What Can You Do With a Credit Score of 300?

Having a credit score of 300 is considered to be in the bad or bad credit range. It is the lowest possible credit score available and can be the result of late payments, collection accounts, judgments, bankruptcies, or other factors. This can make it very difficult to get a credit card, car loan, or mortgage, and interest rates on any loan can have a very high interest rate. However, it's important to know that you're not alone and that it's never too late to improve your credit score.

Paying on time, always on accounts that are accountable to the three major consumer credit bureaus, can help you build a positive payment history. If you're collecting any of your past debts, finding a way to resolve them can have a drastic effect on your credit score. Among people with credit scores lower than 550, nearly 20 percent were able to get a credit card, and that number is close to 25 percent for store credit cards. While having a low credit score can be frustrating, there are many things you can do to improve your credit score in a year (or less).

If you want to get a score higher than 300, you'll need to make sure that you have as few negative accounts as possible (usually 1 or less), a good credit combination, an old revolving account (such as a credit card that's more than 2 years old) and a low revolving balance (under 30% utilization). Yes, it's possible to get an auto loan with a credit score of 300, but your options will be very limited and your interest rate will most likely be through the roof (19% or higher). However, there are some circumstances that would allow you to qualify for a mortgage with a credit score of 300. If you find any errors in your report, you have the right to challenge the brand and have it removed from your credit report.

You can contact each credit agency online or through a letter sent by mail to explain any errors, and they should investigate it within 35 days. This is true if you file several applications in a short time, so don't apply for 15 credit cards this month (1 or 2 doesn't hurt). If you want to qualify for a home loan, car loan, or premium credit card, you'll need to increase your score or end up paying high interest rates and substantial down payments.