Being able to say that you made a mistake and learned your lesson says a lot. People know that bad things happen to good people. There are no quick fixes. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Anyone who claims that they can fix your credit is lying. It takes hard work. You can do it, but you really have to be patient. In the long run, it's worth it. |
