Step #6: Negotiate your spotty records

You CAN clean up spots and stains on your credit report that may be preventing you from getting new credit. It just takes a little elbow grease.

Since creditors are the ones who report problems to the credit bureaus in the first place, you need to contact the company directly in order to have those problems removed. (Word of warning: You CAN do this yourself without using a paid service.

And, trust us - you'll have a lot more leverage if you're discussing a line of credit that's been paid off. Simply call, tell them you have paid your debt and ask them to report it to the credit bureaus.

You may also be able to negotiate as-yet-unpaid items, ESPECIALLY if you can now offer to pay them off - the ultimate perk from a creditor's standpoint!

Next: Step #7: Dispute problem areas wherever possible