If you’ve ever felt like your credit score was hopeless, I’ve been there. Not long ago, I was staring down at a credit score of 450, wondering how the heck I’d ever climb out of that hole. Late payments, collections, and some bad decisions in my early twenties had completely tanked my credit. I was embarrassed, frustrated, and honestly clueless about where to start.
But today, I’m proud to say that I’ve brought my score up to 650, and I’m still climbing. That’s a full 200-point increase, and while I’m not in the “excellent” category yet, I’m finally in a place where I can qualify for decent credit cards, auto loans, and maybe even a mortgage in the near future.
So if you’re in the same boat and wondering if it’s even possible to fix a credit score that low, I’m here to tell you yes, it is. Here’s exactly what I did, what worked, what didn’t, and what you can start doing today.
Step 1: Facing the Truth (AKA Pulling My Credit Reports)
The first step was painful but necessary: I pulled all three of my credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com (free once a year from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). I’ll admit, it was overwhelming. I saw collections I didn’t recognize, late payments I’d forgotten about, and credit cards I hadn’t used in years still listed as open (and maxed out).
But here’s the thing, you can’t fix what you don’t understand. I took an hour and highlighted everything that looked wrong or outdated. That gave me a clear to-do list and made the mountain feel more like a series of small hills.
Step 2: Disputing Errors
This one made a bigger difference than I expected. On one of my reports, there was a collection account for a medical bill that I had actually paid two years earlier. Another report had a late payment listed twice for the same month. Both were errors and both were hurting my score.
I used the online dispute process for all three credit bureaus. It took about 30 days, but guess what? Two items were removed, and I saw my score jump about 30 points right off the bat.
Moral of the story: Don’t assume your report is accurate.
Step 3: Paying Off (or Settling) Collections
This was the hardest part financially. I had three collections on my report, ranging from a $ 65 utility bill to a $ 600 credit card charge-off. I called each one, negotiated a “pay-for-delete” agreement when I could, and paid off the smaller ones first.
Pro tip: Some collection agencies will remove the item from your report if you ask nicely or agree to pay collections in full. Not all will, but it’s worth the conversation.
Here’s how it broke down for me:
- Paid $ 65 in full – got it deleted
- Settled $ 600 for $ 300 – still shows as “settled,” but no longer in collections
- Paid $ 220 medical bill – they agreed to remove after payment
After this, my score jumped another 40 to 50 points over a couple of months.
Step 4: Tackling Credit Card Debt
When I started, I had two credit cards:
- One was maxed out at $ 500.
- The other had a $ 750 limit with a balance of $ 600.
High utilization like that is terrible for your score as credit experts recommend keeping it below 30%, ideally 10%. I couldn’t pay them off all at once, so I made a game plan.
I focused on one card at a time (the snowball method), paid more than the minimum, and stopped using them until the balances were below 10%. When that happened, my utilization dropped dramatically and my score went up another 50+ points.
This part was slow, but totally worth it.
Step 5: Getting a Secured Credit Card
This felt counterintuitive at first. “Why get another credit card when credit cards are what got me in trouble?” But hear me out, a secured credit card is a low-risk way to rebuild trust with lenders.
I got one with a $ 200 deposit. I used it for gas and small grocery runs, and paid it off in full every month. Within six months, the issuer increased my limit and my score went up again.
Plus, this gave my credit report something positive on-time payments which is the single biggest factor in your credit score (about 35%).
Step 6: Setting Up Automatic Payments
One of the reasons my credit took such a hit in the past was late payments. Not because I didn’t have the money, but because I forgot due dates. Life gets busy, and if you’re juggling multiple bills, it’s easy to miss one.
Now, I set all my payments to auto-pay for the minimum amount due. I still make extra payments manually, but this system made sure I never got dinged again for being a few days late.
Over time, this has helped rebuild my payment history and boost my score steadily.
Step 7: Using Credit Karma and Experian Boost
I know some people roll their eyes at Credit Karma, but it helped me stay motivated. Watching my score tick up every few weeks gave me the momentum I needed to stick with it.
I also tried Experian Boost, which lets you add utility and phone payments to your credit file. It only affects your Experian score, but for me, it added 18 points almost instantly. Not bad for 10 minutes of work.
Step 8: Patience (And Avoiding New Debt)
This one’s not flashy but it’s crucial.
I didn’t apply for any major loans during this process, avoided new credit cards unless they were for building credit, and didn’t co-sign for anyone (learned that one the hard way in the past). I also checked my report regularly to make sure nothing new and bad popped up.
Most importantly, I gave it time. Credit doesn’t improve overnight. But after 12 months of consistent effort, my score had climbed from 450 to 650—a number I once thought was out of reach.
What I Learned (So You Don’t Have to)
Here’s what I wish someone had told me when I started:
- Your score isn’t permanent. No matter how bad it looks now, you can improve it.
- Every point matters. Even small changes (like disputing an error or paying down $ 100) can lead to real progress.
- This is a marathon, not a sprint. There are no magic fixes, but there are smart moves that work over time.
- Forgive yourself for past mistakes. It’s okay if you messed up. What matters is what you do next.
And finally if I can do this, so can you. I had no financial training, no rich relatives helping me out, and no fancy tools. Just a laptop, a lot of reading, and a little bit of stubbornness.
You’ve got this.
