free yearly credit report

Chances are if you're reading this right now about accessing a free anual credit report , you have a bit of a credit problem. It might not be too bad yet...OR...it might be full blown.

Stop credit problems before they start!

You can stop a lot of credit problems before they happen just by staying on top of your credit information that is stored at the credit agencies. How? Get the information on your current credit score by obtaining your free annual credit report available through the agencies.



Then, use that information to help you repair your credit and start on the happier road to financial freedom.

The reason that keeping on top of your credit information can actually help you stop credit problems before they start is because sometimes credit agencies make mistakes. They get wrong information or worse, information on someone else and post it under YOUR name.

Regardless of your situation you CAN repair your credit .

Today, more and more individuals, business people and families are in financial crisis than any time in the last decade. This is because of a multitude of things from job layoffs, the result of a slowing economy, to easy credit card access.

This easy access to credit cards creates a whole lot of credit blues on down the road if you can't afford all that you've purchased on your cards.

Credit problems become an absolute nightmare when you are actually paying out more in interest rate charges on those cards than you are on buying food for the month as has happened to many unfortunate people.

If you are experiencing credit problems, you are definitely not alone!

The key for you to turn it around is to decide you are ready. Yep, a decision to take action is an amazing motivator and once you do decide, you're already on the right road to freedom.

Start on the right path to curing your debt by knowing your credit score and all the entries, good and bad, that make up that score. You'll begin to see where the biggest problems are that damaged your score and even possibly identify some mistakes that could be quickly fixed to improve your score.

There are three credit companies that offer you a free yearly credit report. The companies are: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion and they are required to offer you the chance to get a free annual credit report every 12 months.

So that part is easy. The hard part is getting your credit in better shape. That is, if you don't know how and unfortunately the media is full of myths and hype about that.

But if you do know how, you can definitely repair your credit yourself!

An entire credit toolkit with advice, letters, forms and ideas on repairing your credit are available at WomenCorp Magazine

There are also some steps that you can take today to begin repairing your credit without paying extra high fees to credit repair agencies.

The first one is to go buy a notebook! You might wonder what having a notebook has to do with repairing your credit, but think of it as sort of an in-house accountant, one that is on call all the time. That notebook will become your friend when it comes to keeping up with your credit repair progress. Check off as you deal with each credit issue and pat yourself on the back too. You're on your way!

Here's why you need that notebook: Backup documentation! Face it, people lose information and creditors' employees change often, meaning you have to start over with someone else if the files weren't passed along. Keep that information to save yourself a lot of time and money when trying to repair your credit .

When you begin taking steps to contact merchants, credit companies and others who may be holding debt, you want to write down everything. In your book, assign 1-2 pages for each creditor to keep your notes. You might even number the pages of your book and at the front put an index with the page numbers beside it so you can look them up quickly when needed.

On each page for every action you take with your creditors, list the people you spoke with, what they said, and what you do to follow up. If you have to send them copies of documents, keep a copy for yourself in a file folder for easy reference. It takes persistence and time to make your credit blues go away. The norm in the industry is three to six months from start to finish.

Don't get discouraged!

Getting good credit scores can make a huge difference in your life. First of all, it feels good to know you don't have to worry about creditors hounding you day and night for you to pay up or else! Just think how it would feel if you didn't have to be constantly worried whether you can make your next payment or if you didn't have that burden hanging over your head all the time.

Then, it also means you are on the road to financial freedom. Did you know, for example, that if you have good credit you'll be able to finance purchases at a much lower interest rate?

The road to financial freedom starts with good credit so be sure to keep up with yours by asking for your free annual credit report today. When you begin solving the credit problems that caused your report to show a less than ideal score, you should also begin to do one more thing. Save!

Now you might not see right now exactly how you can both save and pay off your debts. But it is possible! Even if you take just $25 out of every paycheck, the price of a pizza and a few cokes, and put it into a savings account, you'll be shocked at the end of six months how your financial situation starts looking better and better.

It doesn't take a lot to get in good financial condition, but it does take action. So take action today. Get yourself that notebook and write down all your creditors, go get your credit repair toolkit with forms, ideas and advice, then as Nike says "Just Do It!"

