Steps to BETTER CREDIT

1. Pay every bill on time. A late payment will instantly drag down your score. A few months history of consecutive timely payments, however, can help boost it. 


2. Pay down the cards that are maxed out first. You’ll get points deducted from your score any time you charge more than 50 percent of the limit on any kind of credit card. 


3. Do NOT cancel any credit cards. Counterintuitive, yes, but not when you consider that one-third of your score is based on how much of the credit available to you is being used. Cutting up credit cards will automatically decrease the amount of credit you have available, thus potentially lowering your score. Better to stick the cards in a drawer until your score is back on track. And remember, if the cards lay dormant for too long, then the creditor may cancel them which will also lower your score.