Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

I just very recently paid of all my credit card debt and I have been told to improve my credit I should get another credit card and pay on time (obviously) but I have been denied. Is there anyway I can improve my credit score without getting another credit card? and how long will it take for me to be approved for a credit card again? and how bad is my score if I wasnt approved for a credit card? :(

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

I agree with Amanda H. Do not cancel your existing credit cards!!!

Congratulations on paying off your debts. I%26#039;m sorry you were recently denied new credit, but don%26#039;t worry, if you%26#039;re responsible from now on it will bounce back. This actually doesn%26#039;t mean your credit is really bad, so don%26#039;t panic.

You are entitled to a free credit report anytime you are denied for credit, so take advantage of that, and see your reports. Your recent pay-off may not be reflected yet.

Make sure to keep your credit lines open. Your credit score is determined in part by a debt-to-credit ratio, and closing your accounts will lower your score further. There is no need to open new accounts, just maintain the ones you%26#039;ve got carefully (i.e, don%26#039;t get into debt again), and you%26#039;ll be fine.

**EDITED TO ADD:

Sorry to hear about the collections. They will hurt your score. However, there are cards that specialize in high-risk candidates:

http://www.0-apr-creditcards.com/bad-cre...

I would check your current credit report/score first. See what you%26#039;ve got to work with.

Also, there are such things as secured credit cards: you make a deposit, and that amount is your credit limit. (You%26#039;re borrowing your own money, essentially.) It%26#039;s not the best deal, but if you manage it responsibly, you will be able to upgrade to a regular card.

I%26#039;ve counseled clients who were recovering from bankruptcy, and credit cards were the best way to help rebuild credit.

But there is no substitute for responsible management of your money - that%26#039;s something you have to do for yourself.

Since you%26#039;ve paid off your debts, I think you%26#039;re on your way. Make sure you don%26#039;t get into trouble again, and good luck!

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

Do you have a cell phone? Purchase a plan from someone (Verizon, TMobile, etc) and put it under your name. I know you can do this with Verizon. You have to pay $100 upfront, but after three months of paying your bill on time you will receive the $100 back. It will take awhile, but it will improve your credit.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

What terrible, terrible advice you were given. Think about it---why are you worried about your credit score? So you can borrow more money. Why do you want to borrow money, and get yourself into debt and paying interest when it%26#039;s completely unecessary?

Our culture has become so addicted to credit that we%26#039;ve almost forgotten that it%26#039;s only been since the 1960%26#039;s that credit became popular.

Think of it this way: if you want to buy something that costs $1000, is it smarter to save up that $1000 in an interest bearing account for a few months, or is it smarter to use credit and pay the $1000 plus interest? And if you%26#039;re late, you may get charged late fees or even run the risk of having the item repossessed. Not smart.

If you are worried about your credit rating to buy a house--just about the only instance where it%26#039;s not completely stupid to use credit--if you have paid your rent on time in your current home consistently, paid your utilities on time and have saved up money for a nice, big down payment, chances are very good that you%26#039;ll be able to qualify for a home loan (assuming you have a reasonable income).

If you don%26#039;t use credit, you won%26#039;t have to worry about your credit score. Do yourself a huge, huge favor and consider this before digging yourself into debt like most Americans do. It%26#039;s not necessary, and you%26#039;ll be happier in the long run.

I%26#039;d like to suggest that you read some books by Dave Ramsey, or visit his website at www.daveramsey.com

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

You paid off all your credit cards right? Now cancel all of them except for one and make sure you pay it on time for 6 months. Building good credit takes time. Buy a house if you haven%26#039;t already will increase your credit score. Get a recent credit report and see if there is any outstanding creditors on it and call them. Go to your bank and apply for a credit card. Their most likely to give you one. Try a simple $1500 dollar person loan and then pay it of within 6 months. Good Luck and be patient. Good credit is earned not given to.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

The best thing you can do is go on-line and pay to get your full credit report. You can see what you%26#039;re dealing with. You probably have a pretty bad credit score, but if you have no more late payments again your score will quickly start going up.

