Raising your credit score 100 points is easier than many people might think, especially if you currently have bad credit.
SPOILER: My advice is to get a secured credit card
Step 1 – Know Where You Are
Pull your credit score to determine where you are and how much damage control you need to do. There are dozens of websites that you can use, but Credit Karma is one of my personal favorites.
Credit Karma is secure, easy-to-use, and the best part – it’s free! Credit Karma not only shows you your credit score, but it also explains why your credit score is that number. This means showing you factors like credit inquiries, credit card usage, age of credit history, payment history, and other aspects that impact your credit card score and how it holds up against the credit score scale.
Credit Karma is great, but they use their own scale to determine your credit score. While their number is going to be very close, it won't be the EXACT credit score that banks and lenders would use. In order to find that, you need to go through MyFICO. This will give you your FICO score – but it isn’t free.
MyFICO has a monthly fee of $29.95, which includes credit tracking and instant access to a 3-bureau credit report and FICO score. If you only need to check one of the three credit reporting agencies, then it will cost $19.95.
Step 2 – Fix Credit Problems
Now that you know your credit score, we can start working to make it better. One of the best ways to earn a great credit score is to always pay your bills on time. Missing one bill can lower your credit score by as much as 100 points.
To begin your credit card recovery journey, make sure you pay all of your late payments and don’t miss another bill payment. While paying those outstanding debts isn’t going to raise your credit score, it will keep it from getting any worse.
Step 3 – Run Up the Score
Now that you’re paid up on all your bills, it’s time to give your credit score a serious boost. One of the best ways to improve your credit score 100 points is to have a credit card, but not use it. Sounds crazy, right?
One of the biggest factors that impacts your credit score is your credit utilization.
Credit utilization basically refers to how much of your credit card limit you use.
So, if you have a $10,000 credit card limit, don’t get anywhere near it. In fact, we would suggest using only around 20%-30% of your total limit.
If you have little available credit, this may be difficult. If your score isn't too bad, you may be able to open an additional credit card or get your utilization down on any maxed out cards using one of the many balance transfer credit cards.
If your credit is hurting, though, you may need to look at a secured credit card to get your utilization down.
This next section is how one of my interns, Kevin, did just that and made a HUGE impact on his credit. His parents had always told him not to open a credit card in fear that he would get in massive credit card debt and ruin his future.
Unfortunately, his parents were wrong.
To help Kevin out, I asked him to find out what his credit score was through MyFICO.com. Sadly, he was unpleasantly surprised. The story that follows is about how Kevin improved his credit score 100 points with a surprising tool – a secured credit card. Please welcome Kevin…
As a Junior and Senior in college, I was always told that applying for a credit card could be my first step in the wrong direction.
With a credit card in hand, my parents worried I would spend money I couldn’t pay off and build a lifestyle I couldn't really afford, rather than learning to save money.
While these are legitimate concerns, I had to let them know I felt as if I had some control over my spending.
My response was always the same: “How would I know until I was able to try for myself?”
My First Humbling Credit Experience
When I was finally prepared to get a credit card on my own, none of the banks I applied to would give me a chance. I had to walk into the banks and tell them what is probably the typical story for most recent grads or anyone in their final years of college. It went like this:
“I am unemployed, have no credit history, and have a couple thousand dollars in college debt that I will have to start paying on in the next year or two.”
Lets face it, this is not exactly a winning pitch when you are trying to convince someone to give you a line of credit!
Two banks denied me, but one banker was kind and shared some info that has helped me raise my credit score over 100 points in the past five months. I think everyone should be aware of this “trick”, which is why I’m sharing it today.
The gist of it was that I should stop trying to apply for credit cards and getting denied. His reasoning was that, when you apply, they do a hard credit check which, in turn, can lower your credit score even more.
His second piece of advice was to…
Get a Secured Credit Card
He told me that no major bank was going to accept my credit application, but that there was actually an alternative option available – one that was especially perfect for those in my exact situation. This was to sign up for what is called a “secured” credit card. While the terms for these are horribly one-sided in favor of the lender, I assure you it is a small price to pay for the result you receive after only a few months.
With secured credit cards, you give the lender a cash deposit up front, and that cash deposit is typically equal to your credit limit. This process truly confused me at first, since I thought the deposit was money I could actually spend.
What I learned, however, is that the deposit is there in case I default. I couldn’t spend the deposit itself, but I would get it back if I kept my account in good standing until I closed the card. This wasn’t an ideal proposal, but I knew it could help me build my credit score – and that was my real goal anyway.
