Denied for a loan recently? Planning to buy a new house? Do you have your eye on a new car with a great price tag? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might have a question of your own. How do I clean my credit up? You can’t change your low score overnight, but there are some steps you can take to get credit worthy scores.

First, you must know your exact credit scores. Three major companies give out credit scores, ranging from 300 to 850. The scores should be fairly close. If you see one is dramatically different, look closely at that credit report and compare it with the other two. This usually signifies an error pulling down that score. Resolve any mistakes you think have happened by writing to that credit bureau.

To get to your goal, start by paying down your credit card debt. You must always pay at least the minimum, and make certain your payment will arrive before the due date. Some financial gurus would tell you to try to pay more on the cards with the highest interest rates first. The other financial advisors think the psychological boost you get from paying off smaller balances in full is worth the extra interest you might end up paying on the higher rate cards. The decision is yours.

Cut up your card so you will no be tempted to use it again. Don’t close the account as credit bureaus like to see that you have available credit that you are not using.

With a better credit score, you’ll be able to get the things you need and want. If you follow these simple, but essential steps, you can start to clean your credit up in no time.

Credit score is one of those things that a lot of people leave alone because it seems complicated. If you have bad credit, it doesn’t have to remain that way. You can improve your credit score now.

The worst thing you can do is give trust to the credit reporting agencies. I think just about all files, including yours, have errors on them.

Here’s some things you should know:

1. You can stop collection agencies, remove bad credit items and more. This guy who had 60 negative items shows you how. Click that link.

2. Get a free copy of your credit report with all 3 major agencies. Think it’s all the same? Think again. If you’ve never seen a credit report, you are going to be surprised. Some accounts could be on one report but not on another. The result is a different credit score per report agency.

3. Hopefully, you’ll see all your good accounts listed. If not, that could be killing your credit score. You need to contact the CRA to get any “good” items put on. That guy above shows you how.

4. Be smart. Does paying off collections help you? Actually, no. Don’t be in a rush. You need to do things right or you’ll be in trouble.

5. You need to “dispute” incorrect data. It’s not hard at all. You’ll have to contact the CRA. That guy gives sample letters and instructions.

6. Don’t use too much credit! If your credit available from all credit cards is say $1,000 and your total balances equal say $800, you’re using 80% of your credit . This is a bad spot to be in. Keep your credit use to 0-30% of your maximum total credit. When your utilization is above a certain point, you start losing points.

7. Stop applying for stuff. Only apply for something you really need and that you know you’ll get approve for. “Hard pulls” can hurt your credit score, especially manual reviews. It looks like you’re just grasping at straws. It’s fine to apply for credit now and again, but don’t go applying for 5 credit cards in 10 minutes.

There’s a lot more you can do to repair credit and improve your credit score. What I gave you was an overview. For a step-by-step guide, check out that site I told you about above.

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Do you have bad credit? I bet with terrible credit it is tough to get a loan, right? But do not worry, there are places where you can go to get a loan even with poor credit. The three that I love are fast cash loans, cash advance loans and personal loans. The reasons are the same why I love these, but also different in a way. I like them because they are here for you when you need them.

The best personal loan for people with bad credit is a just that, a personal loan. But I do not mean a personal loan from a financial institution , I am talking about a personal loan from a family member or friend . These are much better than anything you can find at a financial institution because they do not charge interest and they are more understanding if anything was to happen where you couldn’t pay one month’s payment.

The second best personal loan is fast cash loans. A fast cash loan is where you take money out of your credit cards for a short time. I would only recommend pulling cash out of a credit card if you can pay it all back within a few months, but preferably in the first month. If you can put the cash back in the first month then you won’t get charged any interest on the money that you just borrowed .

And lastly cash advance loans. The reason cash advance loans are at the end in this list is because the other two make more financial sense if you are able to get cash that way. But for the people who do not have family and friends that can lend them the cash and who don’t have the extra cash on their credit cards then cash advance loans are great .

So now that you know where to go and get a loan even with bad credit you should never be in a jam.