How To Get Your Free Annual Credit Report

By MoneyBlueBook

I'm thinking of a number...between 450 and 850. Do you know what it is? It's my credit score, and it happens to be be 720.

Ok, my credit score is actually 750, but I'm sure you've heard that commercial before from freecreditreport.com. It's the one where the guy is sitting on a producer's chair talking about his credit score in front of a plasma tv. Well I'm here to warn you not to fall for their slick advertising. Their marketing technique is very clever but seemingly misleading. The free credit reports they offer are not truly free as most people would understand it. You have to enroll in their credit monitoring trial program to obtain your complimentary report. If you don't cancel within the trial period, you will be charged.

AnnualCreditReport.com is the Only Official Free Credit Report Site

There is only one truly free way to obtain your credit report, and that is through AnnualCreditReport. There are numerous sites out there that claim to offer "free credit reports", "free credit scores", or "free credit monitoring" but none of them are part of the legally mandated and official free annual credit report program. In most cases, the so-called credit report product comes with strings attached.

By law everyone is entitled to a free copy of their credit report from the three major credit agencies, Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian, upon request once every 12 months. These credit reports usually cost upwards of $10 each. It's a good idea to keep tabs on your credit report and

By MoneyBlueBook

After spending some time on the sidelines, I think it's time for me to get back into the whole 0% balance transfer game, also known in some circles as the App-O-Rama (insert ominous lightning and thunder crack). 8O

The App-O-Rama Game - What Is It?

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, the App-O-Rama (more formally known as credit card arbitrage or balance transfer arbitrage) is a way to generate money through the calculated use of interest free credit card balance transfers. The process operates by you opening numerous credit cards that offer special introductory 0% APR balance transfer rates. The introductory period is often up to a year long, during which time you deposit the balance transfer funds into a high yield savings bank account. Essentially you are making money from borrowed money for an extended period of time. At the end of the introductory period, you promptly pay everything back in full and you pocket the savings interest as profit.

The process requires prior preparation and may be difficult for some people to automate and pull off without a hitch. Participation is certain to negatively affect your credit score in the short term and there are also many hidden dangers as well so it's certainly not suitable for some people. It is definitely not recommended for those people who need to maintain excellent credit because they are planning on buying a new house or car in the next 12 months. It is also not recommended for those who are disorganized or

By MoneyBlueBook

This is my first entry about my student loans. For starters, I think I am very lucky compared to some people. As of today, I only have about $30,000 in student loans left from my college and graduate school days. Aside from the prestige or other benefits of attending more expensive private schools, I feel fortunate to have stuck with more affordable state schools for my undergraduate and graduate education. As a result, I'm not living a life of student loan servitude like many of the people I am reading about in the news, and personally am in no particular rush or hurry to quickly pay off my student loans.

Student Loan Debt Is A Massive Burden To Many

Student loans never go away and can't even be discharged through bankruptcy. The student loan creditors will essentially come after you until you eventually pay it off, a sobering reality that many students don't fully comprehend or realize until they've graduated. I truly sympathize with their burden and know how much of a shackle it can be. I have friends who graduated from law school and medical school carrying tremendous six figure student loans. Even with their advanced degree education, in today's market, there is no easy guarantee that they will have a breezy way of paying it off.

But I Am Taking My Time Paying Off My Loans Thanks To Low Interest Consolidation

I am fortunate to have consolidated my student loans at the lowest rate seen in the last decade or so. I