Sometimes, all it takes is one number to throw off your financial confidence. If you’ve recently checked your credit score and felt stuck, disappointed, or unsure where to begin, you’re not alone. In this episode, Ralph shares practical, faith-rooted strategies you can use immediately to shift that number—and your mindset. These are not gimmicks or overnight miracles, but intentional, proven habits that reflect wise stewardship and can provide a quick boost to credit without compromising long-term growth.
Check out the full podcast episode here
You’ll learn three high-impact actions: aggressively paying down credit card balances before the statement date, becoming an authorized user on a trusted account, and using services like Experian Boost to report non-traditional on-time payments like rent and utilities. Ralph also explains why these tactics work, how they align with biblical principles of diligence and integrity, and what it looks like to take faithful action even when progress feels slow. This episode is packed with encouragement and a clear roadmap to help you rebuild, restore, and move forward.
Chapters:
- 00:19 - Overcoming Credit Score Frustration
- 01:02 - Understanding Your Credit Score
- 04:22 - Moving Beyond Limitation: A Plan for Action
- 04:55 - Boosting Your Credit Score: Action Steps
- 08:26 - Empowering Financial Strategies
- 09:15 - Transitioning to Income Discussion
Takeaways:
- Improving your credit score takes time, but you can start seeing changes with a few quick actions.
- Paying down credit card balances is key—aim to keep that utilization under 30% and watch your score rise!
- Adding yourself as an authorized user on a family member's account can boost your credit score fast, no card access needed!
- Utilities and rent can sometimes count towards your credit score—check out services like Experian Boost to get credit for those timely payments!
Links referenced:
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Episode Transcript
You've been working hard on your finances, you know your goals, but then
that single number, your credit score,feels like you just hit a brick wall.
Maybe it's lower than you expectedand it's holding you back, and
that feeling of disappointment offrustration, it's heavy, isn't it?
What if there are powerful, quickactions that you can take right now
(00:22):
to see that number start climbing andfinally cut through that frustration.
Well stick with me because we'rediving into exactly how to find
that breakthrough on today's show.
(00:48):
Hey there, and welcome back to yourDaily Financially Confident Christian.
I'm Ralph, and it's genuinlygreat to be with you again.
Remember, this is the show that helpsyou answer that question, how can I
become a financially confident Christian?
And we're continuing in our seriesdealing with the stress of money worries.
Now, yesterday we talked aboutunderstanding your credit report
(01:10):
and your score, and we talked abouthow to dispute issues if you have
something wrong on your credit report.
Well, today we're gonna take thatknowledge even a step further, and we're
gonna actively talk about improving yourcredit score with some immediate impact.
So let's ask today, what arethree quick ways to boost my
credit score and do it right away?
(01:32):
Now you've checked your creditscore, like I said, perhaps you, you
were avoiding it for a long time,but, but now you've seen it, you've
taken my advice and you've seen it.
Now you're looking at that numberand you're like, Ralph, this
number is not what I expected.
And honestly, it feelslike a punch in the gut.
It feels like disappointment, a silentbarrier to the goals that you have.
(01:53):
those dreams that you have, like buyinga home or getting a good loan rate, or
even getting the loan into first place.
And you understand deep down, youknow that building credit takes time.
This initial discouragement,it's just heart threatening.
It's heartbreaking, and you feel stuck.
Then you feel like you're, you'restuck in this struggle of wanting this
(02:14):
immediate impact while letting thecredit bureau build your report over
the long term, and it feels so limiting.
But here's the thing.
You need to understand, and, andI, and I completely understand that
frustration, and I understand thatdisappointment, I've been there.
I remember at one point whenI wasn't honoring my credit.
And I wanted to go get a new carloan and I went into the finance
(02:37):
office and the guy sat me down.
He says, Ralph, I listen.
Your credit score is not great.
And I kind of knew that Iwasn't doing the right things.
And man, that was frustratingand that was disappointing.
And you need to understandsomething right from the get go.
Here.
Building credit is a marathon.
It's not some sprint.
So the things I'm gonna share withyou today aren't going to make a
(02:58):
huge impact overnight, but they'regoing to start making an impact.
These aren't magic tricks.
They are wise applications ofhow scoring works and how to
get you to that next level.
Because remember, God calls us to bediligent and make the most of every
opportunity, and I found two verses fromthe Bible, which really key in on that.
(03:19):
The first one is Proverbs chapter four,verse seven says, this, wisdom is supreme.
Therefore, get wisdom, thoughit costs you all you have.
Get understanding what a great Bibleverse, and then the book of Ephesians,
chapter five, verses 15 and 16.
It says this, be very careful then howyou live, not as unwise, but as wise.
(03:46):
And I love the ending to this,making the most of every opportunity.
That's what today's about.
It's about making the most of everyopportunity, and this is an opportunity
to get into that level of stewardship.
And these quick actions are justopportunities to accelerate that financial
health that you're on, strategicallyboosting your credit score to build that
(04:09):
diligence, stewardship, and open up somedoors for better terms and reduce stress.
