Improving your Credit and Credit Score

I have so many credit cards but I only 3 of them. That may have helped bring up the average age of my credit accounts.
 
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I can confirm alot of this works. Got one of my scores above 700 and 2 of them close to it. Not sure about why the other two are not up yet but I'm working on it.
 
Don't even worry about them mayne, its best to just pay them on time and let them report in good standing, them bitches wont delete no damn govt student loans off a credit report.

thats exactly what i'm doing. I just owe a lot.
 
Where was it and what did you do to get it up?
OK so after checking my lowest credit score is 785.

How did I do it after 6 years?
1. Switch to cash. Stop using the cards. I only used them enough to keep them active. It was hard but I did it.
1a. Never pay late even if you have to pay the minimum.
2. Keep credit utilization below 50% per card. (If your limit is 1k never spend more than $500.) Some say keep it below 35%. Mine is currently at 10%.
3. Pay more than the minimum.
4. Pay ahead on my mortgage in case I have an emergency. (At one point I was 6 mos ahead). Now Im only 1 mos ahead.
5. Catch up on my taxes before uncle sam comes after me. I'm behind by a few years. Don't judge.
6. Start putting money aside for a rainy day. Ideally you want to have 6 months of savings in a liquid account. This is where I struggle now.

Forgot to mention,
7. Check our credit score every year and dispute everything negative.
8. While in dispute, apply for a new card or ask one of your current cards to increase the credit limit.
 
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Amex Tip:

If any of you have Delta Skymiles or Starward Preferred Guest memberships here is a tip for getting an AMEX. If you are a member of both remember to link the memberships together to share points.
If you don't have a membership sign up and try to book flights and hotels with it as much as you can while continuing to work on your credit.

For members, after a while you should get offers for Delta or SPG AMEX in the mail. If you do you have a good chance to get accepted. If you don't get offers and are an active member make a call to ask about you rewards account. It can be something simple. The idea is to speak to actually speak to someone. Then inquire about credit card offers. They should transfer you to another person who would share the card details with you. They will offer to apply based on your membership, so go ahead and let them. It should be a soft pull however, if you have a score in the 600's they will probably follow up with a hard pull.

I have seen members who have had scores in the 630's get approved but always remember, YMMV.

Delta Amex is the easiest to obtain with approvals with scores in the mid-low range.
SPG is a little harder but still easier to obtain than a normal Amex.

The longer and more active you are of a member the better the chances of getting approved if you have fair credit.

Please note that this is for people who have fair or better credit with no recent derogatory marks on their report. If you were 90 days late on your car payment last month don't even try it. But if your last late payment is 2 years ago and your score is 650 or more you have a pretty good shot.

Next tip for those who are successful:

After you get your Delta or SPG Amex use it for a few months. Never be late and never have a high utilization. Be sure to use it for gas, groceries, and of course travel to build the rewards.

After a few months (I suggest 6 months to a 1 year) call Amex and tell them you want to convert your Delta or SPG card to one of their main cards. The option to convert any Amex card is available to Amex card holders. Unless you have a huge negative of your report (like a BK) you should be able to convert to any of the Amex line of credit cards like the Amex Blue or Amex Everyday. Again make sure you are in good standing with Amex prior to doing this.

Again, YMMV

Remember, building or rebuilding credit is a long process.
 
Amex Tip:

If any of you have Delta Skymiles or Starward Preferred Guest memberships here is a tip for getting an AMEX. If you are a member of both remember to link the memberships together to share points.
If you don't have a membership sign up and try to book flights and hotels with it as much as you can while continuing to work on your credit.

For members, after a while you should get offers for Delta or SPG AMEX in the mail. If you do you have a good chance to get accepted. If you don't get offers and are an active member make a call to ask about you rewards account. It can be something simple. The idea is to speak to actually speak to someone. Then inquire about credit card offers. They should transfer you to another person who would share the card details with you. They will offer to apply based on your membership, so go ahead and let them. It should be a soft pull however, if you have a score in the 600's they will probably follow up with a hard pull.

I have seen members who have had scores in the 630's get approved but always remember, YMMV.

Delta Amex is the easiest to obtain with approvals with scores in the mid-low range.
SPG is a little harder but still easier to obtain than a normal Amex.

The longer and more active you are of a member the better the chances of getting approved if you have fair credit.

Please note that this is for people who have fair or better credit with no recent derogatory marks on their report. If you were 90 days late on your car payment last month don't even try it. But if your last late payment is 2 years ago and your score is 650 or more you have a pretty good shot.

Next tip for those who are successful:

After you get your Delta or SPG Amex use it for a few months. Never be late and never have a high utilization. Be sure to use it for gas, groceries, and of course travel to build the rewards.

After a few months (I suggest 6 months to a 1 year) call Amex and tell them you want to convert your Delta or SPG card to one of their main cards. The option to convert any Amex card is available to Amex card holders. Unless you have a huge negative of your report (like a BK) you should be able to convert to any of the Amex line of credit cards like the Amex Blue or Amex Everyday. Again make sure you are in good standing with Amex prior to doing this.