There is also an annual fee associated with most secured credit cards, but I felt it was a small price to pay for the opportunity to build some credit history. After you make your deposit, secured cards are also treated just like traditional credit cards. Your secured card will typically look and act just like a regular credit card, so no one will know it is secured.
This is the route I had to take, and I suspect there are many others out there who are also in a similar situation. Even though you have to put all the money up front and pay an annual fee, it is still very much worth it when you consider the long-term benefits.
Long-Term Benefits: My Experience
When I first checked my credit score with MyFICO in March of 2011, it was sitting at 621. I set up my new secured credit card with a credit limit of $1,100. The credit limit should be a function of what cash you have, and also what you plan on using the credit card for. According to many bankers and friends I talked to, you should try to run a 75% utilization rate on your credit card to maximize your potential to raise your credit score.
So, if you only spend around $300 a month, you should give your secured credit card a $500 dollar down payment so that you are utilizing your credit rather than having a $1,000 dollar limit and only spending $300. My expenditures were approximately $700 dollars a month so the $1,100 dollar limit fit my needs.
After I received my secured card and started spending, I made sure that I would only spend money I already had, or would receive before the next pay period. I ended up paying off my credit card roughly four times a month to ensure I never carried a balance from one month to the next. I would never let my credit limit exceed $800, and I would never pay it off if the card balance was under $300 unless the pay period was coming to an end.
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I would put every penny of my spending on the credit card – from the smallest expenses such as a drink from the gas station, to major purchases such as airline tickets or hotel rooms. I repeated this process for five months to establish a credit history of regular use and always paying on time.
Second credit check: YES!
In August of 2011, I had to purchase a car so that I could switch jobs. When I filled out the credit application to see if I qualified for the lower financing rates, my credit score came back as 731.
In other words, I raised my credit score from 621 to 731 in just five months!
This is a very big deal because, at 621, I would have been denied a loan for the car, or would have had an interest rate that exceeded 9% on the auto loan. Since I chose to get a secured credit card, I was able to take the car loan on my own, and qualify for the low rate of 3.99% financing.
The difference in the loan between the two interest rates would be $750 over the life of the loan, far surpassing the card's annual fee, and the opportunity cost of my secured credit card holding my $1,100 for five months.
A Message to Parents
To all of the parents out there who worry about letting their college kid apply for a credit card, I can tell you it worked for me in five months and will change my financial future for many years to come.
Secured credit cards offer a foolproof way to raise your credit score when it is not possible through a regular bank credit card, and is a safe way to earn credit if you do not trust your kid to spend responsibly. The worst that can happen with a secured card is that you cannot pay your bill, your company closes out the account, and they pay off your credit with the money you already have on deposit.
My secured card worked perfectly for me and I have now been accepted for a credit card with a major bank.
How to Make a Secured Credit Card Work For You
Here’s the truth: If you have a low credit score and cannot qualify for traditional credit, a secured credit card is the best way to build a credit profile that will last.
Here are the steps to moving your credit score in the right direction using a secured credit card:
Step #1: Learn your current credit score
If you’re worried about your credit, the best thing you can do is figure out where you’re at. By signing up for a free credit score with Credit Karma, you can get an estimate of your FICO score from two of the three credit reporting agencies. Although you’ll only receive an approximate score, it will be close enough to give you an idea of your current standing. Best of all, signing up for Credit Karma is free so you have nothing to lose.
Step #2: Research secured credit cards
The next step you’ll want to take is to research the top secured credit cards available. We recommend the Discover it® Secured Credit Card because of its meaningful rewards and lack of fees.
Step #3: Read the terms and conditions, then sign up for the card that suits your needs best
Once you find a card that meets your needs, you need to read through all the fine print to make sure you understand all fees involved with your new secured card. Once you feel comfortable with the details, simply click on the “apply now” sign and fill out all of the required information.
Step #4: Put down a cash deposit you can afford
Most secured credit cards will ask you to put down a deposit that is equal to your new credit limit. If you want a $500 credit limit, for example, you’ll need to put $500 in cash down as a deposit. You might need to save a few weeks or months to build this up, but the wait will be worth it.
Step #5: Use your secured credit card sparingly at first
As you get used to using credit, you’ll want to use your card sparingly at first. Don’t rush in and begin charging items until you get a grasp on what you can truly pay back. You don’t want to end up with a revolving balance you can’t afford to pay off every month, and you definitely don't want to pay interest on your purchases!
