How often is it worth checking your credit score?

[dxkj]

Ive been keeping tabs on my credit score just for the heck of it. Based on the increased number, and quality of credit cards Im being offered, I'm guessing my score is going up.

Most of my offers now have no annual fees, and decent benefits. Score was 637 back in December of '03

Have co-signed a loan for 13k since then though, not sure how that will impact it.

 

[Garet Jax]

You should check your credit around once a year. Too much more frequently might adversely affect it.

 

[Bassyhead]

not only should you check it yearly or so for your score, you should check for any errors in your report. They do happen.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Garet Jax
You should check your credit around once a year. Too much more frequently might adversely affect it.

Not true, unless it's an inquiry used for the purpose of getting credit. Inquiries for personal use do not affect your score, nor do inquiries used so credit card companies, car dealerships, mortgage companies, etc. can send you junk mail.

 

[Dulanic]

I check mine quite often, it does not effect your credit score. I always check it before applying for credit to make sure everything is OK and I am not wasting a inquiry if something is wrong. BTW the only real score is your FICO score, the score alot of companies like the actual credit agencys themselves give you are fake scores. Always use myfico.com to check your score IMO.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
I check mine quite often, it does not effect your credit score. I always check it before applying for credit to make sure everything is OK and I am not wasting a inquiry if something is wrong. BTW the only real score is your FICO score, the score alot of companies like the actual credit agencys themselves give you are fake scores. Always use myfico.com to check your score IMO.

equifax fico is invalid? They seem like they have a rather big business setup for providing scores, I would hope they would be accurate.

 

[StageLeft]

All 3 agencies give slightly different scores, but the numbers are generally close to reality.

I basically never check my score. I do check my report, which is the important thing. I may check the score before getting credit, but as long as the report is legit I know that my score is over 700 based on earlier checking. I have monitoring through trans union only, since it's the cheapest of the lot for long-term monitoring. I get a new report every few months and they email within a week any time there is a note on my report like a new account or an inquiry.

 

[RossMAN]

Once every 2 years or so.

It's not worth losing sleep over and very over rated.

 

[isasir]

If you get denied for a credit card, which one are you entitled to? Your credit report, or credit score? Also, who do you call to request it and will they automatically know you were denied?

 

[RossMAN]

Originally posted by: isasir
If you get denied for a credit card, which one are you entitled to? Your credit report, or credit score? Also, who do you call to request it and will they automatically know you were denied?

Credit report (not credit score).

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm

If you don't mind paying a few $ I would order this direct from the credit bureau EquiFax which includes your credit report and credit score. You can view it online instantly.

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: isasir
If you get denied for a credit card, which one are you entitled to? Your credit report, or credit score? Also, who do you call to request it and will they automatically know you were denied?

Credit report (not credit score).

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm

If you don't mind paying a few $ I would order this direct from the credit bureau EquiFax which includes your credit report and credit score. You can view it online instantly.

Hmm, it doesn't look like they offer a credit score only for a cheaper price. Transunion looked to be the same way. So I guess I'd have to do the combo deal (credit score + report) if I wanted both?

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: dxkj

Originally posted by: Dulanic
I check mine quite often, it does not effect your credit score. I always check it before applying for credit to make sure everything is OK and I am not wasting a inquiry if something is wrong. BTW the only real score is your FICO score, the score alot of companies like the actual credit agencys themselves give you are fake scores. Always use myfico.com to check your score IMO.

equifax fico is invalid? They seem like they have a rather big business setup for providing scores, I would hope they would be accurate.

They are ALL inaccurate besides REAL FICO scores like through myfico.com. Noone knows their rating system, they just guess, sometimes their close, but they can be WAY off. In some cases this can make a big difference... like my fake score says 748... my real score is 695. Now I am buying a car and a 700+ score pulls 3.9% APR, where 660-699 pulls a 5.0% APR. So if I had just gone and assumed I was above 700 I would have paid 1.1% higher rate. Now knowing this info I will wait a month of ontime payments and paying down more of my balance, and my FICO should jump past 700.

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: isasir
If you get denied for a credit card, which one are you entitled to? Your credit report, or credit score? Also, who do you call to request it and will they automatically know you were denied?

Credit report (not credit score).

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm

If you don't mind paying a few $ I would order this direct from the credit bureau EquiFax which includes your credit report and credit score. You can view it online instantly.

Hmm, it doesn't look like they offer a credit score only for a cheaper price. Transunion looked to be the same way. So I guess I'd have to do the combo deal (credit score + report) if I wanted both?

Nope you have to order both, as Ive said elsewhere in this post, check your score at www.myfico.com its $12.95 per CRA, and there are 3. If you do a little searching you can find 20% off codes also. Very few places give you score only, the only thing that does so for me is one of my credit cards, they give me a updated REAL fico score every month with my bill.

 

[LeadMagnet]

yearly

 

[isasir]

Originally posted by: Dulanic
Nope you have to order both, as Ive said elsewhere in this post, check your score at www.myfico.com its $12.95 per CRA, and there are 3. If you do a little searching you can find 20% off codes also. Very few places give you score only, the only thing that does so for me is one of my credit cards, they give me a updated REAL fico score every month with my bill.

Just saw that. The $12.95 via myfico is the same thing that costs $14.95 if you use Equifax directly?

 

[Dulanic]

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: Dulanic
Nope you have to order both, as Ive said elsewhere in this post, check your score at www.myfico.com its $12.95 per CRA, and there are 3. If you do a little searching you can find 20% off codes also. Very few places give you score only, the only thing that does so for me is one of my credit cards, they give me a updated REAL fico score every month with my bill.

Just saw that. The $12.95 via myfico is the same thing that costs $14.95 if you use Equifax directly?

It's better, the myfico score is a real score, the equifax is not, it is a CreditPLUS score, which is NOT what lenders see. Leanders check your real fico score.

Edit: Actually it looks like equifax now gives you your real score, but myfico.com is still cheaper. And Experian and TransUnion will still give fake scores.

 

[dxkj]

Originally posted by: Dulanic

Originally posted by: isasir

Originally posted by: RossMAN

Originally posted by: isasir
If you get denied for a credit card, which one are you entitled to? Your credit report, or credit score? Also, who do you call to request it and will they automatically know you were denied?

Credit report (not credit score).

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/crdtdis.htm

If you don't mind paying a few $ I would order this direct from the credit bureau EquiFax which includes your credit report and credit score. You can view it online instantly.

Hmm, it doesn't look like they offer a credit score only for a cheaper price. Transunion looked to be the same way. So I guess I'd have to do the combo deal (credit score + report) if I wanted both?

Nope you have to order both, as Ive said elsewhere in this post, check your score at www.myfico.com its $12.95 per CRA, and there are 3. If you do a little searching you can find 20% off codes also. Very few places give you score only, the only thing that does so for me is one of my credit cards, they give me a updated REAL fico score every month with my bill.

what card?

 

[Ausm]

Originally posted by: RossMAN
Once every 2 years or so.

It's not worth losing sleep over and very over rated.

That is very true in the credit world it is connections that will help you.


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