Rox Batson is the founder of WomenCorp Magazine, dedicated to helping women in business start and build successful woman owned companies. Find more information on how to start and grow a profitable business at WomenCorp

Ok, so you took those great low rate credit card offer and you used it. And then you got another and used it too...and then another...and...YIKES! You're now in debt and finding that making all those payments is about to overwhelm you.

Of course your next step is to try and refinance some loans, but you find out your credit score has dropped several points too because you were a teeny bit late on your payments.

What is a person to do?

First, if you have not gotten your free yearly credit report, be sure to do so today because you can only solve problems when you know exactly where you are. Just like a roadmap that gives you directions, you must know where you are and where you want to go in order to take the fastest, easiest route to your destination.

You can get a free yearly credit report provided by the credit reporting agencies simply because they are required by law to give you one per year without charge. This is because you have a right to know what is contained in these reports that can affect everything financial that you do.

You only get one free yearly credit report a year, but that gives you an opportunity to check the information and make sure it's right.

If you have had a lot of activity on your credit cards and have not paid every one on time, it may have negatively affected your credit score. You might find, if you check the free anual credit report, that it has dropped from the last time you viewed it.

If you find your credit score has dropped, there are solutions to repair your credit.

The first thing you should do is consolidate those credit card loans and begin by repairing your credit problem at the source. Stop spending on credit cards!

The problem with credit cards is it's too easy to spend. Whether you realize it or not, using credit cards for all your purchases is just like going to the bank and taking out a loan, except it's so simple to use that you feel like you've got money even when you don't. Credit cards make it so much easier for you to get out of control with spending. You think when you're shopping "I love that and I can always pay for it later". Impulse spending begins to rule your life.

When you have to resort to cash only, you are limited to what you have in your wallet.

The disadvantage is that you can't buy something that costs more than the dollars you have. The advantage is that you can't overspend.

If you're like most people, you love the spending part. But then the day comes when you have to pay it back!

The truth is this debt crisis was caused by the availability of credit cards and you are a victim. And so many companies now won't even let you buy without using a credit card. Therefore, we are almost forced to learn how to create debt from the beginning.

But to truly be free from debt and live your best, most fulfilling life, you have to be willing to take responsibility. Once you acknowledge your role in creating your own personal financial problems you then have the right mindset to begin to repair your credit.

Are you willing to do that?

If you answered "YES!" then here is what you can do to begin today.

Take advantage of the free credit report because they give you the ability to manage your personal credit situation by knowing what lenders will see when you apply for loans.



Then work to fix those items that could be mistakes or issues you can easily resolve. You can do this sometimes simply by making phone calls or writing a letter with a copy to the credit reporting agency.

Also, be sure that you get your free yearly credit report every year so that you can keep up with your progress on improving your credit score.

Next, cut up those credit cards. Keep one for emergencies only. Buying that new pair of shoes for the party IS NOT an emergency.

Next, begin to combine your credit card debt into that one remaining credit card that you will pay every single month 10 days in advance of the due date. There is no reason to wait and by paying early you will begin to improve your score.

There are a number of other things you can do to improve and repair your credit, too many to cover here. Find a complete list and solutions check out the Credit Repair Toolkit

Much of the solution lies in what you know. Getting the right information and following a step by step plan can help you solve a good portion of the problems that are causing your credit score to be low.

Professional credit repair companies have the information and they check off their plan of action. They have a step by step plan of action and they check it off as they go. One thing they do is call your credit card companies and simply ask if they'll reduce the interest rate if they move all the debt from other credit cards to that one.

Why can't you do the same? Answer: YOU CAN!

Unfortunately, most of us are not trained in finance and we don't realize how easy some of this is to repair your credit because we don't have the right information or dealing with financial institutions seems scary.

The worst thing is to believe that you can't fix this yourself. From what you read, you might think it impossible to improve your credit without the help of a professional.

The truth is that you can repair your credit yourself. You can get a lot of information online. However, it takes time to research and pull all that information together. If you're like most women in debt you might not have that much time because you've got bills to pay and you really do want good credit because it affects much of your life from job applications to buying a car.

That's one reason that WomenCorp put together the Credit Repair Toolkit to help women save time and money. The goal of WomenCorp is to help women live a life full of meaning, freedom and financial security.

Make the decision today to do something about your financial security and wellbeing. You will be glad you did.

Rox Batson is the founder of WomenCorp Magazine, dedicated to helping women in business live lives of meaning, freedom and financial security. Find more information on how to start and grow a profitable business.