FICO! Maybe you thought I was calling for my dog to come home. Or you think I am just crazy. Who is FICO? Well FICO is what 90% of money lenders use to judge you as a person. Now this is not entirely true, but in the world we live in it seems as if our whole self fits within the numbers 350-850.
Fun Fact: FICO stands for Fair Isaac Corporation. I don’t advise looking them up unless you’re into that kind of stuff.
Down to business. Get a credit card! It truly is that simple. Unless you are the stereotype from the 2004 movie Mean Girls then you should be fine getting a credit card. Go out and get one right now. As much as having “Good Credit” seems silly, you will not be able to buy anything of size until you have had good credit for almost 2 years.
So you are under 21 and no one will give you one? Have your parents co-sign. This is a need here folks, not a want. Here is my tip for getting someone to co-sign. Ask nicely and explain to them in these words… “I need to develop a good credit report now so I am eligible to develop long term wealth through the acquisition of real property known as real estate.” or “I need to develop a good credit report NOW so I can move out of your house in the future.” This could be enough to sway anyone.
Here is a plan to put in place if you are not credit savvy already. Plan to only use your credit card on gas. It will speed things up at the gas station but also create one payment obligation. Maybe even get a credit card with a gas stations name on it so you get gas rewards. Only put this one product on your card. It is an expense you can count on.
Do you know where they keep credit scores? As top Nashville Real Estate Broker Bobbie Noreen says, “Have you ever driven from south Texas into north Texas? Somewhere under all that dirt you will find FICO.”
Here is the bottom line if you have bad credit… make it better. Pay things off in large loads. Work harder. Work smarter. Nothing gets better overnight, but each day is a life time when you are living for the moment.
If you are out of college and trying to pay your bills your credit will not be perfect. However, a good lender should be able to help you with tips and tricks regarding getting your credit report in better shape. Trust me. They want to make the loan happen. They just cannot be as eager as they once were or we may wake up in another recession.
This has been your quick and dirty demanding article on why you WANT to know FICO. Thank you