7 Proven Ways to Boost Your Credit Score Fast

Your credit score affects everything from loan interest rates to apartment applications. Here are seven proven strategies to improve it quickly.

1. Pay Bills on Time, Every Time

Payment history is 35% of your score. Set up autopay for at least the minimum payment on all accounts.

2. Lower Your Credit Utilization

Keep your credit card balances below 30% of your limits—ideally under 10%. This factor is 30% of your score.

3. Don't Close Old Accounts

Length of credit history matters. Keep old accounts open, even if you don't use them often.

4. Become an Authorized User

Ask a family member with excellent credit to add you as an authorized user on their oldest card.

5. Dispute Errors on Your Credit Report

Check your reports at AnnualCreditReport.com. Dispute any errors—they're more common than you think.

6. Limit Hard Inquiries

Each credit application can drop your score 5-10 points. Space out applications and rate-shop within a 14-day window.

7. Use a Secured Credit Card

If you're building credit from scratch, a secured card reports to bureaus and helps establish history.

Timeline for Improvement

• 1-2 months: Paying down balances shows results
• 3-6 months: Consistent on-time payments boost score
• 6-12 months: Significant improvement possible with all strategies