In order to make a large purchase such as a home or car and get a good deal on financing, you have to have a good credit score. A good score tells potential creditors that you are a responsible consumer and a low risk for the services they offer. How do you build good credit, though?
Get Credit for Consistent Payments
Paying bills on time every time is what potential creditors like to see. Many bill collectors don’t automatically report good behavior to credit agencies, though. Through reporting services, you can ensure that your consistent good choices are made apparent to all three credit bureaus.
Pay Loans on Time
You can also establish or build credit by taking out personal loans Houston TX, and paying them back on time. As long as you are careful not to apply for several loans at the same time, consistent payments can improve your credit rating.
Use Credit Cards Wisely
Timely payment of credit cards are another way you can improve your score. Just because you have credit left on a card, though, that doesn’t mean you should use it all. To improve your FICO score, try to use no more than 30-40% of your credit line at any given time. That is, maintain 60-70% of your credit line as available credit. Even if you pay a card off and don’t use it anymore, don’t cancel the account. Keeping it open increases your available credit to credit limit ratio, which can improve your score.
Building good credit mostly boils down to establishing responsible habits. Once you open credit accounts, use them, but don’t overuse them. Pay off your debts as quickly as possible. Pay all your bills on time without exception. By making good financial decisions, you can raise your credit score and set yourself up for great loan terms when you want to make larger purchases.