First of all, you have to know your actual credit score. There are many websites that do this for free. Knowing where you stand in the credit world is essential when beginning your repairs.
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Establish a payment plan for your bills in collection. You can try doing this before the bills are in the hands of debt collectors. You will only make the problem worse by ignoring calls from collection agencies. Talking to debt collectors allows you to work out a payment plan. Tell them what is going on, and be honest about how hard things are for you. Speaking with the collection agencies will give you the opportunity to work out a manageable payment plan or even get them to reduce what you owe; otherwise, you're stuck paying the full amount. Creditors aren't just out to get you. They'll often work with you if you work with them.
The following advice will help you get on the path to improving your tarnished credit score. Each of these tips will get you one step closer to a good credit rating.
