How Long Does It Take To Get A 700 Credit Score From 0? (And How to Do It!)

When you have 0 credit, this simply means that you don't have any number tied to your credit profile. Instead of a 0 score, your number will be absent from the scoring model. This will change when a lender checks your score, you get your first loan (or a loan after a long time), or open a credit card.

For those of you starting with bad credit...how long will it take to get a 700 credit score? This will all depend on what you can do to build your credit.

To go from "bad" credit to "good" credit, you'll want to pay off collections and make sure to pay your bills on time. And, if you have revolving credit (like a credit card), you'll want to keep debt to a minimum, at 30% usage or less.

What if you already have a good score and you just kick it up a notch? How long will it take to go from a 700 credit score to an 800 credit score?

Once you have a decent score, it will be harder to get to an almost perfect score. This is because there is only so much "good" debt you can have without hurting your score. And, since your score also focuses on payments and time, it can be harder to increase that without simply waiting.

However, there are a few things you can try to build your credit score from 700 to 800:

• First, continue making on-time payments. This accounts for 35% of your score, so don't skip this step!

• Next, you can try to boost your score even further by including things you already pay for — like Netflix and Hulu. You can use a service like Experian Boost to take advantage of these payments.

There is no right answer to this. But, if you're paying your bills on time, keeping your debt to a minimum, and not applying for many new debts, your score may average around 600-650. This is considered a "fair" score, and can help you qualify for loans and credit should you need it.

Should you use Credit Karma (our affiliate partner)? Is their score actually right? Yes and no. For the most part, the credit score you see on Credit Karma should be accurately reflected.

But, the scores are only pulled from two of the three major consumer credit bureaus. If there is something that is reported on Experian, it won't be reflected on your Credit Karma account. But usually, your credit score from Credit Karma is fairly accurate.

I recently checked my overall credit score and it was only about 10 points above what Credit Karma reported. For some, this may be a huge difference, but it's not something I worry about!

Most lenders don't want to extend credit to someone without a decent credit score. So if you're younger and just starting out, start small. You may be able to use your local bank to get a secured credit card.

This means you put your own money (usually $200-$1000) on a credit card and it counts towards your credit. (But, remember that even though it's your money, anything you charge can have interest rates attached! So don't spend all that money and not have a way to pay it back.) Another option you can try is self-lending yourself money, like a loan.

Sites like Self help you use your own money as capital, take out a "loan" and pay it back in instalments. This will help your credit score increase without getting into serious amounts of debt.

Of course, you should also avoid making your accounts overdue. Always pay your bills on time, because these payments affect 1/3rd of your score. Also, avoid unpaid or collection balances if you can help it. This can cause your credit score to drop dramatically and will affect you for upwards of 10 years.

Don't carry a balance on your credit cards if you can help it. And if you get student loans, a car loan, or a personal loan, focus on paying them off as fast as possible.

Paying more than the minimum will not only boost your score, but it will also save you hundreds (if not thousands) on interest! Also, keep in mind that the higher your credit utilization, the lower your score. So keep all credit card balances under 30% utilization if you can.

In other words, if your card has a limit of $1,000, don't go over a $300 balance. If you do, focus on paying it off as fast as possible.

Did you know that your credit score drops almost every time you have a hard inquiry on your credit? In other words, every time you apply for a new credit card or loan, your credit takes a hit.

While this may not affect your score as much as payments and utilization, it can lower it significantly if you're just starting out. So avoid any new debt unless you absolutely need it, especially during the first few years of building your credit.

And, don't ever get a new credit card or loan right before taking steps like buying a house — the bank will know and it could put your dreams in jeopardy.

Fraud and scams happen all the time. And there may come a time when it happens to you. So check your credit score often, and report inaccuracies as soon as you see them.

For example, if you see a credit card on your report that you never signed up for, you can use a site like Credit Karma or a credit bureau to report it as fraud. Once it’s been investigated and labelled as fraud or identity theft, it will be taken off your credit report.

But keep in mind that you should never false report. This is also considered fraud and you can serve prison time if the IRS finds out. Only report inaccuracies if they truly are wrong.

If you're trying to remove a former collections account from your report, try apay to delete. This is better than trying to report it as wrong.