You don’t need to clip coupons or buy 2 for the price of 1 to score these freebies for your finances. Here’s five no-brainer, free tools to help you be as savvy managing your money as you are with spending it.
1) FREE credit report. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com, a government-mandated website that entitles you to get one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit bureaus. Get one every four months so you can regularly check your credit report, which records your credit history, to make sure there are no mistakes, inaccuracies, or unfamiliar accounts that could devastate your credit health.
2) FREE credit score. Your credit score is like a 3-digit summary of the health of your credit, and can affect your chances of getting a loan, credit card, apartment, even a new job. Credit Karma is a free site that lets you update your credit score daily, straight from TransUnion credit bureau. It’s important to keep track of changes in your credit score to monitor any ups and downs in your credit health. Plus, Credit Karma offers tons of additional credit tools and educational resources, also totally for free.
3) FREE money management software. You don’t need to hire a fancy financial professional to manage your money well; free sites like Bundle, Mint, and Moneystrands easily and securely aggregate your financial accounts to one place to track how much you spend and where. Having a big picture look of your money situation can help you drill down and figure out what areas you can save more.
4) FREE checking account. Free checking accounts are becoming increasingly scarce as more big banks, including Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America, slap monthly maintenance fees and charges to their checking accounts. While most banks are taking away free checking, count on most credit unions to offer truly free checking accounts. If you’re sick of paying your bank in fees, consider switching to a credit union.
5) FREE cash. Scoring a new credit card has never felt so good, as issuers bumped up some great bonuses for cashback cards. Chase Freedom Visa, with no annual fee, offers a limited-time $150 cash bonus, and Discover More, with no annual fee, has a $50 cash bonus. However, if you are considering a new credit card, make sure you manage it wisely without carrying debt month to month; you’ll end up negating your cash bonus with interest charges if you aren’t careful with your credit.
There’s one last, not-to-miss freebie every cost-conscious consumer should take advantage of, recommends Justine Rivero, the Credit Advisor at Credit Karma.
Make sure you get your hands on every FREE financial resource offered by your current bank, credit card issuer, or credit union. Nearly every financial institution offers free online tools, articles, calculators, and even workshops or seminars on money management. It’s an effortless, cost-free way to get tips on managing your money to save you even more.
Justine Rivero is the Credit Advisor and resident Credit Rockstar for Credit Karma, the pro-consumer credit advocate. The site helps more than 2.4 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score.
Credit Karma™ is a completely free credit management service that provides free credit scores, personalized savings recommendations, and financial education. We believe free access to one’s credit score is a fundamental consumer right. Credit Karma helps more than 2.4 million consumers realize the everyday cost savings of having a good credit score. Visit us at www.creditkarma.com.
Source: Credit Karma
Pingback: Sweeties Weekly Sweepstakes Roundup (Last Updated 5/7/11) : Sweeties Sweeps