How to Keep an Eye on Your Credit

Credit: One hears all the time that not keeping a constant watch on one's credit score will instantly lead to life-crushing identity theft, financial problems and life in a van down by the river. I know it well, I helped to spread this particular message for several years. But it's not really true.

A friend recently wrote me to ask about watching her credit:

I'm finding myself a bit lost in my internet searches trying to determine what the best way is to keep an eye on my credit score. Do you have any advice on whether it is worthwhile to use a monthly or annual monitoring service, or do you just check your credit report with each agency once a year on a rotating basis? If you use a monitoring service, what do you use?

If you're planning on buying a house or something else huge in the next year, I would invest in a credit monitoring program. TransUnion and Identity Guard both have offers that are pretty reasonable and give you good access to your data. It's a good idea because you want to make sure you have the highest score possible before you apply. But be very careful about making changes in an attempt to boost your score a few points - more often than not, these changes can lower your score.

If you're not on your way to buying a home, don't bother. You can check your credit reports online for free once a year here - https://www.annualcreditreport.com/ - and upgrade for $7 to your FICO score from Equifax (don't pay for the other two scores - they're junk). As long as the data is pretty much the same on all three reports, that one FICO score will be plenty.

What would it take to be rich?

Here's an interesting question: what would it take for you to consider yourself to be rich? When I ask this at seminars, most people say that it would take doubling or tripling their income.

Of course, these are all people who make vastly different amounts of money. It's not actually the amount but the increase over what you have now that people strive for.

So, if we're never considering ourselves rich because the target is always moving, what is really the goal? Financial security? Wealth?

Here's what I strive for:

• Lots of savings. A big retirement fund and enough cash to cover my basic expenses for a least a year. I'm crazy about saving.
  
• Funny money. The ability to splurge on a fancy dress, dinner or ticket once in a while without worrying about it.
  
• Buying a home. Ha! This one isn't yet a possibility for me in San Francisco.
• Good credit. To be able to get the loan, credit card, etc when I need it.
  

That's basically it. For me, it all comes down to the freedom that money can provide. What's on your list?

Endings and Beginings

I gave my last "official" personal finance seminar today. I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion to my former career. Dress for Success does great work and I've been lucky to speak with them a few times.

I suppose it is the end of an era...but it can also be a start. I realized today how much I sincerely enjoy talking to women about money - even if it isn't my job.

Money can be such a threatening, boring topic - so it is amazing to be able to get people laughing about credit cards and feeling powerful about saving.

I decided to create this new blog as a way to continue the conversation about money. After nearly a decade working in personal fiance and with a national credit bureau - I have some answers to share. We'll see how it goes.

New Blog Coming Soon!

Stay tuned for details!