Get Your Free Annual Credit Report
Though we no longer use credit or have any credit cards, ( we cut them all up in March), it’s still important for us to know what is on our credit report. Credit reports are sometimes used as part of a new employee background checks and if you are going to get a mortgage they will surely take a peek at your credit report. Recently passed law give consumers the right to request a free credit report from the 3 top reporting agencies. Here’s how to get yours.
Simply click here to request your report from Experian, TransUnion and Equifax. Review it and have any mistakes corrected.
Regards
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I have a debit card with a Visa logo on it and can charge it as “credit”, which I have done several times. Does that give me any “points” on the credit score? Also, being only 18, would it be wise to look at it now?
Russell, I don’t believe using the debit card as a “credit card” will gwt you any points towards your credit rating as the money is just being automatically debited from your available checking account. Credit is established when a balance is paid over time.
As for looking at your credit report. I do recommend you check at least one of the three. With identity theft running rampant it would not hurt to ensure no unauhtorized activity is going on with your name.
Since you can get 1 free report from each of the top three agency you can always get another later on. Hope this helps.
Regards
A possible correction about:
“Russell, I don’t believe using the debit card as a ‘credit card’ will get you any points towards your credit rating as the money is just being automatically debited from your available checking account.”
Yes, this is mostly true, however the transaction doesnt post to your account for a few days.
If I use the debit option on my debit card, it gets taken from my card at that time. It may not post until the next day, but it would be considered a “pending” transaction – on your internet statement if you were to check.
If I were to use the credit option, the time it takes for the bank to post it to your account is usually 3-4 days longer. So, it essence, it does the same thing as the debit option, just slower.
I used to use the credit option when I thought the purchase may have put me in a negative balance, and so when I got home after getting somthing I really wanted, or needed, I could deposit money into my account.
I don’t ever really do this anymore because it is somewhat risky. Playing the guessing game with your account balance is not a good idea.
If I don’t have the money to buy something, I don’t buy it. Having this mentality will, in addition to other methods you have talked about in other posts, help you in your quest for debt reduction.
Shoot! I was really hoping that using that credit instead of the debit would get me some credit points! That’s alright though.
Also, on this service you can pick out of three credit reporting agencies. I think for me, I’ll just use the one credit report every four months option. Is there any one in particular that is better then the others?
Thanks for the advice!