Tips from Rod Griffin, Director of Public Education at Experian
Summer is right around the corner, and for many of us that means working out and getting our bodies in shape for summer activities and travel. Unfortunately what many of us aren’t thinking about is what shape our finances are in – which can ultimately hold us back from a lot of summer fun!
Need a trainer? Below are tips to guide you on your journey to how to manage your credit.
Step #1: Check your credit report and score often
Much like stepping on the scale or taking your body measurements, you can’t manage your credit without understanding where you’re starting. Checking your credit report and score you will give you a better understanding of your financial profile, such as how much debt you have and how creditors see you.
Checking your report and score is simple! You can get a free report from each credit bureau annually from www.annualcreditreport.com. But once is not enough. Visit www.experian.com to access your Experian credit report and score at least once per month with a membership in Experian Credit Works.
Step #2: Understand what affects your score!
Just as you can’t get in physical shape without knowing how diet and exercise effect your body, you can’t get your credit in shape without understanding how credit works. A wide variety of factors can affect your score such as missing payments, not having enough open credit lines (or having too many), and closing accounts. Credit education is key to credit health! Once you understand what is affecting your score, you can take the necessary financial steps to better manage your credit. Visit our Credit Basics page for educational articles on credit scores!
Step #3: Fix any errors on your report
From simple errors such as an incorrect address (which won’t affect your score), all the way to bigger errors like accounts on your report that are not your own, regardless of their impact on your report, you should fix all errors to ensure your report is as accurate as possible.
Disputing items on your report is a seamless process and can easily be done over the phone or even easier, online – Visit www.experian.com/disputes to file a dispute if you see a possible error on your Experian credit report.
Want more “work-outs” for your credit report and score? Visit the Ask Experian blog for credit education.
