It’s just like you learned when you were younger. Nobody’s perfect! Everyone has made mistakes at one time or the other. Financial mistakes are quite easy to make. However, the damage caused by financial mistakes can take some time to undo. It can be as small as forgetting to pay the minimum balance on your credit card a few times or falling behind on certain payments for a single month.
However, these little mistakes can mar your credit and as new well know, to Uncle Sam, credit is everything. It’s not a really bad thing to make those mistakes. However, you have to be careful so it doesn’t become a habit. Recurring mistakes like the above listed can really, really damage your credit score. As we well know, once it takes a dive, it can take years to dig its way out. To make it faster, you have to be actively involved in the digging.
It’s better to use a shovel not a spoon. We will talk about a few, flat, light, wallet sized shovels you can use to dig shortly. You need to be realistic about your credit score so you can know exactly what it will take to get you out of the pits. Credit score cannot be rebuilt overnight; it takes time, commitment and discipline to rebuild your credit score.
How to Rebuild your Credit Score with a Secured Credit Card
The first step to take is to become financially disciplined. Go to annualcreditreport.com and request your credit history. Ensure it is completely error-free by going through it carefully and flagging any errors. Next, begin to curb those bad recurring habits that lowered your score in the first place. Begin to pay bills on time and stick to your limit on your credit card. Forgetting to pay a bill even once can set you back some.
One of the best known ways of increasing your credit score is by using a secured credit card with a fixed limit. The credit has to be linked to a savings account. People with low credit scores are usually too afraid to establish a new line of credit because of the problems they have had.
This can prove to be a big mistake, bad credit scores don’t just drop off the list; you have to build better numbers on them. An important factor used in calculating your credit score is the age of the your most recent credit account and the length of your account. The below stated secured credit cards will help you regain your FICO score health in no time.
4 Secured Credit Cards That Can Help You Rebuild your Credit Fast
1. The Platinum Zero Visa Card
This card is offered by Applied Bank. It’s a great one for regaining credit health; however, it does have one drawback. The drawback is a maintenance fee of approximately $10 monthly. The cost is actually $9.95 which brings it up to $119.40 per year! However, if you expect to always have a balance on the account each month, it’s a good choice. Applied Bank does not charge interest for purchases neither do they require a credit check before issuance.
2. The Navy Federal Credit Union Rewards Card
To be considered eligible, you must be in the Military or have a relative who is. If you do qualify however, the Navy Federal Credit Union and Rewards secured card is the one of the best cards for rebuilding credit. There is no annual fee and the percentage rate is 8.9% with a 25 day grace period on purchases; really good. You also earn points per dollar you spend when you sign up for their rewards programme. This card can really help; sadly it is available to few.
3. The Capital One Secured MasterCard
This card has quite a low annual fee of $29. However, the interest rate is pegged at the high point of 22.9%. It is helpful where making large deposits come difficult for you. On the brighter side, the bank supplies each customer with a tool for monitoring their credit. That can really help in monitoring progress.
4. The Wells Fargo Secured Card
This card has a variable of 18.99% annual percentage yield (APY). The annual charge is only $25. Due to the high APY, experts often advise against carrying a balance from month to month. Responsible use of the card can lead to approval for an unsecured card on request. Everybody wants an unsecured card.
As the experts say “there is no credit score beyond repair,” all it takes is patience, the right information and discipline.