Is Do It Yourself Credit Repair Really The Best?

Credit repair advice always seems to be like a tug of war, doesn't it? On the one hand, credit repair companies are begging you for your business and promise they can help. On the other hand, well meaning people are always shouting "Don't pay someone...credit repair companies can't do anything you can do yourself for free!"

So who do you believe? and what's really right for you?

First of all, it's entirely true that you can dispute and repair incorrect items on your credit. Anyone can do that for free. And it's true that you shouldn't believe any company who says you are incapable of doing so.

What most of the do-it-yourself credit repair advice comes from, is the fact that there are so many credit repair scams floating around where companies make false promises and use illegal tactics to repair a person's credit.

However, while many credit repair services are outright scams, not all are bad. So if you find a good one, is it still a better idea to go the self help route for free?

Well, aren't there quite a few things things that can be done for free without paying someone? Think about tax preparation, yardwork, car repairs, cooking, pool cleaning, house cleaning, home repairs, etc.

Many things can be done for free, or at least for less money. What it typically comes down to, is we just choose not to because we either don't have the time, inclination, or knowledge to do it ourselves.

In the world of credit repair, there are good firms and there are bad ones just like many other professions. I've run across some pretty lousy heating repair companies, car mechanics, and even doctors plenty of times. That doesn't mean I'm going to stop using them, it just means I'm going to be cautious and do my homework on who I hire to do the work.

For anyone in need of credit repair, a good self assessment of the following 5 factors is a good place to start:

 

 

1. If you do it yourself, are you really going to follow through and be diligent about keeping excellent paper trails?

 

 

2. Do you plan to educate yourself enough on how to do it legally, ethically, and effectively?

 

 

3. Is it something you even want to do? Essentially, is lack of motivation going to hinder you from getting anything done at all on your own?

 

 

4. Do you have the money to spend on a good, legitimate credit repair firm? If not, don't go deeper into debt just to pay someone to fix your credit. Just do it yourself. Even if you do have the money, certainly don't pay an unreasonable fee or thousands of dollars up front. A $100 set up fee and $50-$100 per month is a pretty typical average for most legitimate firms.

 

 

5. Do you have the time? Will working on credit repair just add to your daily time crunch? Or do you have plenty of time on your hands and don't mind sitting down to work on your own credit?

Ultimately, the choice of whether to hire someone or do it yourself is never black or white. It comes down to your needs and your own situation.

If you choose to hire someone, just be smart and use common sense. When a credit repair company sounds too good to be true, it probably is.