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There’s still time before the end of the year.
2022 is almost upon us and boy, if 2020 felt like an absolute void of a year, 2021 wasn’t much better. Even so, keep your chin up and spirits high, and good things are bound to come your way sooner or later. That said, it certainly wouldn’t hurt to take a few measures to load the dice in your favor and help those good things come out a little faster. For example, have you checked your credit score lately?
Having a good credit score is always important, but it’s especially important as we head into a new year. New bills come out, services need to be renewed, and of course there’s the eternal black hole that is tax season. Having good credit will make it much easier to stay on top of your financial obligations as they come at you, especially if you’re planning on making any big moves like buying a home or getting a new job. If your credit isn’t fantastic right now, though, there is still a little time to get a small bump here and there.
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The key to good credit is proper management of one’s credit cards. If you have any credit card debt right now, that’s definitely not doing you any favors, so if you have the means to do so, you should make a big payment toward that debt. If you don’t have any credit card debt or you know you can pay it off promptly, then maybe you’re ready for the next level of responsibility: raised limits. You can request a credit limit raise with your bank, and if you remain in good standing with a higher limit, your credit ratio will reflect even better on your score.
If you have a free weekend, it also wouldn’t hurt to give your credit reports a once-over. If you happen to find any errors in the report, you can notify your bank and ask for a correction. Not only is this a good way to maintain your standing, it’s also a smart move to prevent fraud in your name, and nothing wrecks your credit score like fraud.
