There are companies out there that claim to be able to repair and restore good credit to those who have fallen onto the bad credit list. There is no quick way to repair bad credit. Some of these companies claim they can guarantee to get you a credit card regardless of your credit history. But often times they will take your money and run with the help of loopholes and fine print on a contract.

The best way to improve your score is to set an example of on time bill paying. The reason most credit scores are low is because of late and delinquent bill paying. This can be changed in six months to a year with committed on time bill paying.

Another way is to get a copy of your credit report. There are several companies that offer a free credit report. You should not have to pay a fee to have copy of this report or to have any changes made to it. Often if there are mistakes it is the credit card company that makes them and they should be the ones to fix them.

After you have done the research and found that you may be better off going at it alone, the first task is to get a copy of your credit report. Go through your report with a fine tooth comb looking for any discrepancies. You have the right to dispute any thing that is on your credit report and have it investigated. You may contact the creditors directly to notify them of any known errors and ask them to correct the mistake. Some blemishes can't be removed but you can repair it yourself by living within your budget and paying your bills on time. After establishing a good credit history over a period of time it will make past mistakes more forgivable.

Another way to fix your credit is with a credit counseling company. These companies need to be researched just like a credit repair company. Do not put your faith and money in a company just because they have a catchy slogan or a cute commercial. When it comes to your money and credit it is important to stay on your toes. A reputable credit counseling company can act as a mediator with your creditors to lower or eliminate high interest rates while you pay off your outstanding balance. They usually require that you cancel your open accounts and pay them off before getting a new credit card. They can be a consolidator of your debt by allowing you to make a monthly payment directly to them and they will in turn make your monthly payments.