(HOW TO REPAIR YOUR CREDIT) We all know that good credit is important, but most people struggle from time to time with too much debt, loss of income, or other financial emergencies. Collection agencies start entering the picture when payments are late or incomplete. People often file bankruptcy hoping for a new start, only to find their future credit is negatively affected for seven or more years. Understanding how to repair your credit is a far better alternative emotionally and financially. IMPORTANCE ON PAYING YOUR BILLS ON TIME (SET UP AUTOMATIC PAYMENT REMINDERS) Set up automatic payment reminders. Paying your bills on time is the most important factor in figuring up your credit score. Setting automatic deductions from your banking account for house and automobile payments, utilities, and credit cards will help you make timely payments. If auto payments aren't possible, set payment reminders on your calendar or budgeting software. Make sure to coordinate your future income deposit dates with your automatic withdraws before you set up auto payments. For example, if you are paid on the 1st and 15th of each month, set the automatic payments to be disbursed on the 4th, 5th, 6th, 17th, 18th, and 19th of each month.
LASTLY TAKING CARE OF YOUR DEBT ITS YOUR MONEY GET TO KNOW THE FACTS IN HOW TO USE IT WISELY stop using credit cards. This is usually the most expensive of debt type, the easiest to use without thinking, and the source of aggressive collection efforts. Keeping zero or low balances on your credit cards will save money and increase your peace of mind. Use cash or your checking account debit card for irregular purchases, keeping your credit cards locked up securely at home. Don't cancel your credit cards. The debts are not canceled, and your credit report will suffer because there's less available credit as you pay off the debt. If you decide that some credit cards must be canceled, choose the ones with the shortest history. HOW TO HANDLE DEBTS AND CONSOLIDATION Consolidate your high-expense debts. Credit card and short term debt can be very expensive. If your problems come from credit card or trade debt and you have a home or a whole life insurance policy, you might consider borrowing money on the policy or a second mortgage on your home. Then, pay off the more expensive short-term debts. The risk in debt consolidation strategies is that you don't change your old buying habits and you build new credit balances, multiplying overall debt. If you consolidate your debts, you must change your old habits to avoid a repetition of your recent situation.