I have had troubles in the past. I opened my first credit card and went crazy, had about a $600 bill that I never paid, and I now have bad credit. Im only 20 years old, and I have tried to apply for 2 credit cards and got denied on both. Are there any other ways besides credit cards that will help my credit? I hear that paying a cell phone bill on time will help? True? What other things can I do to help my credit?
To repair your credit, PAY YOUR BILLS!
That credit card you did not pay will stay on your credit report for 7 years. If they sue you for the total & win, it will hound you forever.
You need to pay all your bills in a timely manner. On time every time. You build good credit by following the rule and paying as you promised to pay.
You need to forget about the credit cards & pay cash as you go.
June 29th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
ericphel , i think have your solution. you can go to and they will help you with restoring your credit to a decent credit and FICO score if necessary. they really helped me out in fixing it.
June 30th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Paying a cell phone bill on time does not affect your credit.
Not paying and letting the cell phone account go into default on the other hand will end up on your credit.
Only paying your credit card bills on time or making timely payments on an installment loan is reflected on your credit report.
Go to and pull your credit reports to see how bad the damage is. You should make arrangements to pay off your outstanding credit card bill before they decide to get a judgement and empty out your bank account or garnish your wages.
June 30th, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Cell phones do not report to credit bureaus unless you default and the debt goes to a collection agency.
Get a copy of your credit report (AnnualCreditReport.com) and see what shows. Start negotiating settlement of the derogatory items. Paid old debt looks better than unpaid.
The only credit card that you are likely to get at this point would be a secured card — you pay a deposit which is held as collateral for the line of credit. Use the card and pay it in full every month. In a year or so you may be able to convert it to a regular credit card.
July 3rd, 2009 at 11:14 pm
u can pay old debt & demand pay-4-delete agreement in writing!!!!!!! i just pd off cap 1 & got rewarded w/ a new cc. i’m putting it away somewhere safe til i need something small. it IS possible 2 rebuild credit & pay off debt. if i can do it so can each of u out there who struggle w/ this same issue. it IS possible; it CAN B done, just consider how i was just rewarded w/ a new card i just got 2-day, & NO it’s NOT pre-paid, tho i DO have 1 of those, 2. U ALL CAN do it, just work w/i yer means & don’t let ANY collections agency walk over U like a doormat!!!!! don let ANY creditor bully U; STAND yer ground & give creditor SOMETHING even tho smallern they want, & NEVER agree on ANY more than U CAN pay, as this binds U b/c they now record calls!!!!!! they may balk @ smaller pmts but U R giving them SOMEthing. if yer having $$$ shortage, SAY SO!!!!!!!! if they ask if yer working, say NO IF yer NOT. if U R working, NEVER give them ANY info on yer workplace if they pry, blow a whistle REALLY HARD in2 the ph & hang up after a looooooooooong blow!!!!!!!!! Don’t EVER let ANY creditor bully U!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! stand yer ground & MEAN IT!!! keep the whistle by the ph in casee u need it, cuz yer gonna bust their eardrums; this’ll send a STRONG message, cuz u have needs, 2!!!!!!
July 5th, 2009 at 12:49 pm