Is your credit score in the doldrums? If you're in the market for a loan, you need your score to rise - fast.

Good news: You may indeed be able to give your score a quick lift, depending on why it's sagging in the first place. A large amount of credit card debt, for example, may be more easily and speedily resolved than an account that's in default.

Here are six ways to elevate your credit score, from those that can produce fast results to ones that require a slow and steady approach. Take a look.

Pay Down Credit Card Debt

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