Ways to Improve Your Credit Score

If you're in the market for a mortgage, a car loan, or looking to rent an apartment, it may be time to check your credit score.
A credit score is an ever changing three-digit number between 300 and 900. The higher your number, the more likely you are to be approved for a loan or to negotiate a preferred interest rate. If your credit score is low, you may pay higher rates or be denied credit based on the lender's criteria.
Your credit score is an important piece of financial information. It's used by lenders, insurers, and landlords to gauge your credit behaviour and determine if you're a good candidate for credit. If you've lost out on an apartment or been denied a loan recently, it may be your credit score that's holding you back.
But don't worry if your score is low, there are ways to improve it. Since your credit score is recalculated continuously to reflect your recent bill payments and debt levels, your score from a month ago is probably not the same score today. Here are seven ways to raise your credit score:
1. Check your credit score at BOTH credit reporting agencies. Your credit score can vary between Canada's two major credit reporting agencies, Equifax and TransUnion. Each agency uses different credit data as well as a slightly different credit scoring model to tally your number. If you're being denied credit, it may be that one agency is reporting differently. Checking your credit report and score at both agencies can also help you detect any fraudulent activity or possible instances of identity theft.
2. Report and correct any inaccuracies. Don't let your credit score suffer due to inaccurate information on your file. Be proactive and protect yourself by reviewing your credit files. If you find an inaccuracy, contact the creditor or the credit reporting agency to correct it immediately.
3. Pay all your bills on time. Lenders look for patterns and love to see a solid history of paying every bill on time. Any late credit card payments, collections, or bankruptcies can significantly lower your credit score -- so be punctual with each bill payment to raise your score.
4. Watch your debt. Don't run your credit balances close to your limit! Staying below half your available credit limit can help to improve your score sooner. For example, if you have a credit card with a $5,000 limit, try to keep the balance owed below $2,500.
5. Avoid applying for credit. When you apply for credit, a "hard query" may be made to your report by the lender to check your creditworthiness. Too many "hard queries" in a short period of time can lower your score, so stick to applying for credit only when you need it. Checking your own score won't lower your score since this is a "soft query". Applying for a lot of credit may be interpreted as a sign of financial difficulty, which can impact your score as well.
6. Give yourself some time. Time can improve your credit score, especially if you can establish a long history of paying bills on time and being responsible with credit. Negative factors such as bankruptcies, collections, or foreclosures drop off your report after a number of years, depending on your home province or territory.
7. Don't close old accounts. It may seem counterintuitive to us, but unused credit is a good thing in the eyes of a credit reporting agency and lowering the amount of money you can borrow relative to your debt can impact your score