Experian - What is Your State of Credit

[Agschmid]

The Fourth Annual State of Credit report is Experian’s comprehensive look at nationwide data to determine how four different generations are managing their debts by analyzing their credit scores, the number of credit cards they have, how much they are spending on those cards and the occurrence of late payments. Additionally, credit scores were examined in Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) to provide the 10 highest and 10 lowest credit scores in each generation across the nation. The study creates an opportunity for consumers to better understand how credit works so they can make informed financial decisions and live credit smart even in the face of national economic challenges.

How do you rate? Feel free to comment below!

5 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	>800
	2 (40%)
	750-800
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	700-750
	2 (40%)
	650-700
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[PowerToThePeople]

1. I have no idea?

Been a long time since I have used credit for anything. At least 10 years.

[Agschmid]

2. It's likely you still have a credit score.

Always a good thing to check to make sure someone else is not using your credit for you!

[Old Codger]

3. Best free place

Credit Karma, is actually really free place to check your score

[pinboy3niner]

4. Yes, You Actually Can Get Your Credit Score For Free (Here's How)

I've gotten my credit score before, but I don't remember how. And, according to Experian's website, "Your free annual credit report does not include credit scores." So I checked and found this BI article:

Yes, You Actually Can Get Your Credit Score For Free (Here's How)
David Seaman, David Seaman Online May 16, 2012

I've never understood why the credit score and credit monitoring business is so huge. They've attempted to make sexy something that is a) not sexy at all and b) quite straightforward.

...


Now that you know why a credit score might be useful, don't pay for something you can get for free: I recommend using CreditKarma.com — signing up on their secure form took me only a minute, and within a few clicks I had access to my actual credit score. (Note: I have no financial relationship with CreditKarma.)

Additionally, CreditKarma has an intuitive "credit simulator" tool which lets you see how certain actions — such as applying for a new credit card, or paying down an old balance — might impact your score.

And yes, the credit score service over at CreditKarma is actually free and legit. So far, they haven't asked for my credit card number; they haven't tried to "up-sell" me into any sort of monthly credit monitoring service I don't need; they aren't annoying.

...


http://www.businessinsider.com/yes-you-actually-can-get-your-credit-score-for-free-heres-how-2012-5

[Agschmid]

5. 2nd person to recommend it.

My discover card sends me my score each month, part of the card agreement.

[Art_from_Ark]

6. I tried to sign up for CreditKarma,

but the site was asking too many personal questions, so I said screw it. If I start getting spam in my e-mail box, I'll know who to blame.

[Recursion]

7. Do you know the + trick with your email address?

Anything after a + in your email address is ignored by email servers. So, if your email was [e-mail], you could sign up for creditkarma with the email [e-mail] and you'd get the emails just as if the +creditkarma wasn't there.

Once you've done that (choose a different +whatever for every site you sign up for) you can figure out who's selling your address and who isn't based on what's after the +.

[Agschmid]

10. Neat trick!

[cliffordu]

8. I have exactly NO credit of any stripe.

I dont owe money to anyone. Period.

It can be inconvenient at times, but being credit/debt free is the only way to live, IMNSHO

[ProdigalJunkMail]

12. do you have enough put away to NEVER end up in debt?

because, as I am sure you well know, it is the surprises and emergencies that put lots of people into debt. the problem with NO debt (and no positive history of credit) is that when that emergency comes, you get socked with much higher rates if you can get the 'loan' at all...

we keep a card balance... though minimal. we buy cars and big ticket items on credit and then pay them off promptly so that we 'cycle' our credit history while not getting screwed through interest payments.

sP

[SheilaT]

9. I don't know my credit score for certain, and I don't like all the questions

the sites claiming to give me that information ask of me.

It was good enough to get a mortgage four years ago, and I have credit cards with an astonishingly high (to me) line of credit.

[Agschmid]

11. You should call and just ask for your interest rate to be lowered.

Even if you don't carry balances they may be able to lower the interest rates in case you ever need to. I have one of my credit cards down to. 7% APR by doing that.

[SheilaT]

13. It's a high credit line, not a high interest rate.

The interest rate is quite low.

[Agschmid]

14. Good!