Every year, every American is entitled to a free copy of his or her credit report from one of the three major agencies that keeps track of such things. Most of us do not concern ourselves with bothering to request a print out. The two occasions that I have taken the time to ask for a copy, I was in for surprises.
The first time, I found that my report had been all tied up with someone of the same first and last names. She lives in my home state. She is a deadbeat and someone who freely uses credit cards and doesn’t bother to pay on them. That situation took months to clear.
Yesterday, I decided to check again. Seems that I am a bigamist who has two husbands, one of whom prolifically spends and has all kinds of accounts. The report, in fine print, amounts to no less than 31 pages.
I have my work cut out for me again, I see. There are so many entries, it would take forever to sift through them, checking numbers of accounts. So, I am going to ask for a re-do of the report, and for them to delete this “other” man from my life. Unlike the unwanted person previously tied up with my credit record, at least this man seems to pay his bills, a real plus!
Did you know that you can have too much “credit” – thus making you unworthy of more? This can become a factor, if you are asking for a loan or trying to buy a car. You see, credit cards often automatically “reward” you by increasing your credit line. Potential creditors fear that if you use all of your available credit, you may not be able to meet your new obligations. Too much credit on the books can mean denial, even if you pay off all your credit card balances monthly.
Just a few random thoughts for you. We live in an imperfect world, but if I could have my d’ruthers, I’d like people to know that I pay my bills and I’m married to just one guy. I suppose that virtue is its own reward but its nice to see it reflected … on paper!
Do yourself a favor. Ask for your free credit report today. Experian is one of the agencies that does this, and there are two others.
Patricia Cummings, http://www.quiltersmuse.com