Step #6: Monitor your bill closely, and pay your secured card off frequently
To make sure you’re utilizing your new secured credit card, you’ll want to keep close tabs on your growing bill. If your card offers online account management, this task should be fairly easy. If it doesn’t, you may need to keep track of your purchases and charges manually. Either way, this step is crucial since staying debt-free is the best way to keep your credit in tip top shape.
Top 3 Secured Credit Card Offers in 2017
I strongly recommend the Discover it® card, but there are plenty of other options to browse through on CardRatings.com. Among the best are:
1. Discover it® Secured Credit Card – No Annual Fee
If you’re looking for a secured credit card to build your credit, look no further than the Discover it® Secured Credit Card.
This card comes with NO ANNUAL FEE, which is almost unheard of in this industry.
The card also offers a meaningful rewards program. You'll earn 2x points on dining and gas on your first $1,000 spent each quarter, and 1x points on all other purchases.
2. Capital One® Secured Mastercard®
The Capital One® Secured Mastercard® is another secured credit card that doesn’t charge an annual fee. Once you're approved for this card, you'll get a credit limit equal to the cash deposit you put down. You'll also get access to CreditWise® from Capital One® – a credit tracking tool that can help you monitor your credit over time.
The downside is that you won't earn rewards with this card. But, since this card does report your credit movements to the three credit reporting agencies, you can use it to build your credit slowly over time.
3. First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard Secured Credit Card
While the First Progress Platinum Prestige MasterCard Secured Credit Card does charge a $49 annual fee, it comes with a perk that the others on this list don't have – a low APR. Amazingly, this card charges only a 9.99% APR on purchases, which is almost unheard of among secured credit cards.
If you plan to carry a balance each month, your interest rate will play a huge role in how much you pay to use credit. By choosing a card with a lower APR, you can save money over time, despite the annual fee.
The Bottom Line
While Kevin's story is absolutely amazing, it isn't all that unique. The truth is, this is exactly what secured credit cards are supposed to do. They do receive a bad rap because of the initial deposit and the fact that some charge annual fees, but that's not really fair. In the real world, secured credit cards are a valuable tool that can be used to build your credit when you otherwise couldn't.
Whether you like it or not, your credit score is important. If you ever hope to take out a mortgage, borrow money for a car like Kevin did, or borrow funds to start a new business, you'll need a good or decent credit score to qualify for the best rates.
While imperfect, secured credit cards offer the opportunity to improve your credit and your life. If you are ready to improve your credit and think a secured card could help, don't delay. Research your options and sign up today.
Have you ever used a secured credit card? What is holding you back?
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Nice write up, my credit score was 510 a friend recommended me to 1data Chris few weeks later my score shot 760 it sounds fake but I can assure you it’s magical thier services are awsome indigodatatunnel@usa.com will be thankful for my referal.
Hi Jacobs – I’d be very careful working with anyone who can raise your score 250 points in a few weeks, or even promise to. That has scam written all over it. The services that claim to be able to do that use different tricks, like having you dispute all of your bad credit. That suspends your credit for a few weeks while they investigate, which temporarily raises your score. But after a few weeks are up, your score plummets again as the negative information comes back on your report. Then you’re out the fee you paid, and you still have bad credit.
I have confirmed thier services. I couldn’t believe how they helped me increase my scores. They are legit guys.
I used them few months ago and nothing happens, I don’t know how on earth they get to do it.
They rescued us from eviction, they are life saver.
I’m 23 & currently have no credit, no collections either. Would like to know whats the best & fastest way for me to build my credit ?
Hi Heather – Check with a bank or credit union to see if they offer “credit builder accounts”. Basically, they give you a loan of $500 to $1,000 that gets deposited into a savings account. The monthly payments are deducted from the savings to pay the loan. All you have to pay out of pocket is the interest on the loan. The term can range from 12 to 24 months. Since you’re paying by automatic draft, you never have to worry about the payments, and your credit rating is then reported to the credit bureaus. It’s a painfree/effort-free way to build your credit.
i am wondering i currently have a bunch of store cards and a few major cards my utilization is pretty high..my payments are perfect never missed and never late either its just my utilization is killing me!! my score has gotten so low,, and i have recently gotten a brand new car whch i pay on tme and never late.. my question is should i get a secured card will this help me at all? im just woried about my score i have become obsessed with it! i also always pay overmy minimum balance too! what can i do? Thank you
Hi Jessy-lynn – I’d only go the secured card route if you can’t get unsecured cards. When you have high credit utilization you should stop further borrowing and work to pay down your cards. You can also apply for new credit lines but NOT USE the credit. That will lower your credit utilization. However, that strategy won’t fix the basic problem, which is that you owe too much. So either way, the ultimate solution is to concentrate on paying down your cards.
