Spring is in the air… a time of renewal and rebirth! However, sometimes it doesn’t feel that way if you are still recovering financially from an expensive year and a busy holiday season. If you’ve found yourself with a less than perfect credit score, but want to buy a new house or car, you can use the four tips below to make things right.

1. Stick to Bill Due Dates.One of the easiest (and most damaging) ways to put some dings on your credit report is to pay bills late. Avoid falling into the trap of getting behind on your bills by setting reminders for all of your accounts. This can be done on your Smartphone, paper calendar, or e-mail account. A foolproof way of avoiding a late payment is to set up an automatic payment through your bank. The money will automatically be debited from your account the day the bill is due.
2. Eliminate Your Debt.Take a look at all of your bills and expenses and any extra money that you have leftover needs to go towards paying down your debt. One of the most effective ways of raising your credit score is to reduce your debt-to-income ratio. Often, people think that they should put any extra money into a savings account; however, when you are in debt, especially credit card debt, you’re better off putting the money towards reducing the amount you owe.
3. Avoid Cancelling Unused Credit Cards.Most credit card users aren’t aware that cancelling unused cards can negatively impact your credit score. Rather than cancelling the cards, use them on a once-a-month basis. Once you charge something on the card, be sure to pay it off right away. This kind of charge activity is viewed positively by credit bureaus.
4. Get a Secured Credit Card.By using a secured card like a UNITY Visa, you are preventing yourself from overspending because you can only spend up to your security deposit. Unlike a prepaid card, secured card activity gets reported to all of the 3 major credit bureaus, which makes it a good card to have if you are trying to repair your credit or build it up for the first time.

By following these four easy steps, it won’t be long until your credit score is exactly where you want it to be.