Your credit score is important to you if you will want to buy a car or home or even applying for a job, in many instances! Those with poor credit scores will end up paying more for consumer credit loans, mortgages and interest rates on credit cards. There are a number of fixes, though, that can help you turn your credit score around in fairly short order.

Current studies reveal that there are over 30 million people in the country right now with a FICO (Fair Isaac Credit Organization) score of under 620 and who have blemishes on their credit records severe enough to impair their ability to get a good or reasonable rate on a loan or credit cards. Even for those with decent credit scores, it can be a good idea to work to improve the score.

Currently, FICO credit scores range from 300 to 850. The higher your score the better your chances of obtaining the best interest rates and loan terms on most credit cards, mortgages or consumer loans. Before starting, obtain a free copy of your credit report. By law, the three major credit reporting bureaus must supply you -- upon request -- with a free copy of your report once a year. Annual Credit Report https://www.annualcreditreport.com is the only source for free credit reports. Authorized by federal law.

After you have your credit report in hand, go over it and work to get an idea of what your score is. You can get free credit reports with out hidden fees, just shop around. If it's low or even if you just want to raise it a bit more, the first thing you can do is begin paying down your credit cards. While paying on your installment loans such as those having to do with automobiles or homes will help, paying down or paying off the balances on your credit cards can help which more.

Try to work to get your credit balance is down below 30% of your available credit limits. To begin, look at those cards that are closest to being at their limit and then work to pay those down first. Next, try to use your credit cards less than you normally are used to. You can raise your score by limiting any charges on a particular card to less than 30% of a card's credit limit.

Also, keep a constant watch on your credit limits. It just may be the case that your lender may be showing a lower limit on the credit report than the one you actually have. If your limit is lower and your actual ceiling is higher it may be that you are showing a higher debt ratio on that card then really exists. You don't want to appear as if you are maxing out the limit each month on that card.

Never just let a credit card sit idly by forever, too. If you have a card that you use on only very rare occasions your score may be impacted for inactivity because the issuers will stop updating the credit report. Therefore, try to use a card -- no matter the smallness of the purchase -- at least every few months and then pay off that small purchase when the bill arrives.

The above are a few of the smart steps to take when it comes to improving your credit score and all are fairly easy to carry out. If observed, the chances of your score improving within a short amount of time increase markedly. Get with a Lionhood Financial Coach who can determine your current score and move you closer toward your goals!