My score has hovered around 756-760 for about a year now. I never charge too much, and always pay my balance in complete before the next cycle. So I basically carry a 0 balance. I have no negative marks, no late payments, no fees for balance carries…..
I have one credit card for that has a credit line of 3,500.
I do have a student loan that I’m paying on for 10,000. Is this keeping my credit score from going up? According to Credit Sesame my individual marks are A on payment history, A on credit usage, B on credit age, C on account mix and A on credit inquiries. So obviously my credit age needs to go up and apparently the fact that I don’t have 4 different kinds of credit hurts me.
I guess I’m asking is having the loan keeping my score from going up quicker? How can I get my score in the 800’s?
Hi Heather – First, your credit score is excellent. It’s harder to raise your score when it’s already that high. All the easy solutions don’t apply. The student loan debt probably isn’t hurting you, especially since it’s an installment debt. The credit age issue will go away with time. The only thing you can work on, and what will make the biggest improvement is with your account mix. The credit bureaus like a mix of credit that includes a blend of both revolving and installment loans, like mortgages or car loans. You might help your score if you get a car loan, but I wouldn’t advise that if it’s just to increase your credit score. You already have an excellent score, so I’d work on paying your student loan down, and letting time pass to “age” your credit a bit.
I recently got approved for. Citi bank secured card with a deposit of $200 I was hoping that my credit score would increase due to me purchasing credit for the first time, does the secured card help my score just by reporting a $200 limit .
Hello,
First of all, thank you Jeff, for the info you are providing!
I’d like to know if it is best to utilize only up to 30% of a secured credit card? And, is it best to pay off the balance multiple times per month as some people have said?
Thank You!
Sandy
Hi Sandy – I would think that the credit utilization applies to a secured card as well. It may also depend on how the creditor reports the arrangement. Get a copy of your credit report and see if it varies compared to unsecured credit cards. As to the multiple balance payoffs per month, I’ve not heard that, and it sounds like overkill. The credit bureaus are usually only updating your credit once per month, so they miss the multiple payoffs.
Keep your utilization 30%or below.
Hey Jeff, how about credit builder loans? Credit unions are usually flexible and offer more options. Such loans can improve your credit score and get you better rates and financial products.
That’s an excellent recommendation Peter. Credit unions offer those arrangements, and they’re an excellent way to either build a credit score (for a new borrower) or to improve on existing credit. Basically, you borrow $500 or $1,000, which is put into a checking or savings account. Loan payments are then automatically deducted from the account to pay the scheduled payments. It enables you to make on time loan payments without making any effort.
You do have to deposit some extra money into the account to cover interest on the loan, but it isn’t much.
question, is it good to put your paycheck on your card and pay your bills that way? want to know how this will reflect on you?
Sounds complicated Gwen, but I have heard of it. I don’t see how it would improve your credit score though.
I have a credit score roughly at 530 and I want to get a secured card but I have things on my report that I don’t have money to pay them right now, by getting a secured card will that raise my score any before I start paying the items on my report
Hi Jana – Is the company behind the secured card requiring you to payoff items on your credit report? If not, go ahead and get the card, then work on paying off the open items later, when you have the money available.
How fair is it your credit score drops 100+ points after an inquiry? If I’m trying to rebuild my credit, why does an inquiry or anything of that nature is allowed to drop your credit score? Things like this make me not want to deal with credit.
Hi Rachel – It’s EXTREMELY unlikely that the inquiry dropped your score by 100 points, as they aren’t that major a factor. There’s probably something else on your report that changed that’s pulling it down that low. 100 points is usually the result of something major, like a bankruptcy or a series of late payments. Check your report closely, and see where there might be a problem.
Hmm okk, It was credit karma that alerted me about that and it was the only inquiry that shown recently on my report. 🙁 Thank You for the information Jeff.
I have a 90 day late payment on my student loans. It wasn’t a mistake in reporting and just a long story short, I wasn’t aware of the effects it would have on my credit score. Now, I am looking to improve my credit score but not even able to get approved for a secured credit card! How long until I see some kind of improvement in my score without a secured credit card? All other bills are paid on time and current.
