If you are planning any important financial move in the near future, here are 5 ways to improve your credit score fast. This is important because your score can help you in a variety of ways.  A good credit score will help you get lower rates when you need to borrow money…and much more.  It can help you get a good job too.  Let’s get to work.

1. Check your credit report.

You can get a free credit report every four months. You see, the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Transunion and Experian) must provide a free report to you every year if you request one. If you simply make your request to each company every four months, you’ll be up-to-date. You can write to these companies and they will send you the reports for free. If you make your requests online, you’ll probably have to provide a credit card number even though you won’t have to pay for it.  (Read “How I Got My Free  Credit Score Online with No Credit Card” for an alternative.)

If you notice any errors in the document, don’t worry. You can correct credit report errors easily yourself.

2. Pay your bills.

Besides keeping the lights on and the water running, you should pay your bills (all of them) on time because it lifts your credit score. Lenders fear (rightfully so) that if you flake on one debt, you’ll flake on others.

Paying on time also helps you avoid paying penalties and late charges. It’s also good Karma.

3. Get more credit cards.

Of course you have to be smart about this. You shouldn’t use those cards…just get them. And make sure you pay your balance in full every month. This adds points to your credit score.

4. Don’t spend more than 30% of the available credit limit.

Part of your credit score is calculated by the amount of credit you’re using compared to the total available credit. For example, you might have $2,000 in credit card debt. If you have total available credit of $10,000, you’re only using 20% of your available credit. Creditors like this. But if you have $2,000 on your cards and your total available credit is only $2,000, you’re using 100% of your available credit. Creditors don’t really like this at all.

That’s why it’s important to keep as much credit available as possible. Don’t close old accounts. Leave them open, use them a little (no more than 30%) and make sure you pay your bill in full every month.

If you want to really leverage this idea, run up less than 10% of your available credit. You’ll rack up extra points.

5. Use a secured credit card.

If you can’t get typical credit cards or if you spend more money than you should, get a secured credit card. These are pre-loaded cards. That means you put the money into the account and then use the secured credit card to draw the account down. Using a card like this will help you rebuild your credit and keep you from overspending. A double whammy. Nice.