You’ve had credit problems, but you’ve worked hard to repair the damage, scrimping where you could, restraining your impulses and mailing every bill early. Now what?

For one thing, you’ll have an easier time borrowing more money. But you could also use your newfound status to lower your bills. Credit scores, those three-digit numbers that lenders use to gauge your creditworthiness, can affect everything from what you drive to where you work.

Fixing your credit is a big job. If you’re still working on it, you’ll find credit-burnishing tips in “7 fast fixes for your credit score” or in my book “Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve, and Protect the 3-Digit Number That Shapes Your Financial Future.”

But if you’ve just rescued your credit rating from the basement, it’s time to put your newfound clout to good use.

Call your credit card companies

If you still

carry credit card balances, your improved scores may entitle you to lower rates that can help you reduce your financing costs and pay off the balances more quickly.Don’t expect your credit card issuers to volunteer lower rates, though. You’ll have to negotiate for them and be willing to transfer your balances to other cards if necessary.

You’ll find a detailed game plan in “Get a better deal . . . with a threat.” If you’ve been sent low-rate offers in the mail, have those on hand when you call your card issuers and ask them to match the offered rates.

Remember that you’ll have the most leverage if your FICO credit scores are 700 or above. (If you’re not sure where you stand, you can use MSN Money’s Credit Score Estimator to get a potential range.)

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