If you have bad credit or no credit or even a bankruptcy, you can improve your credit score.

You need all three bureaus as not all creditors report to all the bureaus.

Once you have a copy of your credit report, check it for accuracy. You can dispute incorrect items online. This is what credit card companies and lenders look at: Number of outstanding accounts and high balance. If your balances are high on many accounts, this lowers your FICO score. Pay them down.

The trick to improving your credit score is to have low balances on your accounts. Primarily on installment and credit card balances.

If you have no credit or a bankruptcy, the easiest thing to do is apply for a secured credit card. Make sure the card you get reports to the bureaus.

A note about bankruptcy: usually once the bankruptcy is discharged, you will get more credit card offers in the mail than you can stand.

Be sure to check the terms of the card. Many have tons of fees. A typical Bad credit card offer will have as much as $250 in fees and give you a $350 limit. You get a whopping $100 line of credit. Shred that one. There are better offers. You should be able to get one with little or no fees.

Use your credit cards wisely, but do use them. Use them and pay them off right away. This does two things: the credit bureaus see your good history and the credit card company will increase your limit.

Doing this just once can improve your FICO score 20 to 50 points.

It will take some time but over time your FICO score will continue to improve. After about a year or so, apply for another card with a low or no interest rate. When you get that one transfer your balances to the better card and close the other accounts.