Planning for Success: Insert Credit Report Schedule – Day 6

January 6, 2013 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – with free printable

Day 4: Record Membership Expiration Dates

Day 5: Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills

Day 6: Insert Credit Report Schedule

With the rise of identity theft, everyone must carefully consider who gets her personal information. Even being careful with your information, hackers and thieves may still gain access. To protect your accounts and learn of issues promptly, request your credit reports throughout the year.

AnnualCreditReport.com provides one free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus each year. All three bureaus should report your information accurately. Therefore, if any new accounts have been opened, you would see that information on your report.

In our household, I request reports from different credit bureaus for Paul and I every 4 months. This way, we can see two different reports to be sure our accounts are still accurate.

My recommended schedule has worked for us. Just remember if you follow my schedule, to check the date of your prior year’s report. To get the free report, you need to wait one full year before getting a new one.

On our calendar, I have added notations to these months to check the following credit reports:

FEBRUARY

Paul – Experian

Tracy – TransUnion

JUNE

Paul – Equifax

Tracy – Experian

OCTOBER

Paul – TransUnion

Tracy – Equifax

In planning for success, insert a credit report schedule into your calendar. By checking your credit, you will find any discrepancies and catch any newly unauthorized activity before more damage is done.

A quick note in your calendar with the chosen credit bureau will remind you to review your credit report for free. Wishing that all your accounts remain free from identity theft as you check your reports often. Happy recording!

Question: How is your schedule similar or different from mine?

2012: Third Credit Report Update

October 21, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Microsoft Images

Unfortunately, identify theft is on the rise. As our family is a victim from the security breach of the South Carolina Department of Revenue, I cannot shout loud enough the importance of routinely checking your credit reports.

If you are following my recommended schedule for requesting your credit reports, then check the date on your previous year’s credit report.

Wait at least one full year from the processing of your last request for a free report. For example, I requested my Equifax report more than a year ago, so I can request another this year for free.

In using time wisely, I request our reports every 4 (or 5) months. This month, I requested Paul’s TransUnion report and my Equifax report. Though the request options include web site and mail, my preference is by phone. As the credit bureaus have been slammed with requests, I am still awaiting our reports.

But when the reports arrive, I will do the following:

1. Review for errors,

2. Challenge discrepancies,

3. Run a free TransUnion credit score for Paul,

4. Replace last year’s reports with these accurate reports with score in the first file slot of Box 1 of my important documents, and

5. Put file box away until February’s credit check

Running the free credit reports keeps you informed of your active accounts and alerts you to any unauthorized new accounts. To protect your identity, request your credit reports on a rotating schedule while using time wisely. Watching closely with you!

Question: Have you been a victim of identify theft?

Credit Score: Credit Sesame (Free Experian Credit Score)

August 5, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Credit Sesame

In last week’s 2012 Second Credit Report Update, I linked to my post on Quizzle for receiving a free Experian Credit report and score. Another option for receiving your Experian credit score is through Credit Sesame.

This financial management tool offers a big picture of your credit. For those who want debt management assistance, Credit Sesame users find these tools helpful. One of my favorite blogs, the Krazy Coupon Lady, offers a personal recommendation for Credit Sesame.

I find Quizzle quick and easy to get our free Experian report. But if you find Quizzle difficult to navigate or prefer another resource for your free Experian credit score, then check out Credit Sesame.

Both services are free to you. This means that there will be offers or advertisements to get your money. Just concentrate on your goal – checking your credit score. 😉

As you check your credit and your credit score, use the free options available to prevent identity theft while using time wisely. Happy reviewing!

Question: What do you think of these free services?

2012: Second Credit Report Update

July 29, 2012 by Tracy

Photograph Credit: Flickr (Dan Eriksson)

Thank you for a great week of What do you think? comments and opinions. I loved Shannon’s tip on air-drying her clothes, and Jen’s comment on trying a no electricity family night.

