I'm sure that like many people, the thought of looking at your credit may be a scary one but according to Happy Coach Keryl Pesce, "a funny thing happens when we face our fears. They actually diminish. When we avoid that which we fear, our fear multiplies. So get it out it out in the open. Get a good look at it so you know what you're dealing with." With this thought, know what your credit has on you!
I'm here to assure you that there is no reason to fear this subject, because no matter where you stand, whether you're towered by debt or you're simply stuck as to what to do next, there is always a way out of the rabbit hole.
First off, I want you to take a deep breath, and realize that all is NOT lost and you can come back from whatever you're going through. There is a bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Bills late in the past? Don't sweat it, look to your credits future.
Time has a habit of healing all wounds and yes that includes your credit. Just like a cut, time can heal your credit into a manageable state, There is a light at the end of the tunnel and it can be reached, but you have to get up and put one foot in front of the other and realize that if you don't make a change then something is going to have to give and you don't want that, trust me.
There is a small list of things I know to be KEY in controlling your bad credit. This will to help discourage the confusion that often will take us by the hand and tell us that there is nothing we can do. However, we now know after this short amount of time that you've been reading this article that you don't have to keeping holding confusions' hand. After all, Keryl Pesce says "if confusion and doubt cause us stress and unhappiness, then clarity and confidence de-stress us and make us happy". How do you gain this confidence and clarity (and of course, happiness) when we're tired of being slapped with late payments, high-interest credit cards and kinda-sorta-maybe-pretty-crappy credit? By gaining clarity on exactly what the monster under your bed looks like and rather than hiding under the covers until daylight, create a plan to get it out from under your bed, and make it go away once and for all.
#1.Know what your credit has in store for you!
What exactly does the credit hiding under your bed look like? First we need to find out what your credit report and score look like. While most companies like to over exhaust your brain on the gritty numbers all coming at you at once, just keep in mind finding your credit score and credit report "while vital" is not as scary as they make it out to be and can equip you with all the tools you will need to drag that credit monster out from under your bed and into light. You can get more information on getting your credit scores and reports on BCSC.
#2 Late payments on your credit report? Put together a simple Due date schedule.
Now lets take out our your statements and know your due dates. You want to make sure moving forward you pay on time your credit cards, Mortgages, Auto Loans, Utility bills, basically all of your monthly bills on time. You can do this the old fashion way with marking your calendar or set it up on auto pay. However it works in your life style, the goal is to make it simple and make sure all payments are paid on time.
#3 Credit cards maxed out? Set a simple goal to lower those balances
Now for a slightly different matter, the balances on your maxed out credit cards. This often seems like one of the hardest parts but remember don't get scared, stay happy :) . Because there's a simple solution to this as well, create a simple goal to lower those balances. Now I'm sure your thinking, "But I don't think I have enough left after I pay my monthly minimum payments", well stop thinking that and do the math. Get out that calculator and add it up, if you add in what you would usually spend on "wants" like going out to eat at restaurants or fast food places or even buying those pair of shoes that you just HAAAD to have, there will be more than enough to set aside to start building a goal in paying off those overstuffed credit cards, because those 10's and 20's and 35's add up a lot faster than you might think.
So don't get scared about your credit score or report.
Don't let fear keep you from doing what you need to do to stay happy about your credit. There is always someone who can help, someone who can offer some sort of solution. Ultimately its up to you to follow through and stop fearing the credit under your bed....and look at how much room you have under there now, you could fit in another pair of shoes ;)
