Finances are something that often change dramatically over a lifetime. We may start off with nothing – barely two nickels to rub together when we’re young – and slowly, over time get to a place where we are more financially comfortable. This is not to say that any of us ever come to a place where we feel like money is no longer an issue; there are few of us who, in this lifetime, never have to think about money or how the decisions that we make will affect our budget. But the way we relate to money and the manner in which we take care of our finances does change over time and we need to be able to adapt to those changes.

One thing that remains consistent no matter what stage of our life we are in is our credit report. Once we begin our lives as consumers making financial decisions, the history of these decisions is played out on our credit report; essentially the summary of our creditworthiness as defined by the three credit bureaus –Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Our credit reports are accessed by lenders who are determining whether or not to extend us credit, by landlords who are deciding whether or not to rent to us, and even by prospective employers. So it stands to reason that damage to our credit report can have dramatic implications that extend to all our areas of our life; which is why it behooves consumers of all ages to stay on top of their credit report by ordering free credit reports.

Free credit reports are our gateway into our financial history – allowing us to see what the credit bureaus are saying about us. Luckily, with access to the Internet, free credit reports are easier than ever to obtain. By going online we can order a credit report from each of the credit bureaus; something that we are given the ability to do once a year. In the next post…how a free credit report can stand up generation to generation.

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