I’ve only checked my credit report and credit score once in my lifetime. That’s not good. It is advised to check your credit report regularly to check for inaccuracies and avoid identity theft.

For those who don’t care to check their credit report, you might care now if you learn that you are entitled to free credit reports every year. Take note that credit report is different from credit score. Credit report includes your accounts, payment history, payment behavior, and balances.

Below is how you can get free credit reports:

• denied an application (i.e. loan, insurance policy, unemployment) due to your credit history
• you live in a state that already offers free credit reports from each credit-reporting agency (Colorado, Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and Vermont)
• go to AnnualCreditReport.com, the ONLY authorized source for free credit reports
• call (877) 322-8228
• download a brochure from Federal Trade Commission and fill out the request form

(source: MSN Money)

UPDATE:

08/06/08: There are three more situations in addition to the above, that you may be able to get a free credit report:

• Identity Theft
• Unemployment
• Welfare

For more info, click here.

(source: MSN) 

Liz Weston of MSN Money created a list of 10 ways to simplify your life, or at least the financial aspect of it.  Now I’m using this as a checklist.  Let’s see how far along I am to completing it…

  Use direct deposit

  Get true overdraft protection

  Consolidate your accounts

I didn’t necessarily consolidate, I just decided to use one of each type of account if possible.

  Consider two checking accounts

I don’t have that many bills yet.  But John and I have talked about doing it when we move in together.

  Set up a high-yield savings account

  Create alerts

  Move your due dates

I didn’t have to.  I don’t have that many accounts and their due dates differ.

  Create a bill calendar

Not only do I have a calendar, I also have it set up in my Yahoo! Plus calendar with alerts.

  Pick the no-brainer options

  Monitor your money

Thank goodness for the internet, it’s now easier to monitor accounts.

Here are just a few of the reasons why you would call me cheap, but I prefer the term economical :

• I’m still not satisfied with the design and layout of my websites.  I designed the websites myself.  And I can only do so much, as I haven’t taken any web design classes.  Even though my sites still need a lot of enhancements, I refuse to pay for web design services.  You can call me cheap as much as you want, but I won’t budge.  Instead, I decided to take a few webdesign classes where I’ll be taking my photography classes.  And best of all, the classes are free!
• The basement is being renovated and I have to furnish it from scratch.  Not only do I look and wait for sales, but I also search all coupon sites for more savings, I shop through ShopDiscover to get more cashback, and tap into my credit card’s rewards program for free gift cards.
• I’ve lowered the temperature at home to save on gas.  I also try to minimize our energy consumption by turning off lights I pass through.
• I take advantage of all taxable-income-reducing options at work including my MTA fare.
• I try not to shop anymore unless necessary.  The last time I shopped for a jacket was yearsss ago.  I had to buy one this month because I ruined my favorite winter jacket.  I leaned on wet paint.  I was so pissed.  I also bought a couple of boots coz the soles of my favorite boots were almost non-existent.  Of course the jacket and the boots were on sale .

I did slip last holiday season.  I spent way more than I was supposed to.  All the more reason to be cheap now, I mean… economical.

(image from HealthyHeating.com)

I have gained weight and a couple of my very old pants don’t fit anymore.  I’ve always been a slacker when it comes to working out.  Add that to my appetite and my weight is bound to suffer.  I guess I really have to get my butt out of this chair and have a little discipline.

I just found out that Discover card doesn’t allow different shipping and billing address when ordering online.  This is pretty annoying if you want to buy a gift for someone.  I had to use my Mastercard, but I’ve always used my Discover card for everything.

I just enrolled to Premium Transitcheck (unlimited Metrocard valid for 1 year) and now MTA is raising it from $76 to $81 a month.

I called my doctor’s office several times to see if my results were in.  I didn’t even ask to know what the results say, I just wanted to know if they came in and they couldn’t even tell me that.  They told me they were very busy and they will have to call me back.  They didn’t call me back until the third day I’ve been leaving messages.

(image via minnipauz.com)

 

Here’s another quiz for my engaged and married readers!  It’s pretty funny too.  We all know that there’s money (mostly a lot of it) involved in weddings.  So let’s test your wedding money knowledge.  You can’t get married if you don’t perfect the quiz.  Just kidding!

For better or worse, it’s money and marriage that go together like a horse and carriage. And we’re not just talking about the institution of marriage — we speak specifically of the ceremony itself, steeped as it is in money mores. Whether you’re the one tying the knot or tossing the rice — are you well-versed in the ways of wampum and weddings? Our quiz will reveal if you have a connubial clue.

~ BankRate.com

Click here to take the quiz

Believe it or not, this week was the first time I’ve had a glimpse of my credit report and score.  Don’t be like me.  It’s advisable to check your credit report regularly especially now that identity theft is prevalent.

When I saw my credit score, the first question that came to mind was what is considered a good credit score.  After a few searches, I found out I have an excellent credit score.  What a relief.

I don’t know much about credit, so I’m posting here my questions, some answers I found and links to articles that I found helpful…

Read on…

Quiz 1:  Are you at risk for job burnout?

I’m pretty okay with my job.  Here’s what I got:

Congratulations, you’re a pretty happy worker bee. Keep doing what you’re doing. But be on alert for the signs of job burnout: feeling powerless, hopeless, fatigued, drained or frustrated.

Quiz 2:  Should you stop working?

Your job provides some benefits, but you can probably find substitutes in other activities.

Ummm… I wonder what.

Quiz 3:  The CNBC Investment Risk Test

I’m a moderate investor… what I really want to be.

You’re a middle-of-the-road investor. You know you have to take some risk in order to beat inflation, and you’re willing to accept the chances of some loss of principal. You want predictable returns for your money.

So… how did you fare?

If you’re a long time reader, you would know that I prefer quizzes like this than those “What Sex and the City character are you?” or “What city do you belong in?”  It would be more fun though if these quizzes have the results image and/or text that you can post on your blog.  Anyway, I took the debit card quiz provided by Bankrate.com and I was so surprised I got everything right!  I couldn’t believe it!

It’s your turn, click here to take the quiz.  Don’t read on until you finish the quiz.

Read on…

John and I plan to move to warmer place, specifically “warm, sunny, and sandy.”  So I was looking at the list of most and least overpriced home markets.  Unfortunately, none of the cities in the least overpriced list fits our criteria.  Orlando may be the closest.  The cities where we currently live are included in the most overpriced list… all the more reason to move.

The list uses the 40 largest metro areas…

Click here for the article and what the ranking is based on.

(via Forbes.com)

I was planning to buy a new dress for the wedding John and I are going to in a week.  But I had to buy some supplies and had to shell out $700+.  Ouch!  I bought an Ellison machine and a couple of custom dies:

In addition to that, I still have to pay for my September vacation.  I wouldn’t try to get out of that since I really need a vacation.  So I’m trying to cut out on a lot of other future expenses including a wardrobe for the wedding.  I probably won’t be shopping for clothes for the rest of the year.  John and I would probably just stay in instead of going away for a weekend for our anniversary in July.  Maybe do a late celebration in Cabo instead?