Ready to raise your credit score?
Awesome!
This post contains 4 strategies that will help you raise your credit score by 100 points overnight.
Let’s get started!
What is a Good Credit Score?
Your FICO score, which is the number most commonly used to measure your credit score, ranges from 300 (poor) to 850 (excellent).
If you want to find out your FICO score check out Annual Credit Report.com to get a free credit report.
Why is it Important to Have a Good Credit Score?
There are multiple reasons.
A good credit score will help qualify you for a:
- Car loan
- Mortgage
- Apartment
- Business loan
- Lower your interest rate
- Favorable cell phone service
- Great credit card with favorable terms
Let me tell you that raising your credit score feels amazing and accomplished.
How to Raise Your Credit Score 100 Points Overnight
So, are you ready to raise your credit score?
Then check out my 4 strategies below!
1. Become an Authorized User
This strategy can be especially effective if that individual has a credit account in good standing.
Keep in mind, this tactic will only work if the account on which you are now seen as an authorized user is in good standing.
If the primary account holder misses payments or builds up a hefty debt balance, then your credit score can be hurt quite badly as well.
If you add yourself to the wrong person’s credit card account (ie – someone who doesn’t pay their bills on time) then the impact on your credit score could be detrimental.
On the contrary, if you are thinking of adding an authorized user to your credit card account, it’s important to point out that the primary account holder’s credit score will not be impacted.
This includes if the authorized user’s credit history is either incomplete or requires significant improvement.
The Bottom Line:
An authorized user can use someone else’s credit card in your own name. This strategy can be helpful if you are looking to raise your credit score fast. The key is to add yourself to a credit card account that is in good standing.
2. Request Your Free Annual Credit Report and Dispute Errors
You have the luxury of obtaining a free credit report from Annual Credit Report.com.
Take advantage of this annual free credit report to assess your current financial situation.
Once you receive your free credit report, it’s time to take a deeper look at the information on your report.
There are many categories to review. Some of these include:
- Your address
- Number of hard inquiries
- Number of open credit cards
- Number of open loans/mortgages
- How much you paid toward your outstanding loans
"It’s important to note that you don’t want to have too many hard inquiries on your credit score."
Typically, 6 hard inquiries are already too much and could lower your credit score.
As a reminder, hard inquiries are those made by potential lenders who are looking into your credit history to determine whether you’ll be approved for a loan or a credit card.
If you find there are any inconsistencies – such as too many hard inquiries, too many opened credit card accounts, etc. – it’s time to notify the credit reporting agencies as soon as possible.
If you believe you have any inconsistencies on your credit report then I highly recommend checking out Lexington Law.
Lexington Law offers a variety of service levels to support every budget and need.
Lexington Law can help you to:
- Reach your credit score goals
- Identify and challenge questionable items on your behalf
- Remove inaccurate or unfair negative items listed on your credit report
The Bottom Line:
Make sure you thoroughly analyze what’s on your credit report so that you can call out any potential errors – and raise your credit score.
3. Pay All Bills on Time
This strategy is likely one of the easiest ways to raise your credit score fast.
If you are worried about not paying your credit card bills (or any other bills, for that matter) on time, start automating your payments.
"I’ve virtually automated everything in my life as it relates to paying my bills."
Everything is on auto-pay.
Not only does that save me time, but it also gives me peace of mind and it pays every bill on time – and without a second thought.
The goal here should be for you to pay OFF your outstanding balance so that you will have a $0 balance.
Not only will this save you a lot of money – since you won’t be paying interest on any outstanding debt – but it will also help raise your credit score.
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Tally is an application that pays all of your credit card debt off for you – and then gives you 1 consolidated loan in return that’s much lower than your typical 20% to 25% credit card interest rate.
With Tally:
- Slash your late fees
- Can save up to $5,300
- Reduce your high-interest payments
- You pay down your credit card debt faster
Start chipping off debt so you can raise your credit score.
The Bottom Line:
Pay your bills on time – and that means don’t just pay the minimum required payment. Put in the effort to pay off the entire balance on your credit card accounts – that’s what will raise your credit score fast.
4. Lower Your Credit Utilization Ratio
Increasing your credit limit is another, easy way to raise your credit score virtually overnight.
The goal here is to decrease your credit utilization ratio.
The lower your credit utilization ratio (30% or less – preferably 0%) the better.
One of the fastest methods for raising your credit score is by lowering your credit utilization ratio.
How do you lower your credit utilization ratio?
Simply by picking up the phone and calling your credit card company with a request to increase your credit limit.
Let’s say you have a current credit utilization ratio of 50%.
That means you have a total credit limit of $4,000 and you currently are running a balance of $2,000.
How do you lower your credit utilization ratio to 30% or less?
By increasing your credit limit (and paying off your outstanding balance).
Just make sure to not add to your existing credit card balance.
If you increase your credit limit just by $2,500 – so from $4,000 to $6,500 and maintain the same $2,000 balance, your new credit utilization ratio is now just about 30%.
The results?
- Increased credit score
- More favorable appearance to potential lenders
If used properly – this strategy of increasing your credit limit will make a positive impact on your credit score.
The Bottom Line:
If you want to raise your credit score by increasing your credit limit – make sure you are disciplined enough so you will not tap into and spend the additional credit limit increase.
Closing Thoughts
Listen, I know that you might think raising your credit score is something you can put off for tomorrow.
Don’t.
Today is the best day to start building your tomorrow.
That’s why I think it’s time to start working toward raising your credit score by following my simple 4 steps that I just outlined for you.
After implementing my tips and checking your credit score, you will likely find relief in seeing that you have raised your credit score.
Think about the money that you will save just by proving you are a reliable individual, who pays their bills on time. Doors will be opened for you down the road.
My point is this: Don’t allow a simple financial hiccup to dictate your credit score.
You have the power to raise your credit score.
Your bank accounts will thank me later!