I recently got my credit score checked and ever since I have been stressed out. My score is 479. I didn’t understand credit entirely when I got my first few cards. I failed to make payments on time, I closed two cards out shortly after opening them, and my third card was sent to collections. I’m trying to rebuild my credit. I just don’t know where to start. I currently only have a balance on one of my cards, but that card has been closed on me. How am I supposed to improve my credit if I no longer have a cards and such a low score that won’t get me approved for another card?
Pay the collections off first or they will probably harass you til you do. Then get a secured credit card. Open Sky CC is a good credit card to get, they say they don’t check your credit score so every one is approved, which is also one less hard pull on your report. The annual fee is only 29$ as well. After you get a secured card only use it for tiny purchases and only allow it to report less than 10% of its limit to the credit bureaus. Also if you know anyone in your family that has good credit you can talk to them about adding you as an authorized user solely based on the benefits of credit, not being able to spend their money.
I have a credit card but I am behind on the payments, would it help to pay it completely off or just to start back making payments before it is too late.
I’ve been reading one review after another on raising credit scores. And each of them have confidently stated that the BEST utilization of the credit limit had been between 10%-30%-50% and now I see 75% here. Is there a definitive statement from, say, Equifax or someone to say that it’s 75%? Forbes said 10% is best, even venturing up to 30% is fine. I read 50% on some comments on another post, elsewhere.
If you’re paying your balance in full every month like he was, multiple times so I see, his utilization was probably reporting at much less than 75%. All reputable sources say to stay at or below 30%.
Doing can be “tricky” also. You must be informed on the date your credit card statement closes. The balance at this time will be what is reported to the bureaus. So even if you pay the balance in full every month (or better yet, multiple payoffs during the billing period), if there is a balance at the close of the statement this will impact your rate of utilization. Bottomline: learn as much as you can about when the billing period begins and ends regardless of the due date!
DO NOT LISTEN TO THIS GUY!!!! DO NOT RUN UP YOUR UTILIZATION RATE!!!! I WORK AT A BANK AND THAT’S THE ONE OF THE FASTEST WAYS TO RUIN YOUR CREDIT!!!! KEEP YOUR BALANCES LOW!!!!!!
If I have debt (total of $1000) and I get a secured card before j pay thisnoff, will the secured card help my credit? Or do I need to pay off my debt first before my score will increase?
Quick question if I may – ( to assure I understand ) If your credit card is $500 you should spend rougly $200 on it monthly and pay it down to zero each time?!
Thank you!
I have a personal question. My teenage son has had a lot of personal problems, dropped out of college, and lost all his financial aid and is even uneligible for a federal student loan (just some background). He has a bill at school and was turned over to a collection agency. How will this affect his credit? He has not needed a credit rating yet – as he had a full ride to school and paid cash for his truck. He will be 20 soon. Thank you for the advice.
Chris: He should pay off the bill in collections asap. It will be on his credit report for the next 5-7 yrs, depending what state he lives in. Anything in collections will bring your credit down, but my understanding is if he pays it off he can ask the collection agency to take it off his credit report (there’s 3 – experian, transunion, and equifax). They may not take it off though.
Thank you. He is unable to pay it at this time. However, we have discovered he never got a bill with a due date and on his online statement at the college, he has no payments due until November 2013. So hopefully, he can set up a payment plan by then (or have it paid off) and it can be taken off his record then, b/c it looks like it was a mistake with the college.
No need to even do that. EVEN if you pay them, they wont take it off their credit.
you can use the Fair Credit Reporting act, and invalidate anything in collections. just use an attorney or go through Camden Loan Services – they do a great job with that.
Nestor Russell – Loan Officer russell.nestor@gmail.com
The collection agency will take it off your report. They took it off of mine. You can also write a pay for delete letter.
Can you share with me the pay for delete letter. I have several paid off collection accounts that I would love to have deleted. Not sure how likely that is since I already paid them to 0.
Hi Marilyn – There’s no standard letter. In fact, standard letters are not recommended because “form letters” are often ignored by creditors. Better to write a custom letter that addresses the specifics of the collection paid. Stay with a simple basic format, such as “Collection X was paid off on XX/XX/XXX, enclosed is the documentation to support the payoff, please reflect the paid collection in your records and with the credit bureaus.” Anything close to that should get the job done.
The ways that I avoid creditor harassment is to pay my bills one month ahead of time so they won’t be calling my phone every five minutes.