• Start small. Apply for credit with a local business, such as a department store or a local bank. Local merchants may have lower credit standards than larger lenders.
  
• Before you apply for credit, make sure the credit grantor reports credit history information to one of the major U.S. credit bureaus so you can build your history.
  
• If you are having difficulty opening a credit account, try asking a friend or family member to cosign your loan or credit card application. You can also apply for a secured card, which is guaranteed by a deposit you make with the card issuer.
  
• Make your payments on time and try not to owe more than 75% of your balance at any time.
  
• Consider closing unused credit accounts. Too much available credit can hurt your credit rating because lenders see the potential for you to fill those cards with purchases.

Actively Monitor and Manage Your Credit
Studies have shown that many credit reports contain inaccuracies, usually caused by innocent errors, but occasionally by fraud (such as identity fraud, in which a thief uses your name to open credit accounts). It’s important to regularly check you credit report for inaccuracies and promptly dispute them so that lenders are only making decisions based on your true credit history. Start by obtaining a copy of your credit report. You can get a free copy of your report simply by signing up for a free 30-day trial of the CreditCheck Monitoring Service.

Skip the "Credit Repair" Clinics
Although some consumers pay credit clinics thousands of dollars to "fix" their credit reports, only time can improve bad credit. The Federal Trade Commission has warned against paying these often-fraudulent "clinics” and reminds you that there is nothing a credit repair clinic can legally do to fix a credit report that you can't do yourself for free.

Consumer credit reports contain easy-to-follow instructions for disputing inaccurate information. Services like the CreditCheck Monitoring Service also give you access to helpful dispute tips and forms.

It’s important to remember that while inaccurate information on your report will be changed or deleted, accurate information that shows negative payment habits will usually remain on a credit report for seven years, with bankruptcies remaining up to 10 years. However, a change in spending habits companied with a strict adherence to the above guidelines is sure to help you establish, or rebuild good credit.

Want to make sure each change or addition to your credit report is accurate? Remember, the only way to do so is to regularly monitor your credit report…or have someone do it for you. That’s where services like the CreditCheck Monitoring Service come in handy. It not only pinpoints changes and additions to your credit report, but also offers you credit tools and tips for disputing inaccuracies and improving your credit situation. Sign up today and get your FREE credit report just for trying the FREE 30-day trial of this unique credit monitoring service!