Monitor Your Credit
Whether you’re hoping to improve your credit, repair your credit or just apply for new lines of credit, there’s something you always have to do first: monitor your credit. There are a few sources where you can get your scores, but there are few credit monitoring companies out there that let you see an updated version of your score whenever you want.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-access look into your credit score, look no further than Credit.com. Not only do our tools give you access to your credit scores, but they also provide key insights that could help get your credit where you want it to go.
Before we dive into our credit monitoring services, let’s go over why monitoring your credit is so important.
Why You Should Monitor Your Credit
No matter where your score is at—bad, fair, good, or excellent—you should always keep an eye on it. Why? Here are a few reasons.
For signs of identity theft
A really big indication of identity theft is a major change in your credit score. If you see a dip in your score, and you didn’t do anything out of the norm credit-wise, you might want to check your credit report for any suspicious activity.
To apply for credit
Before you apply for any lines of credit–a credit card, loan, etc.–you want to make sure your score is in good shape. Whenever you apply for credit, you’ll suffer a hard inquiry. Hard inquiries can ding your credit, so whenever you apply for a new line of credit, it’s important to be as sure as possible that you qualify. Otherwise, the hard inquiry won’t be worth it. Plus, having multiple hard inquiries on your score is a big red flag for lenders.
To see if you need to improve
You’ve probably heard that knowledge is power. That’s especially true when it comes to your credit score. Your score impacts a lot of things in your life beyond credit cards. Getting mortgages, auto loans, even renting an apartment–it all depends on your credit score. So if your credit score is less-than-ideal, it’ll make your life a little more difficult.
Sure, ignorance is bliss. But getting denied for credit isn’t. That’s why it’s better to know what your credit score is, even if you suspect it isn’t great. So take a look at your credit score and make a game plan.
Credit.com’s Credit Monitoring Services
Okay, we’ve gone over why monitoring your credit is important. Now let’s get into how to monitor your credit. Sure, there are a lot of credit monitoring services out there. Some are free. Others aren’t free, but may only provide your credit score–with zero insights.
Luckily for you, at Credit.com we offer both free and subscription credit monitoring services. But unlike some of the other services out there, both of our options provide key insights on what is affecting your score right now and areas you need to work on to get it where you want it to be.
Credit Report Card
Let’s start with our free option. Remember how we said that knowledge is power, especially when it comes to your credit? That’s why we created credit report cards. Your credit report card is a free platform that gives you access to your Experian VantageScore 3.0 credit score for free, updated every 14 days.
Not only will you see your credit score, but you’ll get graded on the five factors that go into your credit score: payment history, credit utilization, credit age, account mix and inquiries. This will give you important insights into your credit score and how you can potentially improve. Plus, you’ll see personalized credit offers based on your credit score that you’re more likely to get approved for.
ExtraCredit®
Looking for something that’s a little more in-depth? That’s where ExtraCredit comes in. Think of it as your comprehensive, one-stop-shop credit solution. For $24.99 a month, you’ll get access to five features:
- Track It. With this feature, you get 28 of your FICO® scores.
- Guard It. This feature automates some monitoring to help protect your identity and your credit.
- Build It. Get your timely rent and utility payments reported on your credit. This adds more to your credit history so you get credit for bills you’re already paying.
- Restore It. ExtraCredit users get an exclusive discount to a leader in credit repair.
- Reward It. You can get a $5 sign-up bonus and cash rewards as high as $2500 by applying for and getting approved for offers through the ExtraCredit Reward It portal.
While all five features are incredibly useful, you’ll probably find Track It particularly helpful. Track It doesn’t show you just one of your credit scores–it shows you a whopping 28 of your FICO® scores. That means that you’ll see what lenders see. Not only that, but you’ll get access to all three of your credit reports and you’ll receive advance credit monitoring and alerts.
Keep an Eye on Your Credit Score
When it comes to your credit score, you don’t have to be in the dark. Whether your credit score is great or less-than-ideal, it’s important to know where you stand. Luckily for you, we have two great tools that can give you key insights into your credit score. Learn more about your credit score today.
