{"id":549,"date":"2016-12-06T20:05:05","date_gmt":"2016-12-06T20:05:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mikeclover.com\/blog\/?p=549"},"modified":"2018-03-25T15:15:32","modified_gmt":"2018-03-25T15:15:32","slug":"4-legal-do-it-yourself-ways-to-raise-your-credit-scores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mikeclover.com\/blog\/2016\/12\/06\/4-legal-do-it-yourself-ways-to-raise-your-credit-scores\/","title":{"rendered":"4 legal, do-it-yourself ways to raise your credit scores"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Credit<\/a><\/p>\n

Having high credit scores is always an advantage, but if you\u2019ve decided this is your year to become a homeowner, they\u2019re doubly important.<\/p>\n

Although you can buy a home with a score lower than the 695 average, you\u2019ll pay high interest rates. To get the best rates, you need scores of 740 or more.<\/p>\n

If your rates are less than 740, take these steps now to put them on the rise:<\/p>\n

Make it a point to pay all of your current bills before their due date<\/strong>.<\/strong> If you\u2019re already late on a payment, take care of it today. Creditors don\u2019t generally report non-payment until it\u2019s past the 30-day mark, so hurry, even if it means skipping that morning latte\u2019 and taking the bus to work instead of filling up the car this week.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve been lax about this, take time to make a chart and note the due dates for all of your accounts. Consult it daily to make sure you\u2019re staying on track and keeping enough money on hand to pay every bill on time.<\/p>\n

Being diligent on this point will bring your scores up a notch within one to two months.<\/p>\n

Pay down your debt<\/strong>.<\/strong> Any credit card account with a balance that exceeds 30% of your credit limit is really dragging you down, so pay it down! Resist the urge to pay off one card while still carrying a high balance on another \u2013 you\u2019re better off to have more active accounts, each with less utilization.<\/p>\n

You may think you\u2019re paying all you can right now, but with a bit of investigation into your own habits, you\u2019ll probably find some \u201cmoney leaks\u201d that you can plug. For instance:<\/p>\n