If you had a car that did not run correctly you would immediately bring it in to be repaired. You would fix whatever you needed to while making sure it purred like a kitten. Why is it that we do not do that with our credit as well?
Credit repair is a challenge, but it is not impossible by any means. You no longer have to claim bankruptcy or ruin your credit for a certain amount of time before getting yourself out of your credit hole. In fact, you only need to start with pulling your credit report from one of the three major credit bureaus; Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. It is best to start by getting your credit report from all three since some of your credit information may show up on one but not the other.
Once you have your credit report gathered together, you can start to look for any discrepancies. This may be that your credit report shows that you have not paid one of your bills when in fact you have paid it all off. It may also show that you have an outstanding bill from a company that you have never heard of. Mistakes happen, but the best way to fix these mistakes is to go over your credit report with a fine tooth comb. If you do find any mistakes there is a contact address with specific directions on how to contact the credit bureau with mistakes. They will then research your claims and remove anything they find to be misrepresented on your credit report.
If your credit report is correct, and you simply owe people money, then you need to start to rebuild your credit by contacting the individual creditors to make payment arrangements. These payment arrangements will help you to pay off your debt over a longer period of time. They may also offer you a one time settlement deal because they are so anxious to get any money from you.
After paying your debt and making payment arrangements it is time to start getting wise with your credit. First, do not take any more credit until you have fixed the credit that you already have. Second, cancel any credit cards that you do not use or that have high limits on them. Third, if you have no credit at all because of past collections you need to consider getting a secured credit card. This will help you rebuild your credit by showing that you can make payments in a timely manner. Paying your creditors on time is the most important decision you can make in your life. Without good credit you will find yourself in a lot of situations that make life harder for you in the long run.
