Credit is a powerful tool, hence the need to find ways of managing it to avoid getting ourselves into heaps of trouble. Most people find that their credit score is lower than they like, or find themselves getting in over the head in credit card debt, and they are left struggling to find solutions.

Depending on what's bringing your credit score down, you could be able to tack on as many points as you can quickly. This only applies if you have the dedication and financial discipline to stick to your credit improvement plan. In this article, we'll look at the easiest way to improve your credit faster.

1. Pay on Time

Your payment history is one of the most important factors in determining your credit score. No strategy to improve your credit would work effectively if you made payments late. To achieve excellent credit, you need to ensure that you don't miss loan or credit card payments by more than 30 days, as creditors report late payments and this could impact your credit score.

Setting up automatic payments is a reliable way of staying on top of your debts, as long as you're careful not to overdraft your bank account.

2. Build a Credit File

To start laying down a good track record as a borrower, you need to have accounts in your name, and this is one of the first steps to building your credit file. Having at least several open and active credit card accounts is an advantage to your credit.

To achieve a good score if you're just starting, consider credit-builder loans, secured credit cards, or a great rewards card with no annual charges. Being added as an authorized user on someone else's credit card can also be helpful, but only if they use the card responsibly.

3. Higher Credit Limits

Using too much credit negatively impacts your credit score, even if you pay your bills on time. To lower your credit utilization, consider asking for higher credit limits. Your credit can improve significantly if the limit goes up and your usage remains the same.

To get a higher limit, you must ensure that you've accumulated more years of positive credit experience and have increased your income. This could be the fastest way, as immediately bureaus get the reports of a higher limit, your overall credit utilization goes down instantly.

4. Dispute Credit Report Errors

Building positive credit requires an all-hands-on-deck approach, as there are numerous factors to consider when calculating your score. One factor that most people don't consider is mistakes and errors on their credit reports.

A simple error on your credit report could be the cause of all your credit troubles and may end up pulling down your credit score. Everyone is entitled to free credit reports from the bureaus. You can request a credit report and then check for mistakes such as payments marked late when you paid on time, someone else's credit activity mixed with yours, or negative outdated information that should not be listed. Disputing report errors can help you quickly improve your credit score.