Free Credit Report

So, you are in need of some cash. Your family members, friends, neighbors, even your golfing buddy are all tapped out. Trouble is, your car payment is due in 3 days and you can’t be late. That Pontiac Solstice sitting in your drive is a great ride, a chick magnet, and more precious to you then food. Okay, a bit of an exaggeration, but you get my point: you need money and you need it now! Personal loans abound and they are one solution to a crisis situation. Is a personal loan right for you? More importantly: exactly what are your options? Read on and I’ll show you the way!

Payday Loans: Payday loans have gotten a lot of press over the past few years as they are a great way to secure personal loans quickly and easily. However, fees and interest rates are high so if you aren’t planning to pay it off within a few days you’ll end up paying extra charges.

Cash Advances: Credit Cards are another way for you to secure a personal loan. By drawing on your card’s cash advance feature, you can borrow a few hundred to a few thousand dollars without seeing a loan officer. You’ll pay a fee for the privilege and the interest rate on a cash advance is quite high. However, if you can pay the loan off quickly it could be a viable personal loan alternative for you.

Equity Loans: If you own a home, your house may have some equity in it. Some lending institutions are so eager to lend money to you that they’ll approve a loan on the spot. Be careful: the rate could be high and you are putting your house on the line. That Pontiac Solstice convertible may not be worth that sort of aggravation!

Friends, Family Members: Ah, now for a test of your familial relationships. Ask Mom, Dad, Gramps, Aunt Bea, or Sis for the funds. That cold hard stare back from them probably means “no” but it could mean yes if you whimper. Groveling could help too. Seriously, a family loan could mean a low or zero interest rate for you. Better than the rate the loan shark guy at work wanted to charge you, right?

Retirement Funds: More than likely you won’t be able to tap your retirement funds within three days time, but borrowing from your 401(K) can be a wise decision. Just remember to pay the loan back with interest to avoid tax penalties. Besides, that Pontiac Solstice will look pretty ratty when it comes time to bid your work place good-bye.

Yes, you do have choices when it comes time to securing a personal loan. Some options are better than others so it behooves you to check the fine print when seeking personal loans. Personal loans can be a good option for you for the short term, but likely a long term solution could involve you getting rid of that pricey Pontiac Solstice!

Copyright 2006 - For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

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Yes, it is true: free credit reports are available for you, the consumer. Thanks to an act of Congress, you can get copies of your credit reports annually. This means that Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union - the Big 3 credit reporting agencies - must furnish one free copy of your credit report to you every year. No, you can’t get your free credit reports sent to you automatically: you must take action. Let’s take a look at how you can get copies of your credit reports sent to you today.

Annual Credit Report - By visiting AnnualCreditReport.com you can sign up through the government approved site that will give to you your free credit reports. Each of the three credit reporting companies is listed therein, so select one and provide your personal information to the company of your choosing. Once your information has been verified, a report will be generated for your review. Take a close look at it: if there are errors you need to follow the company’s procedures for contesting mistakes.

Your Credit Score - Not included with your free credit reports but available for a small fee at the same time is your credit score. This is the score whereby members of the credit industry rate your creditworthiness. The higher your score, the better for you and the lower your borrowing rates will be.

Competing Sites - Some consumers prefer to pay for what otherwise are free credit reports. By signing up with companies who offer this service, you can automatically have your credit reports run and sent to you on a periodic basis. Again, you will pay a fee for something you can get for free. In any case, you will pay for your credit score no matter whose service you use.

As with any report, check your free credit reports for errors. Experian, Trans Union, and Equifax all have procedures listed outlining how you can challenge errors. Make certain that you follow their directions to have wrong information expunged from your report. It could save you money on your next credit card loan, car loan, or home mortgage.

Certainly, there aren’t many things that are absolutely free in this life. Congress has seen fit that free credit reports are offered to American consumers in all 50 states. Run each report at least once annually and check it for mistakes as they commonly occur. Who knows, but those free credit reports could reveal identity theft issues too saving you much grief and aggravation if caught in a timely fashion.

Copyright 2006 - For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

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There is a bit of misunderstanding going around regarding free credit reports: you can get a free credit score too. In reality, this isn’t true. If you go to the three credit reporting agencies, they are required to furnish your credit report to you for free. If you want your credit score, you will have to pay for it. There is a difference, so let’s examine just what they are.

A free credit report is available to you through each of the Big 3 credit reporting bureaus. Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax have been authorized by an act of Congress to supply a copy of your credit report to you once per year. If you order more than one copy from the same company within that year you will pay for that report. In addition, if you want your free credit score, you won’t get one: for free, that is. Instead, expect to pay a separate fee of approximately $4 to $7 per agency to get your credit score. So, it isn’t a free credit score, but it won’t cost you a bundle either.

On the other hand, there are companies marketing free credit scores as part of their package of selling to you copies of your credit reports. In these cases you pay for what is already free and get free what really should cost you money. Are you confused yet? Well, don’t be: essentially you are getting both the credit report and the free credit score as part of the package. In any event, you are likely paying more for the combined service than if you did the work yourself. Again, it is a service so expect to shell out some money if you opt to go the free credit score with credit report route.

For consumers wanting a free credit report, than a visit to AnnualCreditReport.com is in order. Again, in this case your credit report will be free but don’t look for a free credit score. The previously mentioned $4 to $7 fee will be charged to your credit card.

As with so many things, shop around and read the fine print. Remember, companies do provide a service by offering reports and scores to you. For some consumers this is a great way to “remember” to get copies of their reports and scores when someone else is doing the work for them. In any case, make certain that you obtain a copy of your credit report and scores today regardless of whether you choose to do it yourself or have someone do it for you.

Copyright 2006 - For additional information regarding Matt Keegan, The Article Writer, please visit his blog for wit, quips, and freelance writing tips.

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