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Having bad credit today doesn't doom you to have bad credit forever. It just means you've got a little work to do in order to see your credit score rise. By taking control of your finances and making smart moves, better credit can be in your future.
Luckily, there are new tools that can help you build better credit. Some could even help you improve your credit score today. We've rounded up some of our favorite ideas for anyone who is ready for better credit.
Ask this company to pay off your credit card debt
If you have a lot of debt, getting out of it can feel stressful (and nearly impossible). Here’s the problem: the longer you put off tackling it, the harder it gets to fix. If you don’t take control of it early on, it can add undue stress to your life for years. But what if there was a way to get out of debt once and for all?
National Debt Relief could help. If you have more than $10,000 in debt from credit cards, medical bills, collections, or personal loans, their representatives might be able to assist you in consolidating your debt into one low monthly program payment.
Best of all? There are zero fees until your debt is resolved, and you could be debt-free in 24-48 months. To get started, just answer a few simple questions. It only takes 30 seconds to see if you qualify!1
Build credit while shopping with this debit card (no bank switching required)
Having poor credit is hard — especially if you’re trying to apply for a credit card, car loan, or mortgage. Even if approved, you’re likely to pay thousands more in interest due to higher rates.
Luckily there’s a solution to help build your credit without hardly any extra effort and no credit check. With the Extra Debit Card, transform your everyday purchases into credit-building opportunities. Here’s how it works:
- Choose your plan (credit build only or option to also earn reward points for every swipe). Plans start at $20/month — around $0.60/day.
- Connect your bank account so you can keep your money where you want. 👉 Important: link your primary checking account and ensure you have the funds to cover plan costs.
- Use your Extra Debit Card for purchases you’re making anyway. Extra will spot the funds (up to your spending limit) and automatically pay themselves back the next business day.
- Every transaction you make and pay back is reported to the credit bureaus as credit-worthy payments — that’s it!
There’s no credit check, no interest, and no hidden fees. Compatible with over 10,000 banks, you could start your journey to better credit for less than $1/day.
Start improving your credit history with this new card
The Secured Chime Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card lets you build credit with everyday purchases and on-time payments. And it works even if you don’t have any credit history or you have bad credit history.2
Just apply for Chime Credit Builder and move your direct deposit bank account to your Credit Builder secured account. Then, add money and spend with it like normal.2
Unsure if Chime Credit Builder actually works? Most users see an average FICO® Score increase of 30 points.3 The card has no interest, no annual fee, no credit check to apply, and no minimum security deposit.4
Discover the credit builder card that can go toe-to-toe with — a high-yield savings account?!?
The Current Build Card is the only credit-builder card that can go toe-to-toe with a high-yield savings account.5
You heard that right! You can unlock a rare APY of up to 4.00% (as of 06/27/24)6 on your savings. This is way higher than the national average for savings accounts of 0.45% (as of 7/22/24) APY.
With no credit check to apply, minimum deposit, or annual fee7, this card helps you do exactly as it says: build.8 This card virtually allows you to skip steps in wealth building. Here’s what we mean:
- Build credit without paying an annual fee with every swipe.
- Earn points on your purchases without using a credit card.9 Earn up to 7X points per dollar spent at over 14,000 participating merchants.
- Collect up to a rare APY of 4.00% (as of 06/27/24) on your savings with Savings Pods. Create up to three pods for whatever you’re saving for.
Throw in the Current feature to get your paycheck up to two days faster with direct deposit and this card becomes simply irresistible.10
See if your credit score is wrong
You could try to fix it yourself, but the process can be time-consuming, and it’s not always easy to know where to start.
Credit Saint could help. They offer a free credit consultation to help you understand your score and get your financial life on the mend. They’ll dive deep into your credit history, fighting damages you disagree with.
If you decide to sign up for their service, they’ll press the creditors who put them there to correct those inaccuracies. Their most popular service, the “clean slate,” offers unlimited challenges to the 3 credit bureaus for $119.99 per month.
They’ll even help you create a plan to build positive credit, hopefully unlocking more financial opportunities for you in as little as 45 days.
If not, Credit Saint offers a 90-day money back guarantee — meaning you could get a full refund if nothing is changed in your credit report.
Get your free credit consultation
Access up to $750 of your paycheck before payday to help avoid late payments (no credit check required)
Harsh reality: A single late payment could lower your FICO® score by as much as 37 points or more.11And it could stay on your credit report for up to seven years.
But there is a way to access money in between paychecks to pay your bills on time.
With the EarnIn app12you can access up to $100 per day of your paycheck and up to $750 per pay period — and EarnIn won’t charge you any interest fees.13
Yes, you read that correctly — there’s no interest on a standard Cash Out. You just pay what you think is fair for EarnIn’s services by tipping what you’d like — even $0.
This could be a game-changer for you. You could finally have a shield against late-payment credit dings without the huge cost!
The best news? There is no credit check, no interest, no late fees — ever.
How to get started:
- Visit EarnIn and create an account.
- Link your bank and employment info.
- EarnIn will verify your paycheck and you’re all set!
BONUS: Get the one budgeting app that truly does it all
Ever look at your bank account and wonder where your paycheck went? *Poof,* it's gone … and you have NO idea how you spent it all so quickly.
A budgeting app like Rocket Money could end this problem for you.
Now, some insider info: They *do* have a free version of the app ... but the real money-saving power is found in their premium subscription.
Select a premium subscription when you sign up, and you’ll unlock features that actually save you the most money possible. Like their “Cancellation Concierge,” which helps to cancel subscriptions for you. (It’s pay-what-you-want for premium, too — as little as $4 a month!)
With your premium subscription, you’ll also be able to create unlimited budgets, see your full credit report, and get automatic “smart savings” that help you grow your savings on autopilot.