How Often Should You Check Your Credit Score? Never Wonder How Often to Check Your Credit Again!
Who else is wondering how often they should check their credit score? If you are anything like I was when I first got started learning about my credit, (and trying hard to fix it!) the very first question that comes to mind is how often do I need to CHECK my actual score to stay current? Does it change daily...
weekly, monthly or what? And how important is it to know at any given time what those 3 digits are? Any of this sound familiar? If it does...
we've written this article with YOU in mind! Continue reading as we take a closer look below! Filed Under: Your Credit Score Changes Frequently..
..
..
But they are typically NOT major changes...
or vast fluctuations, simply due to how the bureaus update and report information.
For the most part, the credit bureaus only update major information on a 30 day basis, when they are apprised of updates to your status from your creditors.
But, with that being said, credit scoring is a purely mathematical, predictive model of gauging risk! This means that there can be variations in your score as simple and seemingly subtle things shift and are WEIGHTED differently as time passes.
For example...
there are key benchmarks, from a time standpoint, that determine how dramatically a previous "negative" entry on your file will count against you today.
This is an evolving process that corresponds with the passage of time...
and small changes in the calendar can actually have significant changes in your credit score! (and resulting attractiveness to lenders who use it) Filed Under: My Rule of Thumb You should DEFINITELY check your score every 6 months, with my personal preference being far more frequently.
(90 days maximum..
...
every month is optimal for me) But, the other key component to deciding when (or if) to check your credit is based on your upcoming buying habits, or needs.
If you are about to apply for a new job, for example, checking your credit is crucial.
So too is insurance or even something small like a rental.
For bigger buying decisions like a house, or car..
...
you MUST check your credit score prior to applying, as NOT doing so is the sort of thing that leads to the disastrous credit meltdown we've just gone through as a country! People who DON'T know (and monitor or understand) their credit are far more likely to accept sub optimal loans, financing and "deals" that are NOT in their best interests...
and can become catastrophic for the country overall as well.
(as we've unfortunately all recently seen for sure)
weekly, monthly or what? And how important is it to know at any given time what those 3 digits are? Any of this sound familiar? If it does...
we've written this article with YOU in mind! Continue reading as we take a closer look below! Filed Under: Your Credit Score Changes Frequently..
..
..
But they are typically NOT major changes...
or vast fluctuations, simply due to how the bureaus update and report information.
For the most part, the credit bureaus only update major information on a 30 day basis, when they are apprised of updates to your status from your creditors.
But, with that being said, credit scoring is a purely mathematical, predictive model of gauging risk! This means that there can be variations in your score as simple and seemingly subtle things shift and are WEIGHTED differently as time passes.
For example...
there are key benchmarks, from a time standpoint, that determine how dramatically a previous "negative" entry on your file will count against you today.
This is an evolving process that corresponds with the passage of time...
and small changes in the calendar can actually have significant changes in your credit score! (and resulting attractiveness to lenders who use it) Filed Under: My Rule of Thumb You should DEFINITELY check your score every 6 months, with my personal preference being far more frequently.
(90 days maximum..
...
every month is optimal for me) But, the other key component to deciding when (or if) to check your credit is based on your upcoming buying habits, or needs.
If you are about to apply for a new job, for example, checking your credit is crucial.
So too is insurance or even something small like a rental.
For bigger buying decisions like a house, or car..
...
you MUST check your credit score prior to applying, as NOT doing so is the sort of thing that leads to the disastrous credit meltdown we've just gone through as a country! People who DON'T know (and monitor or understand) their credit are far more likely to accept sub optimal loans, financing and "deals" that are NOT in their best interests...
and can become catastrophic for the country overall as well.
(as we've unfortunately all recently seen for sure)
Source...