financial independence

You can run, but you can't hide. Your credit follows you everywhere you go. Whether you move, you change jobs, or stop buying - your credit history will be used to evaluate you for a new credit card or loan.

The main credit reporting agencies
are Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian. They all use the same formula
to calculate your score, but each one bases the calculation on slightly
different information about your credit history. Hence, your score from
each agency is a bit different

If your credit score falls below 720, you are ranked with fair or poor credit. Whatever the case, you won't qualify for the best rates on the market. But wait... these 5 steps will help you achieve a higher credit score:

1. Check your scores regularly from all three agencies.
   You can actually get your credit score for free online, and be informed of any changes in your files.
2. Correct any errors in your credit report - your current mailing address, glitches
   indicating you missed payments that you actually made, or erroneous
   charges attributed to you that you never actually made.
3. Third, make sure you are paying all of your bills on time. (VERY important)
4. Fourth, you can actually improve your credit score by opening new
   credit cards or store accounts. While this may sound like financial
   suicide for someone who already has a bad credit,
   having more credit extended to you actually improves something called
   your credit-to-debt ratio. In other words, the more credit you have,
   the better.
5. The fifth way to raise your score is to transfer all of your existing
   credit card balances to your lowest-interest cards. Consolidate your debt. This could save you
   $100s per month in lower debt payments, which will help you pay down
   your existing debt faster and thereby help raise your credit score.

These 5 steps could be the smartest financial moves
you make. Improving your credit
score now, and enjoy the long-term benefits of lower debt payments and
the ability to qualify for more types of lower-interest loans.