Spring is such a wonderful time of year! The weather warms up, flowers start to bloom, and farmers markets are suddenly everywhere. All these pleasant changes inspire many to conduct "spring cleaning," a ritual of purging the house of all the little knick knacks that were held on to since the previous year. While it is tiring, many look forward to having a clean, decluttered house once they're finished, and use that image as motivation. Why not do the same for your credit?
Spring Cleaning Your Credit
Follow these simple steps and you'll be on your way to great credit!
1.Request your credit report from the three major agencies--EquiFax, Experian, and TransUnion-- https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action and look them over to make sure there aren't any mistakes. It's best to do this soon after the holiday spending season, so there's no better time than the present!
2.Revisit the budget you created when you made your financial New Years resolutions. Didn't make one? Now's the time! Make a plan for how you're going to spend your money this year, from necessities to spontaneous "fun money." You'll be surprised how far a little planning can get you when you're trying to save.
3.Take a look at any debt you owe. Do you have a plan to repay it? Are you behind on any bills? Address problems sooner rather than later.
4.Do you have any savings goals? Make a plan and set a date to have the money you need for the things you want! Remember, the only difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline.
5.Tally up the rewards on your cards, and check for expiration dates! Many cards have a time limit on their bonuses, so make sure you don't miss out.
6.Do you want to monitor your credit report or know your credit score? You can go to http://bestcreditscorecompanys.com/ and look at several options.
7.Throw stuff out. Literally! If you disputed items on your credit report and you received a new updated report, time to shred the old. You only need to keep the most recent report which will have all of your newly corrected items. As they say, "Out with the old, in with the new. "
