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Bad Credit Help for Consumers - A List of Helpful Resources

by Brandon Cornett, 10/23/08

Do you need help improving a bad credit score? If so, you're not alone. Millions of Americans have the same problem. That's why we have created this list of places where consumers can get bad credit help and advice. Bookmark this page for future reference, or print it out.

The Credit Help Blog

We recently launched a new blog here at the Home Buying Institute, and it caters to people who need help improving their credit situation. It's a Q&A blog that allows you to type a credit-related question into a box, which will in turn send the question to us. We will post a response on the blog, for your information and for you the benefit of other readers as well. It may not be as useful as one-on-one credit help and counseling, but it's a quick and easy way to get answers to your bad credit questions.

Go there now: The Credit Help Blog


National Foundation for Credit Counseling

This is an excellent resource for bad credit help because it provides consumers with a variety of tools and information. You can use their database to find a professional credit counselor in your area (who is also a member of the NFCC). They also provide educational materials such as articles and booklets, and even some free videos you can order through the website. While researching their website for this article on bad credit help resources, I actually signed up to receive an educational DVD ... and it was free. It's definitely a website worth researching!

Go there now: http://www.nfcc.org


FTC Information for Self Help

This excellent resource is actually two things rolled into one, both of which fall under the umbrella of bad credit help for consumers. First, this website explains some of the credit repair scams that are common in today's economy. It then goes on to offer self-help tips you can use to improve your bad credit score on your own — without paying some shady company to do it for you. Most consumers don't realize the bad credit help is a fairly straightforward topic. It doesn't take any special skill to improve a credit score; it only takes discipline and a bit of direction. This website offers the direction.

Go there now: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre13.shtm


Tips from Captain Credit

The "Captain" is our own creation, and he does a lot of blogging to offer help to consumers on bad credit topics. We have created a section of the website that compiles the many helpful articles he has written over the last few months. You can access these articles through the link provided below.

Go there now: http://www.homebuyinginstitute.com/credit.php#captain


Conclusion and Going Forward

It has also been important for consumers to have strong credit. But it will become even more important in the future, as we move forward from the economic crisis of 2008 - 2009. In fact, we are seeing this already. Lenders are increasing their qualification criteria, which makes it harder for consumers to obtain mortgage loans. So if ever there was a need for bad credit help ... that time is now.

There is no way to erase your financial past. But you can certainly make changes in the present that will improve your credit score in the future. While it's helpful to get advice from an expert, you need to realize that nobody can change your financial habits but you. So if a company comes along and says, "We can fix your credit problems for you" ... it's probably a scam. You can get counseling and advice through the resources provided above, but you're the one who has to make the necessary changes. Nobody can do that for you, regardless of what they try to pitch you.

Use the resources we have provided above (and the recommended articles below) to improve your credit score, and you will be much better prepared for the new economy we are marching into. And remember, if you have general questions about this topic, you can type them into the consumer help blog we publish here on this website.

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Brandon Cornett is the creator of the Home Buying Institute. He created this section of the website to help people with bad credit get back on track. If you have a low credit score and are trying to improve, check out this related section of our website.