4 Ways to Improve Your Credit Score – WNBC-TV/New York City

  • May 18, 2015
  • By: Greenpath Financial Wellness
  • GreenPath Financial Wellness is a trusted national nonprofit with more than 60-years of helping people build financial health and resiliency. Our NFCC-certified counselors give you options to manage credit card debt, student loans and homeownership.

GreenPath’s Chris Dlugozima sat down with WNBC’s Finance Reporter Lynda Baquero to talk about effective ways to monitor and improve credit score.

  1. Check your score before applying for credit. “I always stress the time to check your credit report is when you don’t think you need it,” said Dlugozima. He further said that one in four consumers have mistakes on their credit report.
  2. Pay on time (or within 30 days). “If you pay late, it’s on your report for seven years,” Dlugozima said. “But once a couple of years have passed, the impact of late payments won’t be felt as much.”
  3. Keep debt-to-credit ratio low. 30 percent of your credit score is how much credit you are using. “Ideally, you want to use less than one-third of your available credit.”
  4. Apply strategically if you are shopping for a loan. “The more hard inquries on your report, the more points you lose. This can be avoided if you apply for credit in a short period of time.”
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Greenpath Financial Wellness

GreenPath Financial Wellness is a trusted national nonprofit with more than 60-years of helping people build financial health and resiliency. Our NFCC-certified counselors give you options to manage credit card debt, student loans and homeownership.


GreenPath is a non-profit credit counseling organization. GreenPath’s goal is to offer guidance and support to individuals seeking to manage and overcome financial challenges through education, financial counseling and debt management programs. The information provided is for educational purposes only. Consulting with a licensed financial advisor and tax advisor is recommended before making any major financial decisions. GreenPath is not a debt settlement company, credit repair company, credit repair service, nor does GreenPath provide debt consolidation loans. By using this website, you acknowledge and agree that GreenPath is not responsible for any financial decisions you make based on the information provided on this site.