Again, YMMV

Remember, building or rebuilding credit is a long process.


good post
 
8. While in dispute, apply for a new card or ask one of your current cards to increase the credit limit.

so the item isnt on your report while in disput? hot damn... I had a couple people I jsut refuse to take the fukking from lol but i do 90% cash so it didnt matter but ill not loving my low 600 score and I need to get it into the 700s .... and you arent the only one "catching up " on taxes homie.... that iraq $$$ is a PIA on taxes
 
8. While in dispute, apply for a new card or ask one of your current cards to increase the credit limit.

so the item isnt on your report while in disput? hot damn... I had a couple people I jsut refuse to take the fukking from lol but i do 90% cash so it didnt matter but ill not loving my low 600 score and I need to get it into the 700s .... and you arent the only one "catching up " on taxes homie.... that iraq $$$ is a PIA on taxes
Yeah fam, I just sent my oldest tax return in. I gotta send the rest in at the same time. Trying to save up a bit ... so by October due date I should be all set.
 
Can anybody give me the name of a good credit repair company? I need to get my score up and it isn't helping with anything I do. Maybe a company will have a better chance at removing some stuff off of my credit report that I haven't been able to do
 
Can anybody give me the name of a good credit repair company? I need to get my score up and it isn't helping with anything I do. Maybe a company will have a better chance at removing some stuff off of my credit report that I haven't been able to do

Nicca its 14 pages of mostly good info in this thread
 
Yeah fam, I just sent my oldest tax return in. I gotta send the rest in at the same time. Trying to save up a bit ... so by October due date I should be all set.

im prepping my last 2 now, then i can take a breathe.. then its pay off wifes car and save for some more properties... i need 4 more by 2017
 
Recently got approved for Chase Freedom. Card came in on saturday. They list my bank fico at 728. This does'nt match any of my actual credit scores from the 3 bureaus. All these different scores is somewhat confusing.
 
Recently got approved for Chase Freedom. Card came in on saturday. They list my bank fico at 728. This does'nt match any of my actual credit scores from the 3 bureaus. All these different scores is somewhat confusing.

They calculate their own internal score for the freedom.
 
Yea,mayne you good with anything in the 700 and up range


appreciate that. Man its some jewels being dropped in this thread. I've learned so much over the past year. My next card is gonna be amex, but not anytime soon since i'm in the market for a house. Gonna sit back and let these accounts (i also have Cap One) age a bit.
 
Amex Tip:

If any of you have Delta Skymiles or Starward Preferred Guest memberships here is a tip for getting an AMEX. If you are a member of both remember to link the memberships together to share points.
If you don't have a membership sign up and try to book flights and hotels with it as much as you can while continuing to work on your credit.

For members, after a while you should get offers for Delta or SPG AMEX in the mail. If you do you have a good chance to get accepted. If you don't get offers and are an active member make a call to ask about you rewards account. It can be something simple. The idea is to speak to actually speak to someone. Then inquire about credit card offers. They should transfer you to another person who would share the card details with you. They will offer to apply based on your membership, so go ahead and let them. It should be a soft pull however, if you have a score in the 600's they will probably follow up with a hard pull.

I have seen members who have had scores in the 630's get approved but always remember, YMMV.

Delta Amex is the easiest to obtain with approvals with scores in the mid-low range.
SPG is a little harder but still easier to obtain than a normal Amex.

The longer and more active you are of a member the better the chances of getting approved if you have fair credit.

Please note that this is for people who have fair or better credit with no recent derogatory marks on their report. If you were 90 days late on your car payment last month don't even try it. But if your last late payment is 2 years ago and your score is 650 or more you have a pretty good shot.

Next tip for those who are successful:

After you get your Delta or SPG Amex use it for a few months. Never be late and never have a high utilization. Be sure to use it for gas, groceries, and of course travel to build the rewards.

After a few months (I suggest 6 months to a 1 year) call Amex and tell them you want to convert your Delta or SPG card to one of their main cards. The option to convert any Amex card is available to Amex card holders. Unless you have a huge negative of your report (like a BK) you should be able to convert to any of the Amex line of credit cards like the Amex Blue or Amex Everyday. Again make sure you are in good standing with Amex prior to doing this.

Again, YMMV

Remember, building or rebuilding credit is a long process.



Just completed the Starwood process
 
809, 824, 814.

Keep my debt to credit ratio high, pay on time, and keep a small balance on the cards and I rotate them. I don't charge anything that I can't pay in 30 days. I treat all my debt like my AMEX.

I was in the 750-770 range last year after I bought my house, but after a year of payments, I've got the best scores I've ever had.
 
809, 824, 814.

Keep my debt to credit ratio high, pay on time, and keep a small balance on the cards and I rotate them. I don't charge anything that I can't pay in 30 days. I treat all my debt like my AMEX.

I was in the 750-770 range last year after I bought my house, but after a year of payments, I've got the best scores I've ever had.


thats how credit is to be used IMO. Good post.
 
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