Post by sawyerthedestroyer on Nov 3, 2014 19:27:24 GMT -5
Are the three credit reporting agencies fairly similar? I'm checking my score for the first time in years. I don't have any cards or loans, but I'm interviewing for a new job that might pull my score and I'm curious/checking for discrepancies/ID theft. I went to credit karma and they only show one agency so I'm wondering if I should bother seeking out reports from the other two agencies.
“Life is not orderly. No matter how we try to make it so, right in the middle of it lose a leg, fall in love, drop a jar of applesauce.” - Natalie Goldberg
There are three: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.
Get only one report now, starting with Experian. In four months, you can order one from Equifax, and in another four months you can order one from TransUnion.
Since you are allowed one free report every year, it's best to do it this way so you can monitor your credit report all year long instead of only one time per year.
I was driving a vehicle that had been paid off for 5 years and DH and I have never had credit cards. We wound up with major credit issues because of it. His truck loan wasn't enough to help, and the banks didn't care how much was in savings or all the things we had saved for and bought, without loans. Run all 3 reports. Since getting my truck 6 months ago (I had to use our savings account as collateral on my loan!!) one moved up 6 points, one 12 and the other 32. They vary a lot.
Oh, and if you don't have a credit card, get one. Learn from our mistakes.