How can I repair my credit?

I ruined my credit in college and as a result I have about $10,000 in debt. Most of the accounts are in collections, charge offs, or past due. The only thing positive on the report are my student loans and my car loan. I have heard of disputing the reports, but I also want to find a credit repair firm that will allow me to make payment arrangements. I want to improve my credit rating so that I can purchase a home in a few years, get approved for more credit cards and also get a new car.

Public Comments

1. Talk to the collections agencies and see if they will work something out with you. They will normally be happy to help as long as they still get thier money back. Keep making regular payments on it and it will help bring your credit back up.
2. Pay off all your debts on time. Get paperwork from those who you pay off " showing" you free and clear, reason being is that there are Collection agencies that will " sell" your account to another agency and if you have No paperwork proving you paid off that debt, you could be asked to pay for the same items again especially if the former agency has gone belly-up. Build a Credit history by paying off your bills on " time". No late fees, you show you someone they can believe in." Credit Repair" outfits are out to make a Buck, ultimately its up to You to make a start afresh. All the best.
3. If you can afford to make little payments at this point, contact them yourself. They will be much appreciated for your effort to clear your debt to them. But if you really cannot afford it, wait 10 years and it will be completely off your report. If you have plans on buying in the future that will require credit scores. You will still be able to obtain one, as long as you can prove that you have been working for 2 years and had no acquired debt in that period and that you are making payments timely. There are always a way, especially for people like you that want's to make things better for themselves. So from now on, try to put a little here and there to save and try paying evething in cash if you can or use your credit card as little as possible so it s easier to pay off the balance at the end of the month. Good Luck
4. To Repair credit score Your credit score is based mostly on: 1. Length of credit history 2. Payment history. 3. Ratio of credit used to available credit. 4. Number of credit inquiries you authorized. If you cancel your card, you'll be hurting your credit ratio. (#3). You want to deliberately keep your oldest credit card open, even if you never use it. You want to always pay the minimums of each loan on time every month. You want to keep your available credit high, but actually only have balances equalinig 25% or less. You want to keep your credit inquiries to a minimum. Try for no more than 3 or 4 per year for any type of loans. You do these things and your credit score will quickly soar into the 700s. ------------------------------------------------- http://www.bestcreditrates.net
5. The best thing to do is talk to the companies and work out a payment plan...and pay your bills on time. It takes time, but if you have a pretty good job you should be able to repair your credit in a year or so. Also a lot of companies say they want to repair your credit but they really don't.
6. You can dispute items on your credit report online. If you go to equifax or experian or transunions websites you will find links to it. You can dispute anything or everything on your report. The company has 30 days to prove that you incurred the debt, if they do not respond it will be wiped from all 3 reports. Also, collection agents get a fee to collect your debt, you can try calling the credit cards directly to payoff and eliminate that fee. You must be persistent with them, lazy employees will shove you back over to the collection agency, ask for their supervisor. Also be sure to write down the first AND last name of everyone you speak too, incase you get "disconnected". Good luck!!
7. It's super easy and it can be done in 30 days. You simply do a credit dispute to fix the negatives. There is a link to an article below that will show you how to do it step by step. Also, I am putting another link on how to deal with creditors, and another that tells you quick fixes to strengthen your score quickly. All three will help you get back on the right track fast. Hope this helps.
8. Students are increasingly worried about credit repair and credit scores - and for good reason. Student debts are rising and the numbers of students who leave school with ruined credit scores is rising as well. Many experts blame larger credit card debts and rising tuition costs (that lead to larger student loans). Despite the pressures of today's student life, it is possible for college student to leave school financially sound and in fact to develop good financial habits that can lead to a lifetime of financial success. By following the free credit repair advice in this article, college students can learn tips that can make the college years a credit-booster instead of a credit disaster: Free Credit Repair Advice Tip #1: If you are a student (and especially a student with student loans), budget carefully. Student loans need to be paid back and are more and more often for large amounts. Sticking to a budget can help you to establish good credit habits that can help ensure that you have a good credit score when you leave university. Free Credit Repair Advice #2: If you can, never default on a student loan. Read more from: http://www.credit-card-gallery.com/article/133,Student_Credit_Repair_4_Proven_Ways_Students_Can_Boost_Their_Credit_And_Avert_Credit_Disaster
9. WTF? When has debt ever been a blessing? You want more of this? STOP IT. Listen to this. Scroll down and click "Listen to Dave". JUST LISTEN. http://www.daveramsey.com/tdrs/index.cfm/2007/9/17/Getting-rich This one audio clip of his CHANGED MY LIFE when I heard it. Listen to this man for free, on the radio or online. This is like getting financial wisdom from Bill Gates except this guy has a national radio show.
10. You can do it, because I repaired mine. I took a score of 465 and improved it to 678 so that we could buy our home. It took us about two years to do it. You need to start with a 3 in 1 credit report so that you know where all of your debt is. Then you'll need to start contacting you accounts so that you can make arrangements. Also you can dispute any account that you feel is inaccurate. Listen, I have a web link that can help you repair your credit. The link is located on my yahoo answers profile... Also, a good resource is... http://debt.123thebest.info/credit_card.html Good Luck.