Really leveraging the opportunitiesthat for God's purposes by
improving your financial reputation.
So now you're probablythinking, Ralph, what can we do?
Well, I've got a solution, andthis is moving beyond limitation.
(04:29):
You gotta start thinking, how do you movefrom feeling limited and disappointed
to confidently taking immediate action?
So here's my single crucial solution,and this is an intentional plan to
implement one or two specific highimpact actions that can quickly
begin to improve your credit score.
And I want you to justfocus on the factors.
(04:50):
This means focusing on the factors thatlenders weigh the most heavily for smart,
targeted effort and rapid improvement.
So here's your one action step for today,to quickly boost your credit score.
And I'm gonna give you threethings that I feel like you can do.
The first thing, and this isthe biggest one that you can
do, and that's aggressively paydown your credit card balances.
(05:11):
This is the big winner in thecredit reporting situation.
The best thing you can do is paydown your card balances because
it's gonna have the fastest impact.
And here's a little thing thata lot of people don't mention.
The real key here is to tryto get what they call your
utilization ratio below 30%.
So if, for example, if you'vegot a thousand dollars credit
(05:33):
card, you want to try to get thatcredit card balance below $300.
Now you're probably saying, Ralph.
Yeah, but the wholething is I use it, right?
But see, here's the thingyou gotta understand.
They look at your credit utilization,that credit utilization, if you're up
to 70, 80, 90%, that signifies an issuethat could reduce your credit score.
Because, and see if you, suddenlydrop the amount that you owe, it's
(05:55):
gonna boost your credit report.
Now here's another thing that youcan do, and this one is just a matter
of finding a trusted family member.
And, and this, listen, I'm gonna tellyou right now, it's gotta be somebody
who has good credit, you know, lowbalance, long history on time payments.
Ask them to add you as an authorized user.
Now, here's a little trick.
They don't even have to give you accessto the card or give you access to the
(06:16):
account, just adding you to that as anauthorized user, because then what happens
is you're gonna inherit their positivehistory and that can appear on your credit
report, potentially boosting your score.
And here's the final thing.
That you can do, and a lot of peoplehave done this to try to boost their
credit score and that's in check tosee if rent or utility payments can
(06:36):
be reported on your credit report.
Now, traditionally, bills often arenot reported, but there are services
like Boost where you can have yourrent reported and that way it starts
to show on your credit report andthose consistent on-time payments, add
positive history, potentially liftingyour score and it can lift it right away.
(06:57):
Now you might be saying,Ralph, how does this help?
Well, here's how it helps.
It fights that, that, that feelingof being stuck, it directly
combats that struggle of feelingstuck with that low score and that
discouragement that comes along with it.
It also is empowering because itempowers you with knowledge and
some practical steps for things thatyou can do to make a quick impact.
(07:17):
It improves your financial reputationfaster than just sitting back and waiting.
See, that's the thing, like I couldtell you to sit back and wait.
Make sure you pay your bills on time.
Yes, your credit score will improve,but these things can accelerate that,
and it's gonna help you build thatconfidence that's going to empower
you to pursue greater financial goalsand do that with greater confidence.
(07:41):
Well, let's pray together now.
Father God, we just thank you foryour wisdom and for the opportunities
that you give us to improve our lives.
And Lord, we confess that a low creditscore can feel limiting and it can
feel discouraging, and we just askthat you would grant us diligence
to implement these quick actions.
Help us to be strategic and help us to bewise in managing our financial reputation.
(08:05):
And Lord, we just ask that you wouldbless our efforts to improve our
credit score so that we can have moredoors opened up for good stewardship.
And Lord, we just ask that it wouldhelp bring us greater financial peace.
And we ask this in confidence.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Now look, these are quick actionsthat can give you a real boost
(08:27):
and like I said, It's gonna taketime to build excellent credit.
If you take smart quick actions, itcan definitely boost your score sooner.
So I'm gonna encourageyou take that step today.
And even if you just implementone of those things, one of those
strategies, it's going to helpmove you towards financial freedom.
And again, if this show, today's showhas resonated with you, I'm gonna
(08:48):
encourage you to share it with somebody.
Somebody else might be feelingthe same way you're feeling.
And you can find resourcesand connect with the
show@financiallyconfidentchristian.com.
And I've got a special gift foryou if you go to financially
confident christian.com/master.
I'm gonna give you a free copyof my latest book and it's
called Mastering Your Finances.
(09:09):
It's a quick, powerful read tobreak that cycle of financial shame.
Confidence.
Now, tomorrow we're gonna be talkingabout the income side of this.
We're gonna move away from creditand debt and we're gonna talk about
the income side and ask the question,is the real source of stress, your
income, or are there new opportunities?
So I'm gonna encourage you to not miss it.
(09:30):
Now, let's all go out thereand be financially confident.
Christians, you can do this.
I have confidence in you.
Have confidence in yourself.
Stay financially savvy.
God bless you, and youhave a great day today.
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