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Recommended sites to get a credit report:
Free Credit Report - Get your Free credit score, instantly.
Triple Advantage - 692 is the average credit score. Get yours in seconds.

Credit Report

How does a credit report work? I don't think anybody really understands exactly how it works, but somehow it does. There are three credit reporting bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. When you get a credit card or take out a loan, the lender will report it to the credit bureaus. Every time you make a payment, they will report it. Every time you miss a payment, they will report it. They also report how much you owe, what your revolving balance is, etc. When you apply for another credit card or loan, the lender is able to pull the information out of the bureaus and use it to decide if they want to lend to you or not. Your credit history is very important when trying to qualify for a loan and get a low interest rate. If you have a history of missing payments and defaulting on loans, people are less likely to let you borrow money again!

It is a good idea to take a look at your credit report to know exactly what is on it. Be careful when signing up to a "Free Credit Report" offer; they usually only give you the credit report for free if you also sign up to their credit monitoring service. A lot of the time, they won't make it very clear that you are signing up to their service, and you won't know about it until you notice a strange monthly charge on your credit card statement. Usually, the service is well worth the cost, but it is frustrating to be charged for something without it being clear when you sign up.

Fortunately, there is a way to get a 100% free credit report. The three major credit reporting bureaus are required to let you see your credit report for free once a year. Go to https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ to get your free reports. With this site, there is no cost and no hidden fees at all. You don't even have to give anyone your credit card number. You will be able to look at your report and you can immediately identify if there is something fishy on it.

The only problem with your free annual credit reports is that you only see the history and you don't see your FICO score. Your FICO score is the numerical rating that summarizes your credit score. It ranges from a 300 to 850, with 850 being the best and 300 being the worst. Nobody knows exactly how this number is calculated, and I think they protect the formula for a reason. The bottom line is that the better credit you have, the higher your score.

If you are interested in seeing your FICO score and your credit report, here are some online resources that can help you get started:

Free Credit Report - Free credit report. Secure your credit, find your rating, and learn your score. Goes into monthly service after 7 day trial. Triple bureau monitoring.
Triple Advantage - Get your free credit report and score. Check your report and see who's been checking your credit. Look for potential inaccuracies and unauthorized activity. Guard your Identity We'll closely monitor** your Experian Equifax and TransUnion Credit Reports every day. Know your Score. Higher scores usually mean lower interest rates on new loans, which could save you money. When you order your free report, you will begin your free trial membership in Triple Advantage Credit Monitoring. If you don't cancel your membership within the 7-day trial period**, you will be billed $14.95 for each month that you continue your membership.

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