In an effort to get a better handle on my finances, I’ve started to learn about credit . . . specifically, the magical credit score that determines all of your financial future. It influences your ability to obtain a credit card (and the card’s interest rate and credit limit), mortgage, loan, or any other number of things that I may or may not need to do in the future. Poor financial decisions will create bad credit which limits what you can and cannot do in the future.

One of the best things you can do for your personal financial health is to regularly check your credit report. It is now FREE to obtain a copy of your credit report once a year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus. Because of this, many financial advisers are now recommending that every four months you check your credit report.

What exactly is this credit report, and why do you need to check it so often? It is a listing of all the accounts that you have on record. Remember that credit card that you opened at the mall one day three years ago and only used once? It’s on your credit report, and every time an employer/lender/bank/etc. checks your credit, they see this card. You forgot to pay your cable bill when you moved to a new state? You’ve got a missed payment on your credit report that shows up and detracts from your credit! Or perhaps you thought you paid off that outstanding rent payment, but for some reason it’s still there . . . four years later, giving you bad credit. It’s important to keep tabs on your credit report so that you know what is happening in your life. This can also be VERY useful if you think you may have been a victim of identity theft, because if someone else has been doing things in your name that you don’t know of, this is where you can catch it.

However, there are scams out there trying to GET all your credit information by posing as “free credit report” websites. Don’t be fooled! THE website to go to is AnnualCreditReport.com. This one is not a scam and is safe to use. You can go to this site to get your report from Equifax, TransUnion, or Experian (the three reporting bureaus). They also make it available to get your actual credit score, but this costs a little money (I got mine from TransUnion for $7.95). From what I’ve researched, it’s recommended that you get your credit REPORT every four months (since it’s free) and your credit SCORE once a year, just so you know where you stand.

I was quite pleasantly surprised when I checked mine. I figured since I’ve only been building my credit for about 18 months that it would not be very good, and there wouldn’t be much information, but there was quite a bit on there, including an account that I had forgotten about. The report also gave me some thoughts as to why my score isn’t higher (accounts haven’t been open really long and I don’t have any involvement with real estate).

You can find way more information on credit by reading any good personal finance blog (check out the links in my sidebar). For more specific information about this topic, read How to Obtain Your Free Credit Report @ Get Rich Slowly.

Taking control of your financial situation by keeping tabs on your credit? Works for me!

Thirteen Things about LINDSEY

This week Denise has challenged us:

I would like to challenge all Thirteeners to come up with 13 things they like about themselves.

I feel like we, as women, spend so much time scrutinizing ourselves that we sometimes forget the good stuff.

1. I have a GREAT relationship with my family. My parents and I get along extremely well, and my brother and I almost never fight. And it’s been this way my entire life. I love my family very dearly, and I feel so blessed to have them in my life!

2. I feel as though I have a good perspective for what’s important in life. I don’t get caught up on money or popularity, or any of those things that can consume your life. Having had a mother with breast cancer and a father with prostate cancer and autoimmune hepatitis, I have faced the scary thought that my parents could have died, my mother before my high school graduation, and my father before my college graduation - twice. The important things in life are about being with people you love and respecting them and yourself!

3. I have an intense passion for life. When I find something that I enjoy, I take it and run with it. While sometimes this can make me become a little obsessed with projects, I’d prefer that to being apathetic any day!

4. I have a very loving nature. I love to give and receive hugs, small children delight me, and don’t get me started on pets, LOL! I’m a loving friend, and I’m always there when someone needs to talk.

5. In that same vein, I am a giver. I love to help my friends, I’m always there to cook a meal or run an errand. My friends tell me that my love language is Acts of Service, and they’re probably right.

6. I have an understanding for the importance of art. A lot of people get so bogged down in the day-to-day that they don’t take the time to stop and realize that life is beautiful, and it enhances our lives. Without art (in any form!) we lose perspective, and the monotony would cause us to go crazy!

7. I love theatre. I don’t know why I like this about myself, but I feel like theatre is just such a great way to communicate with people and convey different emotions and perspectives. You can express any idea through theatre, and it’s a great learning tool.

8. I want to be a mom. I feel like children are such a blessing, and my entire life I’ve had the desire to be a mother and wife. I’m glad I have that desire. I’m not so sure I’m cut out for a life without a family, LOL!

9. I love Christmas, and all that goes with it. So many people have become disillusioned with Christmas, both the religious and cultural elements, but it really can be a wonderful and joyful time of the year, a time to remember what came before and what we have now. And I’m glad I can see that!

10. I like my sense of drive. When I get a task or a goal that I am dedicated to, I will see it through to the end. I will commit to it and ensure that all bases are covered.

11. I’m very organized. Close friends who have seen my room will probably disagree, but I am. Everything has an organized system to it, and if you ask me where someone is, I will tell you in a heartbeat! My computer is also super organized, and it makes me way more productive.

12. I love my job. Working for MagicMouth is just so incredibly fulfilling and exciting, and while it’s scary to start something from scratch and be unsure of how you will do financially, I’m happy that I can be forward-thinking enough to be thrilled instead of terrified.

13. I love blogging, and that’s silly to be something that you love about yourself, but its true. I’ve always loved writing, but once I got into high school, I quit writing for pleasure because I had so much writing for school, and I never picked it back up. But now that I’m blogging, I’m slowly regaining my desire to write, and I hope to rewrite my novel sometime in the new future!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Leave me a comment and I’ll give you a shout out!

Man it’s been busy!

On Thursday, Matt arrived right after lunch, so I now have both of my roommates - YAY! Then, around 7, my parents, brother, and the puppies arrived. Bo spent the night at my apartment that night, and Mama and Daddy went on to thier hotel.

On Friday, Bo left eaaaaarly to go to Elon and move in. He was super excited, though he would NEVER have showed it, LOL! They were busy moving him in all day, and I stayed at home and helped Matt get settled. And that night was a theatre party.

On Saturday, I drove to Elon to see Bo’s room and go to the family picnic. It was so crowded - parking was a nightmare. But he seems to have all of his stuff ready to go, and he’s gettng along fine with his roommate and suitemates. After that, all the parents were supposed to leave, so Mama and Daddy headed back to Winston-Salem to my apartment. Mama got to hang out with the puppies while Daddy and I had an accounting lesson (good thing about a father who is a CPA - he can help you with your homework for business school). After they left, we had a bunch of people over for the NASCAR race, we went to a concert, then we came back to watch Alien (which I had never seen). Phew.

On Sunday, Mama and Daddy came to pick up the puppies (:-() and then they left to go back to Florida. In the apartment, we cleaned some, and then we had a business meeting for something called IBO (more on that in another post). Next - homework. Boo. Then I fixed supper for everyone, which was delicious because we had zipper peas that Mama brought me :-)!!! And after that, we had a much-needed business meeting for MagicMouth, and we have so many cool things in the works for this year! It’s just super exciting!!!

So now I’m exhausted, and it’s Monday, LOL!!! Oh well . . .

Bug did this meme last half hour . . . so of course I have to do it now, haha!

Are women who use birth control pills at an increased risk for breast cancer?
Studies have shown that taking birth control pills for five years or longer can slightly increase the risk for breast cancer. However, there is no apparent increase in a woman’s risk of breast cancer ten or more years after she has stopped using oral contraceptives.

Read more for the meme!

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