Your credit score has a significant bearing on your financial health. It impacts your ability to get finance on the best terms, be it a car or home loan, or even a personal loan.
What is a Credit Score?
A Credit Solution is a three-digit number that denotes an individual’s creditworthiness. The credit bureaus use the detailed credit history in your credit report to determine your credit score. It ranges from 300 to 900. When a lender evaluates your credit application, they rely on this information to make a decision. A higher score typically results in better terms of credit.
Unfortunately, having a low CIBIL score is not out of the ordinary, but with some effort, you can turn your credit score around and ensure that your financial future remains secure.
At the other end of this spectrum are people who do not have any credit history, which also puts them in a similarly difficult position to get a loan or card at competitive interest rates.
Building credit history
If you are new to using credit or currently have a low score owing to shaky credit history, don’t worry, it’s not time to hit the panic button yet. With some diligence and monitoring, you too can achieve and maintain a good credit score.
Ways to help you build a solid credit history:
- Check your credit report – The first step to get you started is to call for a copy of your credit report from a credit bureau. Go through your report carefully to ensure that all the data mentioned therein is accurate. If you notice any errors, bring them to the attention of the concerned bureau immediately. This will not only ensure that your credit history is accurate but will also protect you against identity theft.
- Apply for a credit card – When you don’t have any credit history to build on, the best way to begin, is to get yourself a credit card. However, ensure that you make payments in a timely manner and ideally in full so that this card starts to reflect positively on your credit report.
- Apply for a secured credit card – It’s possible that a credit card issuer may be unwilling to issue a card to a first-time user without any prior credit history. In such an instance, it is possible to approach your bank for a secure credit card, which is typically issued against collateral such as a fixed deposit. The limit on such cards will be capped at a certain deposit percentage if you have no or a low CIBIL score. This is a good way to build a robust credit score over time.
- Apply for an add-on credit card – If the above two solutions are not feasible, you could consider requesting a family member (parent, sibling, or spouse) to apply for an add-on credit card. With this card in your name, you will build a score. Do keep in mind that your financial habits will reflect on the credit report of the primary cardholder, and vice versa.
- Apply for a consumer loan – Another way to obtain a credit score without any previous history is to opt for a small ticket consumer loan, to purchase any white goods such as a microwave oven or even a mobile phone. Make sure you repay EMIs in a timely manner.
Tips for good credit behaviour
Sometimes, it takes credit to build a credit history. Become financially responsible and display good credit behaviour in order to be able to get finance when you need it the most. With good financial habits, your credit history gets a solid foundation and you can get further credit with relative ease.
Once you have established a credit history, it is crucial to monitor your credit score regularly. Making all your payments in a timely manner and in full is a good habit that helps in maintaining a robust credit score in the long run.
With the above tips and tricks, get started on your healthy credit journey today!
Credit Triangle is a one-stop solution for all your credit and finance needs. We help you with credit health management, repair, and improvement.