How to start??

If money is tight, I would just call the credit bureaus and ask for a copy of your credit reports. You are allowed a free one if you have been denied credit in the last 60 days. They usually dont check to see if you have any inquiries. However, when I requested a copy of my TU report last week, the rep asked me who denied me. I had just applied for a credit line increase from Citi and I said them.... So they basically just look for an inquiry.

You can call them or write for a copy. If you live in NJ and some other states (I cant remember which ones) you get one for free anyway. The cost for a report if you pay yourself is between $8-$8.50. I wouldnt recommend a tri-merged report when you are just starting out, because it takes a while to just get used to READING your report.

Once you get your reports go thru them like a finetooth comb because I am sure you will find NUMEROUS mistakes that will make you very angry. It is recommended that you highlight the errors and then start disputing them.

Good Luck!

 

HI! And, welcome to the board!
Roni gave excellent advice, as usual!

Colorado is another "one report a year free" state. You might even go to www.experian.com and see if yours will come up online. Just put that you've been declined and see what happens. It might give it to you and you can print it out. You never know! Of course, like Roni said, you'll need to get all three.

After you get those reports, let us know and you can start the process of fixing the errors!

Best of luck!

 

Well technically that is true. If they (JC P) only pulled TU then the inquiry will only show on TU and you are entitled to a free one from them only. But who knows who pulled your credit..you might have recent inquiries on EX and EQ. Too bad you didnt apply for a hard to get item where they would pull all three reports. But the most you will pay for your reports is $16.

I wouldnt start out with online reports...please dont. Go straight to the source (the big 3) so you can call them if you want to in the future, because they wont even speak to you unless you have a credit report from them with a file #.

 

When I first started I called the 3 for our reports. It's all automated here in CA. We hadn't applied for anything, but mine came up free. I had to pay for hubby's. I haven't bought a report since. When a dispute is done, you receive an updated report...so no need to buy more reports. Later, when you get going, we can give you sites to get your Experian score for free. Trans Union now gives you your score with your report (the others might, also...haven't received anything from them for awhile).
The best changes in the last month is that you can dispute all of them online. When I first started, I was spending $$ on the certified mailing. Online disputing seems to be faster, also. Oh! That's another way to get your report for free. You have to have that initial report for the file number, but when you dispute online you see your report for Experian & Equifax.

 

Roni: My online report directly from Experian has a credit number!!??!! I'm confused...I use it the same for disputes. It's early but am I missing something here? Of course, I'm only talking about Experian that seems to give them out fairly easily. I know Equifax doesn't always have a number based on where you live but I was only talking about Experian.

Or, are you talking about the online credit report services like Qspace, etc?

 

I Second Roni,

I started with a Tri-Merge online report only to find it missing infomation and the CRA's did not want to give phone service unless I had a file# or id# that was found on the report.

If you could order the reports with a score or get a score for free in the beggining that is a good indicaton of where you stand and how much effort you will need to apply.

Then first tackle any outstanding debts not included in BK. You can negoitate payments, settlements and deletions with the creditors and/or collection agencies.

Now you have the ball rolling and we will be here to help


NanaC--where do you get the free scores?

 

NanaC

Things have changed alot in the last 4 months alone regarding getting online credit reports. What you say may be true. However, EVERYONE needs to start out with a credit report directly from the CRedit bureaus. I still use my report file # from a year ago when I call just to get thru the system to talk to a live representative at the bureaus. Whatever file number you give them they will pull up that report w/ that info on it. When they delete and send you a file # you can call and dispute again using that file #.

I personally have been successful with calling in disputes. I have not used creditexpert at all so if you are referring to them, that is cool, but that is just one out of 3 bureaus. The online equifax # doesnot work when you call. At least it didnt work for me the last time I disputed Equifax.

But like I said, I just thought it would be easier for a beginner to start with the reports from the bureaus because they are without a doubt the most accurate and easiest to follow. I think online reports tend to hide negatives in the way they are formatted.

 

No, I'm not referring to Creditexpert..just regular request to view credit reports on Experian. I would never suggest creditexpert (at $79.00) to someone mentioning that they are on a budget and, as I said, this allowed me to get the report for free. Got a bit more horsesense than that! (Not always, but this time anyway!)

Roni, If I can ever email you personally, I'd like to..let me know.

 

Texas -
I did not get free scores..just a free credit report from Experian for me and my husband online.

All-sorry for double post...read these posts at too long apart...eeek

 

Sure NanaC...

My Yahoo IM is hardbnme2000.

Do you have a Yahoo IM account?

 

Thanks, Roni..I have nanatoquest@yahoo.com. I'm never on but the email works!