Select’s editorial team works independently to review financial products and write articles we think our readers will find useful. We may receive a commission when you click on links for products from our affiliate partners.
Your credit score holds a lot of power when it comes to accomplishing life's big milestones, such as buying a new car or taking out a mortgage on your first home. Lenders rely a lot on your credit score when deciding whether to approve you for a new financial product.
Because credit scores carry so much weight, improving yours may seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be. In fact, there are a few smart financial habits you can easily build into your everyday life that will have a positive, long-term effect on your credit score.
"For many, your credit score is something you think about only when you experience a life milestone or make large purchases," Rod Griffin, senior director of public education and advocacy at Experian, tells Select. "[But] establishing good credit is something that you can, and should, slowly build and maintain over time."
Below, Griffin shares three "smart credit growth tactics" that you can adopt without having to make a major lifestyle change.
1. Pay your bills on time
Your payment history — whether or not you pay your bills on time — has the biggest impact on your credit score. It's also something that lenders pay close attention to when they pull your credit report before approving you for a loan or new credit card.
"When lenders review your credit report and see your credit score, they're interested in how reliably you pay your bills," Griffin says. "That's because past payment performance is proven to be a good predictor of future performance." In other words, paying your bills on time shows that you are more likely to pay your future ones on time, too.
Griffin identifies on-time monthly payments as the most important step in improving your credit score. Not to mention, late payments or completely missed payments will likely ding your score over time (not to mention all you'll pay in late fees and interest charges).
Even if you can't pay your full balance, aim to pay at least the minimum by the due date each month. Use calendar reminders and set up autopay to help you remember.
2. Get credit for paying your bills
Already paying your bills on time each month? You might as well get credit for it.
Consumers can potentially improve their credit score by factoring in their on-time cell phone, internet, cable, utility (gas, electricity, water) and streaming payments like Netflix®, HBO™, Hulu™ and Disney+™ through a free platform called Experian Boost™.
This free tool allows consumers to connect their bank accounts or credit cards to identify positive utility and telecom payment history and add it to their Experian credit report. (Experian is one of the three main credit bureaus in the U.S.) And, according to Experian's website, average users reported over a 10-point increase in their FICO® Score.
"By incorporating non-traditional data into a credit score, lenders will have a fuller, clearer picture of one's creditworthiness than what was previously available," Griffin says.
Experian Boost™
On Experian's secure site
-
Cost
-
Average credit score increase
10+ points, though results vary
-
Credit report affected
-
Credit scoring model used
Terms apply.
3. Dispute any inaccuracies on your credit report
Signing up for a credit monitoring service can help you
A credit monitoring service can keep an eye on your credit report when you aren't looking. Most will automatically alert you in real-time of any changes to your credit or potential fraud.
Select's top picks of those offering free credit monitoring alerts include the below:
Editorial Note: Opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Select editorial staff’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any third party.
"score" - Google News
April 30, 2021 at 03:38AM
https://ift.tt/3aSRtdo
3 steps to grow your credit score without making major lifestyle changes, according to an expert - CNBC
"score" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2OdbIHo
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "3 steps to grow your credit score without making major lifestyle changes, according to an expert - CNBC"
Post a Comment