Essential Moves for People Who Want to Improve Their Credit

1. Get all the facts

Once a year, you can request a free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus, either online, by phone or by mail. And you should.

When it arrives, you should read each credit report carefully. Mistakes happen all the time, and it’s your reputation (and score) on the line — so do your own due diligence and investigate. Make sure there are no mistakes on your report, like old debts you’ve already paid down or erroneous “missed payments.”

If there are mistakes on your credit report, fret not. It’s an easy fix. You can dispute the mistake by calling up the creditor, who then has 30 days to investigate. If it’s deemed to be an error, it’ll fall off your credit report within a month.

Kiss Your Credit Card Debt Goodbye

Having a single loan to pay off makes it easier to manage your payments, and you can often get a better interest rate than what you might be paying on credit cards and car loans.

Fiona is an online marketplace offering personalized loan options based on your unique financial situation.

When you consolidate your debt with a personal loan, you can roll your payments into one monthly installment. Find a lower interest rate and pay down your debt faster today.

Get Started

2. Call a truce with your creditors

Let’s say a bill got lost in the mail and you accidentally missed a payment. Or life happened, and you weren't able to make ends meet one month. Nobody's perfect — we've all been there.

All you have to do is write a “goodwill letter” explaining to the creditor why you weren’t able to make your payment on time. Your letter should be concise and to the point, and most importantly, should make a strong case for why you deserve their help.

The creditor isn’t obligated to remove the blemish, but then again, it’s more likely to work than doing nothing at all. So why not take a chance?

If a goodwill letter doesn’t pan out, don’t sweat it. Missed payments won’t stay on your credit report forever, and a couple bumpy spots in your history aren’t the end of the world.

3. Get the experts on the case

Stop overpaying for home insurance

Home insurance is an essential expense – one that can often be pricey. You can lower your monthly recurring expenses by finding a more economical alternative for home insurance.

SmartFinancial can help you do just that. SmartFinancial’s online marketplace of vetted home insurance providers allows you to quickly shop around for rates from the country’s top insurance companies, and ensure you’re paying the lowest price possible for your home insurance.

Explore better rates

4. Ask someone else to pay your bills this month

5. Let this company rescue your savings