If you have a credit score, chances are you’re looking for ways to improve it. A clean credit report and a good (or better) credit score opens doors, gives you more choices and helps you save money. When you’re doing the work to make it better, you want to see the results. So how long does it take to improve credit? Let’s take a look.

Why Do Credit Scores Fluctuate?

Did you know your credit scores are constantly changing? Depending on the information on your credit report and the timing of when creditors report to the credit bureaus, you could see a different credit score from one day to the next — it could potentially even change from morning to night. The moral of the story? Don’t get too attached to your credit score, because it will probably be different the next time you check.

What Causes Credit Scores to Drop?

There are several reasons your credit score can drop. Some of the most common are making late payments or having high credit utilization — meaning you’re using a larger percentage of your available credit than creditors are comfortable with. Other reasons your score can drop include opening or closing a credit card, having multiple hard pulls of your credit in a short amount of time, or having debt end up in collections.

How Long Does it Take to Improve Credit?

Since credit scores routinely go up and down a few points, you’ll want to aim for maintaining your score in consistent range, rather than shooting for a specific 3-digit number that will inevitably change. The time it takes to improve credit varies depending on several factors, but here are some general guidelines:

• High Credit Utilization or Hard Credit Pull — 3 months
• Late Mortgage Payment (up to 90 days) — 9 months
• Missed Credit Card Payment — 18 months
• Foreclosure — 3 years
• Bankrupcty (depending on the Chapter you file) — 6 years or more

What Can I Do to Improve Credit?

If you slip up and make a late payment or end up doing more serious damage to your credit report, it’s not the end of the world. How you handle it going forward will determine if your credit improves or continues to slide.

The best, most effective way to improve your credit is to practice consistently healthy credit practices, including paying all your bills on time, making more than minimum payments (if you can afford it), and limiting the amount of new credit you apply for. Additionally, you’ll want to routinely check your credit report to ensure your positive behaviors are being reported correctly and to check for any errors or omissions. Here’s what to do if you fine errors on your credit report.

Is there a faster way to fix my credit?

Once again, time and good credit habits are the best way to improve your credit. Beware of companies that offer to “fix” your credit quickly, or permanently remove negative items from your credit report before they naturally age out. These services can cost a lot of money to produce questionable — if any — results.

There are legitimate services, such as Experian’s Credit Boost, that can improve your credit score by including payment history from things like cell phone bills,  streaming services, utility bills and paying rent. These positive payment histories have not traditionally factored into a credit score, and can help raise it. Including these payments can be especially helpful if you’re just starting to build credit and have a limited credit history.

If you’re having trouble making even minimum payments or you already have debt in collections, credit counseling can help you craft a realistic budget and get back on track with a recommended debt solution.