DEBT HELP
Last updated March 4, 2024 | By FinanceBuzz Editors
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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.
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 building your credit with debit today
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.1
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.1
Unsure if Chime Credit Builder actually works? Most users see an average FICO® Score increase of 30 points.2 The card has no interest, no annual fee, no credit check to apply, and no minimum security deposit.3
Get started
Improve your credit with this simple (but powerful) website
Bad credit history? That means credit anxiety … and not getting approved for things like car loans or apartment leases. But if you aren’t using The Credit People,you’re missing out. They could help you start improving your credit in as little as 60 days.
Sign up here, and they’ll get to work immediately. You get to watch the progress each month in real-time as they work on your credit. They’ve been trusted for over 15 years and know how to help you improve your credit quickly.
In addition to working your credit, you’ll get access to all three credit reports and credit scores, a total satisfaction guarantee, and 24/7 access online where you can watch their progress every step of the way.
Start improving your credit
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.4
You heard that right! You can unlock a rare APY of up to 4.00% (as of Nov. 21, 2023)5 on your savings. This is way higher than the national average for savings accounts of 0.47% (as of Feb. 8, 2024) APY.
With no credit check to apply, minimum deposit, or annual fee6, this card helps you do exactly as it says: build.7 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.8 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 Nov. 21, 2023) 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.9
Start building now
Claim $10 in cash reward points when you check your credit score
Let’s be real — having a low credit score can be incredibly frustrating. Plus, it makes financial decisions that much more paralyzing for fear it could knock your score even lower.
But you don’t have to figure it out on your own — SoFi’s free credit score monitoring tool can help.
This 100% free tool not only allows you to check your credit score at any time, but it provides valuable insights into the why with an easy-to-read breakdown of your credit report, including what’s impacting your score and by how much.10
What really sets SoFi apart is the credit score simulator which allows you to see how future financial decisions might affect your credit score. You can also access SoFi member benefits like personalized advice from a credentialed financial planner for no extra cost.
How To Claim Your Cash Rewards Bonus:
Sign up today in just 90 seconds — there is no credit card required, no impact on your credit score, and you can receive $10 in cash rewards points!
Check your credit score for free here
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
Ask these expert attorneys to help fix your credit
Disturbing: A new investigation from Consumer Reports reveals that 34% of Americans have found glaring errors on their credit report … errors that are not their fault.
You can dispute these errors at any time (since they affect your score), but the bigger issue is filing the disputes yourself and actually winning.
While some companies may ignore disputes you submit yourself, they may be more likely to respond to a powerful attorney from Safeport Law who knows exactly what to say and who to talk to.
Request a free consultation with Safeport Law here by providing your name, email address, phone number, and state.11
Services cost $99.99 per month, plus a one-time $99 initial work fee. You may cancel as soon as you feel your credit is healthy again.
Get help fixing your credit by starting with a free consultation here
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.
Download Rocket Money
Extra App Benefits
- Extra Debit Card12 can link to accounts at over 10,000 banks13
- Helps turn everyday debit purchases into credit-building opportunities
- No credit check, no interest, and no hidden fees
- Membership costs less than $1/day
Start building your credit with debit today
