If ever you re lured or tempted into helping a family member or friend get a loan, your act of kindness may actually do a lot of damage to your credit score. Because you agreed to co-sign, if the other person is late in making payments, your credit report will get a major blow in credibility. Co-signing also means that the individual you were co-sign for was not able to get the loan without your signature. Stick To Your Budgets The best way for steering clear of mounting credit card debt, is by drafting a budget that s consistent with spending within your budget. While drafting this type of budget can be quite hard, once you re successful at formulating the right budget, it could help track down any unnecessary spending, and it will allow you to adjust your finances in order to spend for your real needs, and steer clear of unwanted debt. Some creditors have been known to look at their customer's bill payment records, so that they can establish your willingness to pay. Get Installment Loans Next, get an installment loan, such as a car or appliance loan. This can be a nice start towards rebuilding your credit score. Once you've gotten approval, pay off the loan in the quickest time possible. Although it may take a while for a person to rehabilitate his credit score after bankruptcy, the impact of the bankruptcy though dissipates over time. To restore your credit worthiness, you will need to add new trade lines to your report, as well as take on other forms of credit, like a small appliance loan, so that your credit score will not stagnate. Late Credit Card Payments and Large Balances Late credit card payments not only burden you with additional surcharges and fees, but it can also put a black eye on your credit history. According to credit report experts, poor payment history accounts for 35% of your total credit score, and even a single late payment can quikcly chop-off 100 points from your score. Once a note or comment has been made or added to the person s credit report, it stays there for sometime. If the note is a positive one, it ensures that you ll have an easy time availing of different forms of financing. A negative comment made by your creditor on the other hand, will have a detrimental effect on your purchasing power.