If you're overspending, you have to cut back or find more income. As best you can, plan how you'll spend your money each month. If you have trouble putting together your own budget, consider getting help from a nonprofit group such as Consumer Credit Counseling Service, which provides budgeting help for free or at a low cost. Okay, I've made my budget. Now it's time to clean up your credit report.
Credit bureaus get most of their data from creditors.
They also search court records for lawsuits, judgments and bankruptcy filings. To create a credit file for a given person, a credit bureau searches its computer files until it finds entries that match the name, Social Security number and any other available identifying information. All matches are gathered together to make the report. Non-credit data made part of a credit report usually includes names you previously went by, past and present addresses, Social Security number, employment history, marriages and divorces. Your credit history includes the names of your creditors, type and number of each account, when each account was opened, your payment history for the previous 24-36 months, your credit limit or the original amount of a loan, and your current balance.