We've all received the postcards and seen the late-night commercials advertising free credit reports and services to help you repair bad credit, but the sad reality is that most of them will cost you more money than they'll save.

That's why we started RepairBadCredits.com. We know that your FICO score isn't a measure of your value as a person, merely a rating of your financial risk-worthiness. We also know that everyone has slip-ups from time to time.

We do believe everyone should review their credit report regularly - about once a year - but we want to make sure those reports come from reliable sources and give you all the information you need.

We also believe, along with the Federal Trade Commission, that the best person to repair your bad credit is YOU. That's why we offer lots of information - everything from how to read a credit report to what your FICO score really means, to how best to prioritize what debts to pay off, and whether or not it's worth agreeing to pay a settlement for less than actual amount owed on an old debt.

Anecdotal evidence says that only about one third of the American population has "perfect" credit. That means that the rest of us have credit reports that show a fair number of dents, dings, bruises and bobbles. The good news is that there is hope, and with a little bit of education, and a lot of fortitude you can hammer that credit report back into shape.

Whether you're facing foreclosure or having to recycle the plastic water bottles in order to pay your high-interest-rate Visa bill every month, there are steps you can take toward financial stability. We want to give you the tools, and empower you to repair bad credit on your own.