Are you trying to buy a house or a car?  You might want to check your credit first!  If you check yours and find that you need to build it up a little bit before you head out to make your big purchase, there are some tips that will help you do so without too much discomfort.

Here are 5 tips for raising your credit score:

1. Check for errors.  If you see an error on your credit report, dispute it.  Do not dispute things that are genuine (I know a lot of people recommend this, but this is unethical), but definitely dispute charges that are actually not valid.  
2. Pay down your credit card debt.  When I first began my credit building journey I had no idea that utilization was as important as it is.  It is though. Utilization makes up for 35% of your credit score. Aim to keep your credit usage below 30%, but preferably below 10%.  You will be amazed by how much your score will jump with just a quick paydown of debt.
3. Keep your student loans current.  So many people don’t think twice about not paying their student loan bills (I know they are expensive and it is seemingly hopeless to try and pay, but DO NOT skip this, it will hurt your credit score, BAD.
4. Pay your bills on time.  I know this should go without saying, but always paying your bills on time will do wonders for your credit.  If you have late payments in the past, don’t worry, all it takes is some patience. Once you get past the 12 month mark, it will improve and every year after that.  
5. Call and request late payments are waived.  If you have a valid reason, some creditors will wave one or two late payments.  They do not have to do this, so don’t expect it, but they might be willing to, which makes it worth a shot to try.