Struggling with poor credit? You’re not alone, and it’s not a life sentence. In this episode of The Debt Hotline, credit expert Melinda Carrera shares her personal journey from bad credit to a high 700s score. She also breaks down the tools, tactics, and mindset shifts that helped her rebuild credit fast and how you can use them in your own credit journey. Melinda is the owner of Street Financial, where she helps others clean up their credit reports, remove damaging accounts, and learn how to advocate for themselves with lenders and credit bureaus. From negotiating settlements to using phone-based credit cards, her tips are practical and proven.Struggling with debt? Visit https://www.solosuit.com/?utm=podcast to resolve it.In this week’s episode, you’ll learn:[Start] How Melinda raised her score after years of credit missteps04:07 What Street Financial does to help clients clean up personal info and get better results06:46 How to use pay-for-delete to negotiate lower settlements and improve your report08:44 What to do when a collection is only removed from some bureaus10:15) Why staying persistent with credit bureaus really pays off14:28 Can you remove a lawsuit from your credit report if the plaintiff didn’t show up?16:56 How to go from a 486 score to mortgage-ready19:00 Why Credit AI and phone-based cards are a modern alternative to secured cards20:39 A full breakdown of the 5 factors that shape your credit score23:52 Why your score might be stuck, even if you paid down debt26:08 What Melinda offers—credit reviews, dispute letters, Zoom consults, and free tools27:46 Can you remove a charge-off by sending a payment-for-removal letter?Key insights from Melinda Carrera:You don’t need a secured card to rebuild, start with a credit-building app from your phoneAlways get written proof when doing a pay-for-deleteYou can still remove settled accounts if you’re persistent with the bureausCapital One and other lenders may be more flexible than you thinkExperian’s free credit tools can show exactly where you need to improveYour credit score is made up of five key categories:35% Payment history: Stay current and avoid going more than 30 days late30% Utilization: Try to stay below 30% of your credit limit on each account15% Credit mix: Use a mix of revolving (credit cards) and installment (loans)10% Inquiries: Minimize hard credit pulls to avoid unnecessary dings10% Credit history length: It helps to have 7+ years of positive credit activityMelinda also answers real listener questions, from how to fix a 486 score to removing charge-offs and breaking past a 620 plateau.Connect with Melinda Carrera:You can find Melinda at @MelMoneyGal on all social media platforms. Melinda stresses that she only has one account all using the same username and there are lots of imposters.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/MelMoneyGal/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@melmoneygalLinktree: https://linktr.ee/MelindaCarreraStreet Financial website: https://www.streetfinancial.net/To submit a question to The Debt Hotline, you can:Call 801-613-8181Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/28gd4XFsq6ybN4Qu8Send an email to [email protected]

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