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Can you build your credit score with a personal loan?

Last updated on March 16th, 2021
  Written by 
Bill Tsouvalas
Bill Tsouvalas is the managing director and a key company spokesperson at Savvy. As a personal finance expert, he often shares his insights on a range of topics, being featured on leading news outlets including News Corp publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Herald Sun, Fairfax Media publications such as the Australian Financial Review, the Seven Network and more. Bill has over 15 years of experience working in the finance industry and founded Savvy in 2010 with a vision to provide affordable and accessible finance options to all Australians. He has built Savvy from a small asset finance brokerage into a financial comparison website which now attracts close to 2 million Aussies per year and was included in the BRW’s Fast 100 in 2015 as one of the fastest-growing companies in the country. He’s passionate about helping Australians make financially savvy decisions and reviews content across the brand to ensure its accuracy. You can follow Bill on LinkedIn.
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Build credit score with personal loan

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Your credit score is what most lenders look at when checking your creditworthiness. It is something that can stand in your way of being approved for loan and credit card applications. A personal loan can help you build your way to having a better credit score. Here is what you need to know when it comes to making the most out of a personal loan to improve your credit score.

The benefits of having a high credit score

Having a high credit score can open doors to you getting a loan approved. It can also unlock a better interest rate. A good credit score can give you leverage in negotiating a better rate and flexible terms. However, there are 2.7 million Aussies that don’t check their credit score when approaching a lender which can put them at risk of having their application rejected which can affect their credit report. Remember that applying to many times in a short space of time can affect your credit report and also make you look like an irresponsible borrower.

Using a personal loan can improve your credit score

Personal loans come with the flexibility that allows you to use them for a wide range of expenses. Depending on your credit score, you can get access to flexible repayments that work with your cash flow and a competitive rate. Data by Equifax revealed that more Australians are opting to use a personal loan than their credit card which had a year-on-year increase of 13.5%. You can use a personal loan to consolidate your credit card debt with its fixed payments to manage your debt. However, to avoid being stressed by a personal loan it is important to build healthy habits such as:

  • Paying on time. Having a personal loan that comes with flexible repayment plans gives you the advantage to comfortably pay it off. Automating your payments can ensure that you do not miss a payment.
  • Pay more than the minimum repayments when you can. Lenders usually require that you make a minimum repayment on a loan. If you take out a loan for $10,000 on a fixed rate for a loan term of 2 years, you will be required to pay a minimum repayment of $480 each month. Paying extra whenever you are able to do so can reduce your loan amount.
  • Compare loans. The grass can be greener on the other side when it comes to personal loans. Therefore, compare your options to see if you are getting the best deal that will not hurt your credit score.

Boosting your credit score goes hand in hand with how well you are able to manage your budget. Assessing the way you spend can show you where you are spending money that can be used in other areas. It can also reveal what amount you can comfortably afford when taking out a personal loan that will not drag your credit score. Try to avoid taking out more than one loan at a time which in turn will improve your credit score.

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This guide provides general information and does not consider your individual needs, finances or objectives. We do not make any recommendation or suggestion about which product is best for you based on your specific situation and we do not compare all companies in the market, or all products offered by all companies. It’s always important to consider whether professional financial, legal or taxation advice is appropriate for you before choosing or purchasing a financial product.

The content on our website is produced by experts in the field of finance and reviewed as part of our editorial guidelines. We endeavour to keep all information across our site updated with accurate information.

Approval for personal loans is always subject to our lender’s terms, conditions and qualification criteria. Lenders will undertake a credit check in line with responsible lending obligations to help determine whether you’re in a position to take on the loan you’re applying for.

The interest rate, comparison rate, fees and monthly repayments will depend on factors specific to your profile, such as your financial situation, as well as others, such as the loan’s size and your chosen repayment term. Costs such as broker fees, redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, aren’t included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts may result in a different comparison rate.

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