Nowadays, many people are struggling with a bad or negative credit score. As you may already know, a credit score determines your creditworthiness among lenders, such as banks, for example.
The fact of the matter is that people ruin their credit score without even realizing it and if you don't check your credit history frequently, things can go form bad to worse in a blink of an eye.
In addition, people are usually better at budgeting in online games, for instance, than they are in real life. You may look for the cheapest WoW WotLK gold at an online marketplace and determine the best way to purchase certain items without going completely broke while you bills are left unpaid for months at a time.
Therefore, people just need to realize the severity of having a negative credit score in order to prevent it. With that in mind, here are a few negative effects of having a bad credit score.
What is a bad credit score?
A bad credit score is a score that is below the average credit score. According to the FICO score, everything in range of 600 and above is considered great while a credit score below 580 is considered bad. So, there's a fine line between good and bad credit score that can be managed easily unless you drop below 400 in which case you're in quite a lot of financial troubles and will need serious help and money management to get back up.
What can I do to prevent my credit score from getting too low?
There are a few things you can do to help prevent your credit score from getting too low:
- Pay your bills on time – This is one of the most important factors in determining your credit score. and avoiding additional debt through late fees
- Keep your credit card balances low – Your credit utilization ratio (the amount of debt you have compared to your credit limit) should be below 30%.
- Don't open new credit cards or close old ones – Both of these actions can negatively impact your credit score.
- Check your credit report regularly for errors and dispute any that you find – You may be a victim of identity theft without even knowing about it.
- Avoid paying the monthly minimum on credit/debit cards – This results in higher interest rates and even more debt.
How can a bad credit score affect my life?
A bad credit score can have a number of negative effects on your life. For one, it can make it difficult for you to get approved for loans or lines of credit. This can make it hard to finance a car, buy a house, or even get a credit card.
A bad credit score can also lead to higher interest rates on loans, meaning you'll end up paying more in the long run. Additionally, a bad credit score can make it difficult to rent an apartment, get a cellphone plan or get insurance. landlords and insurers often use credit scores to determine whether someone is a high-risk tenant or customer.
Can I improve my credit score if it's bad?
There are a few things you can do to improve your credit score if it's bad. One thing you can do is to make sure you're paying your bills on time. This includes any credit card bills, car payments, or mortgage payments. Another thing you can do is to keep your credit utilization low. This means that you're not using a lot of your available credit. You can also try to get rid of any debt that you have through minimizing expenses and effective budgeting.
A low credit score can have a negative effect on your ability to take out loans, rent an apartment, or get a job. All of this can be easily avoided with just a bit of effort.
Aidan has been writing about personal finance for over 6 years. Prior to this, he worked as a Corporate Finance Analyst where he specialized in Due Diligence, Company Valuations and more. He is a CFA charterholder.
