Yeah! That's what it is! Credit scores are built up intentionally. This means that you can actually define and determine your credit status.
If you do nothing about improving your credit score, it won't get better by chance. Some principles and tricks play out in not just maintaining but improving on your credit score.
A Credit score of 650 and below is the dread of every financial account holder. You should be familiar with the frustration of being unable to meet dire financial goals with such a score.
So, I believe that you're visiting this site because you desperately seek practical ways to double or triple your credit score.
Well, I've got it all together in this piece! But, first of all, let's get to the definition of certain terms.
What is Personal Credit?
Personal credit is your financial history from when you picked your first line of credit to date. This financial history reveals details that don't just determine your credit score, but also your creditworthiness.
These details include your payment history, debts, income, and existing credit and credit card balances. But then, these details are summed up into a score—a credit score.
What then, does this score represent?
With your personal credit score, your credit history and worthiness are easily detected.
Summating your financial details at every business transaction can be cumbersome and time-consuming.
Personal credit is your financial strength. This is why it affects financial transactions like buying things on credit or borrowing money from a bank. Your personal credit determines if a lender will trust you.
Importance of Personal Credit
The importance and even relevance of personal credit cannot be overemphasized. When you say, "importance," here's a clear sketch; You cannot afford the ignorance of personal credit.
- The world has evolved! Businesses are now done beyond cash at the bank. Many factors now play out when you want to borrow, get insured, get a job, and even rent an apartment! Most of these factors are sponsored by personal credit
- Without personal credit, you may not even be considered by banks or business organizations for jobs or any financial assistance
- Your personal credit guarantees your business partner your ability to fulfill your part of the transaction
- With good personal credit, you can borrow loans at cheaper interest rates and get good jobs. In fact, you'll carry out business transactions with less stress and strain
- Personal credit is your financial strength! Personal credit is your financial security.
Service providers respond quickly when your personal credit is good. In fact, most lenders judge you by your personal credit.
5 Ways to Improve Your Personal Credit
You cannot talk about improving a credit score without paying attention to certain salient principles.
Your personal credit can literally increase by 200 points and above in no time. But then, don't get me wrong. This doesn't exempt the influence of time and some intentional effort from your end.
These points don't just show up; you intentionally see their build-up. The good news is that your commitment to its build-up by adopting the tricks below would definitely reflect on your personal credit.
Adopting Automated Payments
Do you know that about 30-35% of your credit score is determined and influenced by your payment history?
Since a major trap to the decrease in credit scores is late payment of bills. Setting up an automatic payment scheme is safe for your personal credit!
This would even save you the stress of sorting out your bills.
Retain Your Old Credit cards
A major credit score lift is a long financial history limit and a high total credit limit.
What does this imply?
Your old credit card or account still adds up and influences your personal credit. So, despite not being in use, leave it open.
Pay Off Your Credit Balances Early
Also known as a credit card balance. A credit card balance is what you owe your credit card company.
This debt is promoted by purchases, foreign exchange fees, and interests from carried-over credit balances.
Start up by clearing your credit balances if you intend to improve your personal credit. Set up a plan, if possible, of how to take them down one after the other.
Be a Diligent Student of your Credit score
A habit of getting rid of at all costs is neglecting your credit account until the red flags are all out.
It is much easier and safer to keep a regular check on your credit score than trying to build it up again.
When you check up on your credit score regularly, you are not taken unawares by any update that may require immediate attention.
This includes keeping a check on your credit files for fraudulent attacks.
Use a Secured Credit Card
A secured credit card is an obtainable option when you intend to improve your personal credit.
This is because the requirements for getting a secured credit card are less stringent than other credit cards.
You may not qualify for other credit cards or incur more debts trying to meet the requirements of higher credit cards. This is not good for already bad credit.
Personal Credit vs. Business Credit
Personal credit and business credit can be erroneously used interchangeably when
not clearly defined.
The truth is, they are similar in a way but still different. Meanwhile, in their differences lies their function and importance.
- First, personal credit is the totality of an individual's financial history. Take note of the word "individual." Business credit, on the other hand, is the totality of your business's financial history/transactions.
- You need a business to start up business credit, but not personal credit
- You need personal credit before setting up business credit
- Just as your personal credit reveals your creditworthiness and credibility, your business credit also reveals the creditworthiness of your business. This is a major consideration when seeking loans to push up your business.
- A business line of credit requires an Employer Identification Number (EIN) or Tax ID Number, which registers your business with the government for tax allocation. On the other hand, personal credit is connected to your Social Security Number(SSN)
- Credit score rating also differs between personal credit and business credit. While personal credit scores start on as low as 300 to high 850. Business credit scores are on a scale of 0 to 100
You should spell out the use of both your personal and business credit early to eliminate every occurrence of personal liability.
Conclusion
As its name implies, you've got to take your credit account personally and insist on its increase and development.
This may sound witty and funny, but on the flip side, you have to be committed to improving your credit.
You've got to be willing to make the necessary sacrifices to ensure your financial security. Apply these points now!