Thanks for reading Using Time Wisely and participating in the community of saving money, energy, and time.

With the Olympics in full swing, I know you are busy enjoying these special moments with your family. As you celebrate with these athletes, take a few moments to keep up your important documents file by requesting your second credit report of 2012.

If you are following my recommended schedule for requesting your credit reports, then check your previous year’s credit report. Wait at least one year since your last request to acquire your credit report for free.

In using time wisely, I request our reports every 4 (or 5) months. Oops! I got a little sidetracked this summer and requested our reports this past week. I requested Paul’s Equifax report and my Experian report.

Though the credit report request options include web site and mail, my preference is by phone. I already received Paul’s report on official Equifax letterhead, but mine has not arrived yet. When both reports arrive, I will do the following:

1. Review for errors,

2. Challenge discrepancies,

3. Run a free Experian credit score for Tracy,

4. Replace last year’s reports with these accurate reports with score in the first file slot of Box 1 of my important documents, and

5. Put file box away until October’s credit check.

Question: Which Olympic event is a must-see at your home?

Credit Score: Update on Quizzle (Free Experian Report)

April 22, 2012 by Tracy

Back on March 13, 2011, I shared this post about Quizzle. In this post, I indicated that you would be charged a fee if you requested your credit report from Quizzle after requesting your free report from AnnualCreditReport.com.

Well, I am not sure if I was wrong initially, or if Quizzle has changed their service. Either way, that post needs this update.

After requesting our reports in February and receiving them, I went to Quizzle to run a free Experian credit score. To get the credit score, Quizzle requested that I update the credit report. A red flag raised in my thought process and stopped me in my tracks. I did not want to be charged, so I did some research. The best information I found was in these two paragraphs on Quizzle:

Quizzle Provides a Totally Free Credit Report & Free Credit Score.

We give you a full and free Experian credit report and a free CE credit score. We foot the bill for these freebies because we believe that you should have access to all the most important information about, well, YOU!

What’s in it for us, you may ask? In addition to some helpful freebies we give you – credit report, credit score, home value estimator, home loan recommendations, budget planner and expert personal finance advice – we’ll also offer some important home, money and credit services to you at a low price. That’s how we make our money. However, any tools, products or services we may offer are 100 percent optional and we’ll never sell your private information.

There’s No Catch. Really & Truly. No Spam, No Unwanted Phone Calls, No Trials or Subscriptions You Don’t Want.

We’re trained to believe that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But that doesn’t mean that everything that’s free has a catch attached to it.

Before my dad signed up for Quizzle, he asked me if he would get a bunch of spam in his email inbox when he registered. It’s a smart question to ask, but for goodness sake, my own father?! Look, I get it. I’m skeptical of “free” too. But I PROMISE we will not spam you. We have a few helpful email alerts we offer — like reminders when you’re eligible for your new free credit report and score (every six months) and when a new home loan program becomes available that may save you money (based on the criteria you set) — but they’re completely optional. You can turn them on or off at anytime.

With this information in writing, I updated the credit report and was not assessed a fee. Then the credit score ran using the new information from the updated credit report. Because Quizzle is a consumer-requested pull on your credit report, your score will not decrease nor will other entities see this inquiry. The best part, you can check both your Experian credit report and credit score for free every 6 months.

If you dispute any errors with Experian, you can check your credit report and score in 6 months to verify that the changes are permanent. Also, if you have any changes after requesting your Experian credit report from AnnualCreditReport.com, you can recheck your report and score through Quizzle before next year.

In an effort to keep the information presented on Using Time Wisely correct and timely, I decided to update this Quizzle information as soon as possible. Having completed the Tax-Favored programs category last week, I chose today before jumping into the prescriptions category. But come next week, I will return to organize our insurance documents. In using time wisely, use this week to catch up. Happy organizing!

Question: Have you used Quizzle to check your credit report or credit score? If not, what is holding you back?

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