Having a good credit score opens many doors. People with good credit have a better chance of being approved for loans and credit cards. 

If you’re worried that your credit score is too low, just know there are ways to improve it. Take a look at some of the best ways of getting a higher credit score. 

Get a Credit Report

The first step to improving your credit score is to find out where you stand. 

A good place to get a free credit report is AnnualCreditReport.com

Paying On Time

Now that you know what your credit score is, the most important thing you can do is make payments on time. This is critical to improving your score, so be sure that you are not late on any future payments. 

Banks will always let their customers know when payments are due, so be sure to set reminders so you aren’t late in making payments. 

Connect with People Who Can Help

Sometimes it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. If a friend or family member has the means to lend you financial help, it may be worth looking into. 

You can ask them to become an authorized user on their credit card account. 

This means that you become part of their credit card history. If your friend or family member has good credit, it will also improve yours because you are an authorized user of their account. 

Self-Reporting Your Credit History

Those with limited credit card histories are able to self-report other financial histories to credit bureaus. 

It may seem complicated, but what you are simply doing is showing you were able to make payments on time with other bills, such as Gas or Electricity. 

By self-reporting these payments, you are giving credit bureaus a better idea of who you are as a consumer. This will give them a better impression of your financial standing and can lead to higher scores. 

Experian Boost is a good place to self-report for those who have a limited credit score history. 

Beware of Opening Too Many Accounts

Each time you apply for a new line of credit, an in-depth report will be done. 

This report has the potential to lower your score temporarily, so it’s important to only apply for a new account once you know that you are in good financial standing. 

Being denied on a credit card application stays on your record for a period of time, and you don’t want that. So it’s best to do the research yourself, instead of finding out by a credit bureau.