improve my credit score

I should have had any late payments now in a long time. I hope my credit report starts to reflect that.

Plus I got a new credit card raising my available credit by quite a lot.

I have mastercard and visa, I want discover and amex. Just have to apply. My goal is no debt on any of the 4 major credit cards, and gold card or better for all of them.

I hope after 2 years my credit moves from about 680 to 700+ ... and to a good credit rating.

According to freecreditreport.com my credit rating has improved from “poor” to “fair”. This is probably the first time its been above poor in 13 years! Nex level ratings are “good” and finally, “excellent”. Right now my credit is above 35% of Americans. My goal is for it to be above 90% of Americans.

Also, the 1st third of my student loans should be paid off by my employer pretty soon. I got a confirming email to that effect. (Within 1-2 months it should be 1/3 paid off).

I got paid, so I can pay off my last non-student loan debt. Student loans should be paid off by my job incrementally in 3 years.

I have a lousy 574 credit score. I paid off almost all my non-student loan debt, and my employer will pay off my 65,000 in student loans in 3 years.
But I did put new debt back on this new employer-based credit card, which I plan to pay off by July 4th (as well as the rest of my non-student loan debt. So I’m most of the way there, but by July 4th, only student loan debt should be left, and that paid off in 3 years.
I wonder how long it will take for me to get to a 700 credit score. My goal is by January 1st, 2009.

I plan to order my credit score very soon through freecreditreport.com. I plan to do it shortly after April 1st, the next time I get paid. It will help me formulate a plan of action on my way to achieving excellent credit.

Well, my entire remittance got spent on other stuff: mostly back rent and expenses that my girlfriend had lent to me. I am determined to use my next remittance to clean up my credit.

Yuck. I have so many things going for me, but my god-awful extremely bad credit history is the worst-managed area of my life.

Please, help! I consider myself a smart person … how can I be screwing this up so bad?!

In a week I should get my student loan remittance for the semester, which I can then use to pay off all my credit card debt (since my expenses will be low). Then it will just be a matter of time taking its course and not slipping up with new debts in the future.

I’ll pay for one of those credit alert programs, monthly credit report, etc.

I’m bummed that no one ever gave comments for my last post. 43things.com doesn’t seem to be living up to its hype so far.

I read most of the recent entries of people in this category. Good lord, one person has above a 700 credit score??? Will you marry me? Maybe we can buy a house together. :)

I know my credit score must be very bad, because I have basically not paid all sorts of bills for years, since early in college and now I’m half way through law school. I need to get this fixed so I can buy a house, etc. after graduation and not pay crazy interest rates. Plus the bar may care about the state of my credit before they let me pass. Fortunately, I’ve never gone bankrupt or defaulted on an enormous, house or small business loan sized debt. Then again, I’ve never borrowed money of that size besides my student loans.

My first step is to order my credit. I tried getting my annual free report today on-line, but they ask all these tricky questions about yourself that I don’t remember such as house numbers of places I’ve lived years ago. I think one of the 3 bureaus will mail me my score.

But, I may sign up for one of the pay programs through the bigg credit agencies anyway to monitor my score.

I’m sure my score is poor now, but i need confirmation, and to make a plan to pay everything off. The money is coming in to pay off my debts, but I’ve not been managing my money well enough to do so, and at times I’ve been spending like a drunken sailor.

I need lots of advice and support on this, it’s my single weakest area: managing my finances and in particular my credit score.

Since everyone in this thread seems to be doing better than me, your advice is very welcome.