7 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score
Having a healthy credit score is crucial to your financial future. A great score could potentially save you money, and a poor score could cost you. Whether yours is high or low, there’s always room to improve it. (Not sure what your score is like? You can find it on a site like CreditKarma.com.) Here are a few tips for increasing and maintaining your credit score.
Check your credit report for errors
An error in your report can bring your score down. Catching and disputing the error could reverse the damage. But how do you check? You can get one free credit report from each major credit bureau (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion) once every year at annualcreditreport.com. If you find errors, dispute them with the credit bureaus right away.
Make your payments on time
Late payments can negatively affect your credit score. To avoid forgetting to make a payment, set up automatic payments through Connexus Digital Banking. You can pay your bills with the Bill Pay feature and your loans with Transfers.
Narrow down your cards
If you have several credit cards that carry a balance, pay off those with the smallest balance first. Then, only use one or two go-to cards moving forward (preferably those with the lowest interest rates). Bonus tip: when possible, pay off all your credit card debt at the end of every month. Not only will this help your credit score, but it can also mean you don’t get hit with interest charges.
Make multiple payments
Making more than one payment on your account each billing cycle keeps your credit utilization ratio (your total credit card debt divided by your total available credit) lower. The smaller your credit utilization ratio, the better it is for your credit rating.
Don’t be tempted by discounts
Many stores get you to sign up for credit cards because it saves you a certain percentage on your purchase. Your credit score takes a small hit every time you apply for a new card (regardless of whether you’re approved). Before you agree to apply for a new card, ask yourself if the discount is worth the hit to your credit score.
Create a plan
Sure, you could start doing small fixes here and there for your credit score, but without a plan, you may find your score going right back down where it started. We highly encourage you to work with an expert to get where you need to be. All Connexus members have the option to set up a free consultation with one of our Financial Advisors. Get started here.
Don’t lose too much sleep
Your credit score is important, but don’t let it control your life. Take your time, create a plan, and take simple steps to improve it. If you stay diligent, you’ll see your score go up.