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Step 1
Sign up for an account with creditkarma.com (see Resources below). This website is the best online resource for getting your free credit score. You can check it as often as you like. There is a chart to show whether your score is improving or declining over time. There are even tools to see where your score compares to those of others in your same geographic region and the nation.
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Step 2
Sign up for an account with annualcreditreport.com (see Resources below). This website allows you to get your credit report from three major reporting bureaus. You can get your report for free, and then your score can sometimes be added for free if you subscribe to a service that updates you about changes to your report.
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Step 3
Check your score quarterly at Credit Karma so that you can see if there are any major changes to your report that can increase or decrease your creditworthiness. Many consumers don't know that inquiries into your credit report can actually hurt you if they are done too often, so make sure to check your score (which accesses your report) and your actual report no more than once a quarter.
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Step 4
Apply for a secured credit card through a major financial institution. When applying for a secured credit card, you will use your own money to secure the line of credit. Banks will often provide you with your free credit score when you apply. Applications are easiest and fastest online. However, this option is not for those with credit problems because applying for additional credit will most likely result in denial and superfluous credit report inquiries.
You can find this anywhere online.
