Help 580 credit score

[Julie Mcneeley]

I am soon going to be a single Mom. I have stayed at home for the past 4years to care for my daughter so dont have current job history. I have several negatives around 100.00 each..should i pay these off? will that improve my score? I also had a joint acct with my husband on 2 credit cards which he never paid on time ( i wasnt aware he did this)

What is the first thing i need to do to fix this? I really would like to buy a condo or small home soon.

[Karen Margrave]

There are many non profit credit counseling agencies that can help you figure the best course of action for your specifc circumstances. Many of them operate on a sliding scale, based on your income, and you can find them by doing a search, or in the yellow pages.

Don't be discouraged or overwhelmed. Many women in your circumstances are able to get jobs, or return to school, building a strong foundation for the future! Hang in there! Good luck.