Check Your Credit Report Often to Head off Major Issues

There are a million reasons why you probably don't want to take the time to get a credit check on a regular basis. You don't understand what the reports say. You don't have the time to do it and it takes forever to read through all the data those things contain. You want to go out to a movie instead. The list could go on forever. One thing that might change how you feel about checking your credit report: taking the time now will be less painstaking than if you do it when it's too late.

Better safe than sorry

The old adage is especially true when it comes to checking your free credit report. A simple credit checks can not only get an important financial and personal security task out of the way but it can also help you in ways you may have never imagined. We all could use a little help, especially when it comes to a credit score check, right?

Reasons to do a credit check now

There are a variety of reasons why you should get a credit check regular. A few of the most important are:

• To have forewarning of its contents - There are few things more embarrassing than being denied credit when you were sure you would be approved. This happens frequently in the middle of retail stores and financial institutions to people who do not do a credit score check on a regular basis. If they had done their pre-application homework, they could have found out what their credit reports said before they were standing in the middle of a store with a boat at the register they couldn't get the credit to buy.

This is also helpful when you are applying for a job. It's good to know what employers will see if they do a credit check on you as a part of the employment process. When you know what's there, you can provide a well thought out explanation if asked.

• Check for identity theft -Sometimes there is no way for you to know you have been the victim of identity theft until you get a credit check. Identity thieves don't tend to run in the same circles as you do, so if they have found an in to victimizing you and your credit, they're likely making purchases at the pricey stores you avoid because you want to be responsible with your credit.

You probably won't know about the jewelry or vacation your credit paid for until you see it on your credit report. If you make this realization too late, you may not be able to do anything about it, except regret that the identity thief is having a better time with your credit than you are.

Verify information to spot and remove errors - According to a recent study, as many as 25% of consumers have errors on their credit report that may affect their ability to obtain more credit. Some of these errors might seem like no big deal, but do you really want your credit report carrying the debt balances for someone with a similar name who isn't you? How will you know the information is on your credit report in the first place, so you can contact the credit bureau to have it removed? By checking your credit.

• Reality check on

debt - You may not have a clear picture of how much debt you really have on your credit report until you see it in black and white. Maybe you thought you owed $10,000 more on your student loans than you really do. Wouldn't that be a pleasant surprise? Or perhaps you've been going overboard using your credit cards and you had no idea how much you actually owe because you just pay the bill every month.Either way, the more knowledge you have, the better for you in getting a handle on your credit situation.

A little time now, fewer worries later

Spending the time to check your credit regularly probably doesn't seem like a bad idea anymore. Maybe you should do it right now, in fact. Just remember: checking your credit report now won't hurt you but waiting too long to do so just might.

Author is a writer and writing for finance related topics across the web.