repair my credit rating

I’m so happy – I checked my FICO score and it’s better than I expected it to be…it can still use improvement, but I’m not nearly as concerned now. I’m going to continue to pay my bills on time, and I’m sure this will improve things. Looking for a higher paying job (and quitting the low-pay nonprofit world for good) can’t hurt either. Once I get a new job I’d like to set up automatic debits for certain creditors.

Untill last Jun, I was in good shape financially and with my credit rating. I retired from the Navy after 21 years and since then, I have been looking for work. As a consequence, I have been living off my pension and what my wife could pull in. However, that was not getting it done. Now, with three credit cards maxed, and plenty of people asking for money owed, and rightfully so, I am at my wits end.
I finally was offered a job with the Gov’t, which pays well and will be able to pay off my debts this year, however I am so concerned about how long it will take to get my credit score back into the 700’s. Retirement is not all that! Anyway, my goal is to get this done in short order.

Just got my secured credit card in the mail today. All I have to say is hallelujah. It’s nice to know there are some companies willing to help you get back on your feet without waiting 7 years for your credit report to improve. And yes, I’m fully aware that these secured credit cards are meant to be temporary. But at least I can begin building back my credit.

Just applied for a secured credit card today with one of the banks listed on bankrate.com. I can live with an annual fee if I can just get the numbers up. I believe this is a critical step – there aren’t too many other things capable of increasing your score outside of paying your bills on time.

I’ve heard that there are companies that will report your monthly rent payments to the 3 credit bureaus. And if you pay your rent on time, this could certainly help as well.

My next plan of attack is to send letters to each of the bureaus disputing select items on my report. If the bureau is unable to verify certain items within 30 days, they are obligated by law to remove the disputed item.