Poor borrowing history has far-reaching consequences. Aside from lenders, it is used by employers, insurers, and landlords. If the total needs a boost, this usually takes months. But what if you want to improve your credit score in 30 days — for example, to apply for a mortgage? This task is challenging but feasible.
The official FICO range is from 350 to 850. You need at least 800 for exceptional, 740 for very good, and 670 for a good total score. Fair credit is between 580 and 669, and anything less is poor. Begin by setting your target. If you need to qualify for a particular loan, check the lender’s requirements.
The total may be checked in apps like Credit Karma. If you have only 30 days to boost your credit score, it may even be raised by 100 points, depending on your situation. You can tweak the limits and balances, apply for new loans or delete mistakes if the reports are inaccurate. Here is how to increase a credit score quickly.
What Affects Your Credit Score?
Most lenders use the FICO or the VantageScore system for evaluation. Both fluctuate based on how often lenders report their clients’ activity and to which bureaus. Gaining or losing several points is negligible. Large changes must be acted upon.
To find the fastest way to increase a credit score, understand how the total is calculated. Compare the components of FICO and VantageScore totals (in descending order of importance). As you can see, payment history and how much you owe are essential points.
| Influence | FICO | VantageScore |
| Extreme | History of payments (35%) | Overall use, available credit, and balance |
| High | Amount of debt (30%) | Credit mix and experience |
| Moderate | Age of history (15%) | Payment history |
| Low | Credit mix (10%) | Age of history |
| Low | New accounts (10%) | New accounts |
If you have only 30 days to fix the score, focus on the most consequential factors. Follow the tips below and act fast. The quickest way to fix a credit score is by changing your limits or balances on revolving credit.
5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score Instantly
So, how to improve your credit score? If you need a boost to qualify for a specific loan, determine how many points are necessary. Requirements vary. For instance, for loans insured by the government, the threshold is lower. Here are the five quickest methods to help you fix your credit in 30 days.
1. Change Your Credit Utilization Ratio
Forms of revolving credit (i.e., credit cards) can provide a quick boost if you bring down this indicator. It is the result of dividing the sum of balances by the sum of limits. Higher utilization translates into lower FICO scores. This is why maxing out your cards is a terrible idea. So, how to improve a credit score in 30 days?
Experian recommends keeping the combined ratio below 30%, but some experts insist on less. For example, if the limit is $1,000, you may spend no more than $300. For two cards with a combined credit limit of $3,000, the total balance should not go over $1,000. It is the percentage, not the dollar amount, that matters.
You may also raise a credit score fast by increasing the size of available funds. Request a limit increase: if the bank agrees, the percentage will also tilt in your favor. For instance, for someone with a $500 balance, the difference between $1,000 and $2,000 is drastic. As the limit rises, the rate falls from 50% to 25%.
On the downside, the issuer will access your credit history, leaving a hard inquiry on the report. This brings the total down temporarily, but only by a few points. Generally, it is an effective method of repairing credit fast (unless your reports have derogatories like late payments).
2. Apply for a New Credit Card
This is another way to lower utilization. You get more accessible funds, which can raise a credit score instantly. However, cards are not created equal.
Some issuers allow you to check if you prequalify for their cards. Approval is not guaranteed, but its probability is still higher. At the moment, this service is offered by American Express, Capital One, Chase, and Discover. Alternatively, choose the most accessible type based on your current status.
Is your FICO score 669 or less? You need a tool to rebuild your borrowing history, so a secured card is the right choice. To get it, you need to make a deposit that equals the limit. This way, the issuer is protected if you fail to pay the debt, which is why these cards are the most accessible.
Is your score good? You can fix the score on your own for free by requesting a card with an intro APR period. It allows you to pay 0% interest over a fixed period of time (e.g., the first 12 months). Alternatively, apply for a card with a system of rewards.
3. Use a Loan to Pay off Card Debt
How will this help to improve credit score in 30 days? First, a personal loan from a bank, credit union, or online lender can be used to eliminate credit card debt. Secondly, using different types of borrowing is also good for the score. A wider mix with installment loans shows that you can manage various financial instruments. This constitutes up to 10% of the score.
Finally, if you are charged high interest for credit card transactions, a personal loan is a great alternative. You will have a fixed size of monthly payment over a definite period. As this form is not revolving, it is not included in the utilization rate.
There are downsides, too. Not every lender will approve your application, let alone do it quickly. If your goal is to increase a credit score in 30 days, time is of the essence. Extra charges may also apply — for instance, the initial origination fee. Finally, the lender will leave a hard inquiry on your credit report, bringing the score down a notch (5-10 points). The positive effects of reducing credit utilization could be much greater.
4. Ask for Forgiveness
Sometimes, you may need to prevent deterioration. Have you missed the latest payment? The issuer could agree not to report it if you ask them politely. If this mistake is a one-time thing, it may be forgiven. The lender is not obliged to give you a pass, but you may get lucky once or twice.
Missing a payment is a big blunder. If the derogatory appears on your report, it will stay there for seven years! Call the lender and make the request. You may have 30 or 60 days only. You may send a ‘goodwill letter’ asking the lender to stop reporting it afterward. They may comply if you want.
Timely payments define 35% of the score in the FICO system. This is why paying debts on time is absolutely crucial. One missed billing cycle could pull the score in 30 days by as many as 110 points instantly!
5. Dispute Reported Derogatories
Sometimes, a credit report is flawed due to duplicates and false information. For instance, you may discover late payments, evictions, or judgments that never happened. If this is the case, professional repair is the best way to raise a credit score.
Go to www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free copy from each of the major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). By law, every US citizen is entitled to this once a year. Due to the pandemic, reports may be collected for free every week until April 20, 2022.
Mistakes are more common than you may think. The majority of complaints sent to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2020 (68%) concerned mistakes on reports. If you notice any inaccuracies, you may have them erased. Communicate with lenders and bureaus by yourself (if you have the expertise to do it) or hire a firm for improving your credit score in 30 days.
When you are pushed for time, professional credit repair services are your best bet. If your evidence is incomplete, the bureaus will request more proof, prolonging the process. How much and how soon your score improves depends on a number of factors.
First, errors differ in priority. Correcting a misspelled address is easy, but gets you nowhere. Deleting a late payment gives a substantial boost. The company collects evidence and sends formal letters on your behalf. To help with credit score, it may offer its customer a credit line with 0% APR — for example, this is true for The Credit Pros.
Use Experian Boost
The reporting agency allows you to include more information in your report to boost the total. The effect is modest (plus 8-12 points on average), but it may work in your case. The method is based on expanding the range of data included in the report. Use the company’s free web-based tool to add cell phone and utility payments. You can even use your Netflix subscription to fix the score!
The service was designed for individuals with poor totals or short histories. It can raise your credit score, but there is a catch: the data is only added to your Experian report, and it is not shared with other bureaus. As lenders may check different reports (i.e., TransUnion or Equifax), you may still fail to achieve the goal. This also explains why credit repair is so complex: you need to examine data from three agencies, as different records may contain different mistakes.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many strategies to raise a credit score quickly. Combine them if possible. Work with your current balances and limits. Meanwhile, let professional credit repair companies fix mistakes on your records. Why not add new data to your Experian report, too? Obviously, a bad FICO score is not a reason to despair.
