free credit report

Credit Report 101: Clean Up a Poor Report

Sep 15 2009

Clean up a poor reportDo you pay your bills late and submit the minimum payment or less on credit card balances?

Have you made it a habit to max out credit cards?

Are you relying on payday loans just to survive?

You aren’t alone. But don’t be intimidated or overwhelmed if you need to improve a bad credit report. Instead, think back to your college days (and the time when your unhealthy credit practices may have started).

Approach cleaning up a poor report just as you did your educational career:

Hard work → high grade point average → dream job

Follow that formula to clean up poor credit:

Hard work → high credit score → dream home and car

GPA                                     Credit Score

3.8                                       760

Just as a college GPA is a cumulative measurement of how well you perform in all of your classes, your credit score is a cumulative measurement that can fluctuate and is based on multiple factors:

Fewer overdue payments = higher credit score

More loans paid off = higher credit score

Longer credit history = higher credit score