This guide is designed to give you a quick step-by-step synopsis on how to improve your credit score:

1)  The most obvious step is to order your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus -- Experian, Equifax, and Transunion -- by virtue of consumer laws is free to order within a 12 month period.  However, I strongly recommend myFICO.com which will not only supply you with your three major credit reports but also give you your credit scores from the three sources.  The drawback, however, is the latter you are required to pay.  In my opinion, its worth the money if you are extremely serious about fixing your credit.

2)  Once you receive your three credit reports, please examine it thoroughly and correct any inaccuracies herein.  Please clean up any errors in your (1) personal information, (2) incorrect addresses, (3) social security numbers, and (4) employer information.

3)  After you complete step two, I ask that you review any negative credit information and therefore correct errors expeditiously.  Once you place an investigation, the respective credit bureaus are required by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to investigate and respond within thirty calendar days to your request.  If the respective credit bureaus cannot verify the disputed item within thirty calendar days, they are required by the FCRA to remove the disputed item(s) from your credit report(s).  When this occurs, your credit score from the respective credit bureau will boost your score immediately.

4)  Please call your creditors and ask them to lower your interest rates.  Don't be afraid to ask.  Remember to be polite, but don't be pushed around.  If the customer service representative will not comply, ask to speak to his or her manager.  If that doesn't work, just thank them for their time and hang up then try again!  Persistence pays off!

5)  Please call and ask your creditors to remove any fees such as late fees or over-the-limit fees.  Remember from to repeat step four what persistence can do!

6)  Please avoid too many inquiries into your respective credit reports.  Therefore, I advise that you do not open up several credit cards at once.

7)  Please pay your debts every month on time.  A rule of thumb is that six to twelve months of no missed payments in a timely manner raises your respective credit score.  Now the most rewarding part of this is that once you have re-establish a good payment record, you could then call your respective creditors and request that they remove the old delinquent information.  If not, regardless of your fruits, the delinquency will remain on your respective credit report for seven years!  So remember the key is persistence!

8)  If for some unfortunate reason you are in collections right now, don't fret too much.  Please call and talk to the creditor.  If you can pay the outstanding balance off or nearly pay the outstanding balance all off, some creditors will delete the collection account from your respective credit report.  Don't be afraid to ask for a deletion in exchange for paying off the debt.  You have what the creditors want which is money and the creditor have what you want the power to update your credit report in a positive way.

9)  You should consider monitoring your credit report.  Please make sure your corrections were made and your negative information removed from your respective credit report.  I recommend Lifelock, which is what I currently use.  If you wish not to use a credit monitoring service, by law, certain states allow you to "freeze" your credit.  In Florida, for instance, if you want to freeze all three credit reports you will spend ten dollars per credit report and if you need credit you must thaw your files which is an additional ten dollars per credit report.  Moreover, if after you decide you no longer want to freeze your credit, it will take you ten dollars a piece to permanently remove it.  There are only exception to the rule you don't pay anything if you're over 65 or you have been a victim of identity theft.

10)  PLEASE keep all your credit balances under thirty five percent of the total credit limit available.  PLEASE pay down your credit card balances or spread out the credit card balances among all your credit cards to achieve the thirty five percent or preferably under level.  Moreover, PLEASE call and request that your creditors increase your credit limit.

11)  PLEASE make sure that you get your respective credit reports and follow the approach outline above at least a couple months prior for applying for a mortgage or your automobile loan.  The goal is to have the BEST interest rate you can get which correlates to your credit report.  Please always stay on top of the information on your respective credit report and of course your debts!  I ask you if there is anything on your credit report you do not recognize than PLEASE call and report it immediately.

12)  PLEASE do not close your old credit accounts if they are in good standings.  Trust me I have learned that lesson the hard way!  After all, the BEST thing for your respective credit score are old credit accounts with good credit history.  If you no longer use these accounts, PLEASE in your best interest keep these accounts open strictly for your respective credit report.

13)  PLEASE set up automatic payments to make sure you pay your credit accounts on time.

14)  PLEASE review your home mortgage loan and determine if you should refinance.  This is true with almost any fixed loan.

15)  PLEASE track every penny you spend.  I ask that you write down everything you spend for one month so you will know where your money is going.  A budget is a key to financial health.  Always plan ahead for future purchases.

These aforementioned principles apply to everyone -- young and old.  Bad credit, good credit, no credit, slow credit, identity theft victims, etc.  I ask that you please rate this guide as helpful.  Good luck, and thank you for your time.  :)