It%26#039;s impossible to say what your score was that made you not get a card, but by law they had to offer you a copy of your credit report when they refused you credit.

It is not just a credit card that will help your credit, but any line of credit that you treat well. Like the other user said, a cell phone is one example. Others are getting a loan, renting an apartment, buy/leasing a car. Of course all of these things are hard to do with bad credit, kind of a catch 22.

Going forward, pay your bills on time and shoot for a credit score above 700.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

First of all, they should have provided a reason why you were denied credit. That is law.

Secondly, do NOT cancel your existing credit lines. Those add to your credit depth and credit history. You need both to maintain a solid credit score. Think of it this way. If you have 5 cards with zero balances that total $25,000, you have 100% available credit of $25,000. If you close all but one card, you%26#039;ll still have 100% available credit, but only for say $5,000. Which profile is stronger? The person with $25,000 available. And the clean history that accompanies those cards should not be thrown away either.

Just be patient and the scores will go up once the zero balances show up on your credit report...which should be within 30 days. Remember, you can get a free credit report from the company that denied you. Simply call them up and request it.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

Please read this carefully.

Anyone telling you to improve your credit by another credit card is a scam. Also, those ads on tv that tell you to check your credit score is another scam. They are wanting to know your personal information, which they immediately send to Transunion and the other people who score your credit rating. They pick up information that can be false or misleading. Then when you apply for credit, it goes against you if you are turned down. Pay your bills on time, look for a reputable credit card offer, don%26#039;t even apply for the first few offers and do not apply for one with high interest. You will get there, trust me.

I really hope I helped you.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

You DON%26quot;T NEED another credit card- it is even Bad for you. Each time you apply for new credit card , even when you try to apply- it takes your credit score away. I been there -I even put all necessary info for such people like us with credit problems - in web site. Check it- you%26#039;ll find allot good and help full information there www.mycreditadvise.com . But first af all you need to get your credit report - you can do it for free once a year from all 3 of them from this website https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/i... - it%26#039;s really FREEE

then you need to dispute all wrong information from your credit report. The best time to do this - end of November- and if you%26#039;ll be lucky- they gonna take off all wrong info before 31 of December. So Good luck to you and really look on my web- I know it will help you a lot.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

You should ask why you were denied credit.

* Pay your bills on time. Delinquent payments can have a major negative impact on your score and the longer you pay your bills on time, the better your score. For example, someone with an average credit rating of 707 can raise their score by as much as 20 points by paying all their bills on time for one month.

* Keep balances low on credit cards. High outstanding debt can affect your score. Maxing out your credit cards could lower your average score by as much as 70 points.

* Don%26#039;t open a number of new credit cards that you don%26#039;t need. New accounts will lower your average account age, which could actually lower your score by up to 10 points.

* Have credit cards - but manage them responsibly. In general, having credit cards and installment loans (and making timely payments) will raise your score. Someone with no credit cards, for example, tends to be higher risk than someone who has managed credit cards responsibly.

* Closing an account doesn%26#039;t make it go away. A closed account will still show up on your credit report and may be factored into the score.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

Wow. Sometimes people on here answer questions to which they do not actually know the answer.

1) Cell phones DO NOT show on your credit. YES, they run your credit for approval... but thats just to know if they can trust you or not. Beyond that, it DOES NOT show on your report OR help your score.

2) CLOSING YOUR ACCOUNTS IS A TERRIBLE IDEA!! You need multiple accounts to be %26#039;good%26#039; every month in order to positively affect your score. How many cards to you have? 2-3 would be good. Keep the balances low (under 40% of the limit) and keep them open. The longer you do this,the better.. Your score WILL GO UP just by keeping your cards open and good.

3). Dispute all bad payment history and collections, even if they are valid. Seems silly, but it works sometimes even if its valid...and your score CAN go up.

4) Some credit cards are pickier than others. But if you already have a few, you really dont need another...so dont worry about opening a new one.

Any way to improve credit score w/out applying for a credit card??

Credit Score Explained

http://www.debt-loan-refinance-mortgage-...