Obtaining Your Three Credit Scores

I’ve posted a few times about how I’ve improved my credit score from a measly 581 to a whopping 758 within a year (through Transunion). It took a lot of hard work, effort, and time. Through this process, I also realized I need to check my credit score annually and make sure it stays above the 720 mark, or in the very good range, in order to eventually obtain the lowest interest loan on a future mortgage (a goal of mine!) If you haven’t checked your score or report in a while, now might be a good time to do so. Below I’ve offered a step-by-step process using GoFreeCredit.com as a guide. This is one of the easiest credit reports and scores to read that I’ve encountered so far (and believe me, I’ve used quite a few!) Checking your score and report is not as scary as you think, just follow the few steps below:

1. Go to www.GoFreeCredit.com: There you will fill out your name.

2. Fill in the requested information and credit card information (they will charge $1.00 for a 7-day free trial to the card you use):

4. I was asked if I wanted a free public report as well. However I did not, so I clicked a small blue link that said “No Thanks – Continue.”

5. Next, you will be given your membership number and asked to proceed to your scores. It is important to write this number down for future reference.

6. After that, you will need to provide some personal information by clicking the ‘Start Here’ button. These 6 questions or so didn’t take very long to answer and verify that you really are who you say you are. :

7. Finally your finished and able to view your report and scores:

Here are a view samples of what the scores and report look like:

Credit Scores – easy to see all three. It will also explain why your score is what it is at the bottom, such as not a long enough credit history, not enough different types of accounts, etc. (You might notice that the three bureaus calculate scores differently from each other – quite frustrating).

Credit report – a portion of a credit report:

Lot of extra information– a link on each credit account (‘More about this account’) allows you to see additional information like credit bureau remarks, high limits and monthly payments. GoFreeCredit.com also allows you to view any credit alerts, such as a new inquiry or negative posting.

Again, this is one of the easiest reports to read that I’ve encountered. For more information, read the FAQ’s below:

What credit scores do consumers get when they sign up for GoFreeCredit.com (GFC)?

They receive instant access to their scores from TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. These are not the same as a FICO score.

Will signing-up for GFC hurt my credit score?

No, this is a soft pull, not a hard pull, and will not hurt your score.