Having black marks on your credit report can cause you:
- higher auto insurance rates
- higher homeowner’s insurance rates
- being denied a mortgage
- higher interest rates on auto and home loans
- denial of credit
- denial of apartment applications
- losing out on job offers
- and more
If you have bum credit, a prospective employer might decide to hire another candidate instead. You may pay a higher mortgage rate. You may get denied the apartment you want to move into.
Is your credit ready for your dream house?
To help you save money get a credit report every year and check it for accuracy – it’s free!
Where to get your free credit report
- Online: Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to order your free credit report. AnnualCreditReport.com is authorized by Federal Law and made available by the government, and is 100% free.
- By Phone: Call 877.322.8228
- By Mail: Complete the Annual Credit Report Request form and mail it to the address on the form.
Federal law allows you to get a free copy of your credit report every twelve months from each credit reporting company:
- TransUnion
- Equifax
- Experian
Canada Residents
If you live in Canada you can discover how to get your free credit report.
Check out this great post with a step-by-step guide to getting your free credit reports.
Skip the extras
When you request your annual credit report, you will be inundated with all kinds of ads and popups for stuff you don’t need. Offers for credit monitoring, credit cards, you name it.
Don’t fall for any of this junk – stick to getting your free credit report.
Print out your free credit reports
You only get one free copy per year. When your report shows up on your computer print it immediately for safe-keeping. If you need to dispute something or contact a creditor, you’ll have the information handy.
If your computer or browser crashes while you’re in the middle of reviewing your report, you might not be able to get another free copy. Your computer has locked up before, right? Right, so print it out.
Make a note
Make a note to check your credit report every twelve months – on your birthday, President’s day, something that’s easy to remember. If you use software that lets you put in yearly reminders – checking your credit is one reminder to add.
Your credit report and your credit score are critical components of you achieving financial freedom. When you review your credit report if you find an error learn how to dispute an error on your credit report.
It’s important to keep up with your credit report, just for the simple fact that it might save you money.
Question: Have you checked your credit report in the past 12 months? Please tell me on Facebook.
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