Ah, the credit score.
This little number seems to have far too big of an impact on our lives.
Greater than education, social standing, or even your employment, your credit score can affect everyone in your family and where and how you live for years to come.
These were all things that I kept in mind as I attempted to raise my score a few years ago.
Luckily for you, I recorded many of the steps I took during that process to share with you today:

1. Pay Down Your Cards - The obvious first step is to get rid of that excess debt.
   Before you can do much to fix your score, you need to remove the excess you've piled up.
   Even just paying down 50% of your balances will significantly help you because it will show that you're not riding too close to the credit limits and have the means to repay what you owe.
   
2. Don't Overuse Your Cards - Using your cards too much can be harmful.
   Even if you pay off your balance each month, having a 90% balance on your card at any point in time will hurt your score.
   To raise my credit score, I keep my balances below 50% at all times, save in emergencies.
   
3. Check Credit Limits - Make sure to check your limits and be sure they are reported properly.
   Sometimes, a credit card issuer will report the wrong limit, which can hurt your score.
   Make sure your report displays your current limits.
   
4. Older Accounts - The older an account is, the better it looks on your credit report (assuming it is in good standing).
   However, you need to use that old card, not let it sit stagnant.
   So, make sure to use the card regularly and instead of getting rid of the old card, get rid of a newer one with minimal history.
   
5. Cashing in on Goodwill - If you have a long history of good payment status, you can often request that a late payment be waived from your report.
   Many companies will honor this request at least once if you're a loyal customer.
   
6. Removing Negative Reports - Get the negative stuff off your report.
   It's not good to have anything on your report that shows problems with credit.
   Whether it's a bad phone bill or a problem you had with a late payment, the less negative items the better.
   
7. Reviewing Your Reports - Review your credit reports often, and make sure they are well maintained.
   Don't rely on anyone else to tell you when there is a problem.
   Even identity theft can happen without being caught - but it will always show up on your report.
   

As you can see, there are a number of ways to help boost your credit - all of which are relatively easy and don't involve too much research or work on your part.
And once your score has been restored to a respectable level, it's simply a matter of maintaining your good behaviors and not making future mistakes