I Have No Credit History!
“I’ll just pay cash for everything.”
I have said many things in my life with the best of intention, but this had to be the one that hurt the most when it failed. When I was younger, like most people out there, I saw credit as a trap to get us to pay double the money for something we couldn’t afford in the first place. I didn’t know that having no credit would affect me in almost every aspect of my life and I learned that having no credit would impact me even harder than having a poor credit score. High car insurance payments, poor rates and high monthly payments on my car and home were just the tip of the iceberg and I knew something had to change!
“OK… but how do I build credit” I thought to myself as I scoured the internet, looking for a referable source of information. Well, after much trial and error and the help of Credit Law Center I happily present my 5 Easy Steps To Building Credit!
Step 1- Acquiring A Credit Card and How To Use It Safely!
So, to start building credit I got 15 credit cards and…. I’m kidding! No lender in their right mind would set me up with anything other than a secure card. A secure credit card is the perfect way to start establishing credit while with very little risk. A secured credit cards works the same as any other credit card, but it is backed by a cash deposited. This is a great way to get you begin building your credit and get it to a point where you can acquire an unsecured card later down the line! Once you can acquire the sweet unlimited power of the unsecured credit card, you can begin the task of keeping the over all usage to about 30% of the spending cap. A 30% utilization rate is still about a C+ rating and you really would like to get the utilization rate to around 10-15% in the long run to really build a positive trade line. Just be sure to make your payments on time!
Step 2- Find That Special Someone, Your Co-Signer!
Acquiring a trusted Co-Signer can really get you on the right foot to build credit safely. You need to be extremely diligent however because your co-signer is affected by the positives and the NEGATIVES the same as you. So make sure that both you and your co signer are aware of the consequences of delinquency when dealing with credit, lest you both end up with a credit score in the low 400s. Attempting a co signer can be difficult for many people attempting to build credit, but a co signer is not the only way to passively grow your credit score!
Step 3- “The Buddy System” -Becoming an Authorized User!
If possible, become an authorized user on a family members or significant others card. This adds their payment history for that card onto your credit files…just make sure they are a responsible cardholder. You don’t need to use the card to reap the benefits as an authorized user most of the time, but please, if you end up using the card, be sure to pay your fair share!
Step 4- You Work for the Bills, Make the Bills Work for You!
Rent- Reporting services like RentTrack take a bill you are already paying and put it on your credit report, showing off how responsible you have been with those on time payments. Not every credit score takes these payments into account, but those that do could be the deciding factor for a car loan! This will be a slower way to build up your credit, but it is a steady
Step 5- Establish Positive Trade Lines and Keep Them Positive!
Paying your accounts on time, low credit utilization, keeping your accounts open and keeping positive credit history is paramount in establishing perfect credit. I say this as one of my steps to building credit because it is important to acquire these habits early! Your credit is an investment, the more that you put into it early, the better off you will be in the long run!
Slow And Steady Wins The Race
Though your credit score will not sky rocket from 400- 800 over night, these 5 steps will help you climb! If you can make your payments on time, establish positive trade lines, establish a positive credit history and keep your card usage below 30% then you will notice your score climb. After that, it is only a matter of time until you are sitting high at the fabled 800 credit score! Your credit is like a garden, you need to give it plenty of attention, take care of it and occasionally pick out the weeds for it to flourish!
Author- Joe Peters
Do you have questions about your credit report? If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys or credit advisors and complete a free consultation please give us a call at 1-800-994-3070 we would be happy to help.
If you are hoping to dispute and work on your credit report on your own, here is a link that provides you with a few ideas on how to go about DIY Credit Repair.
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