Here at Habitat for Humanity we offer free Financial/Family Stability classes on Tuesday nights from 6:30-8pm at our office located on 2700 S. Wilson.  Now before you think to yourself, “I pay my bills on time and my family is stable, so that does not apply to me.”  You might be surprised at what you can learn at our classes.  Do you know how far back your credit report monitors your financial behavior? Seven to ten years.  Is it smart to close unused credit cards? Not usually.  Can your employer or prospective employer see your credit report? Yes, and if you will be handling their money you can be sure they will.  How many different types of credit reports are there? Three-TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.  Tomorrow night our class is about reading credit reports and correcting errors that appear on your report.  Despite commercials in recent years, most Americans still do not realize that they are entitled to a free credit report each year, or the importance of checking for errors.  It is important to monitor for errors because not only could that affect your ability to be approved for a loan, but will affect the amount of interest you pay.  If that is not reason enough to start checking your credit reports once a year, then maybe this next reason will be.  It is these reports can give you early warning signs that your identity has been stolen.  Think of identity theft as cancer.  If we have only learned one thing from cancer, it is that early detection is key.  The same applies to your credit score.  If you see that suddenly ten months ago several strange credit cards were opened in your name and are not being paid off you can act immediately to put a hold on your information and to stop the charges.  However, if you never pull your credit report and ten years later when you are trying to buy a new home find out that your identity has been stolen, your credit has been already ruined.   Are you interested in your credit report now?  Remember you are entitled on a free credit report every year, and the best site to use www.annualcreditreport.com.  This site will give you access to all three different reports and is completely free.  If you are interested in attending our class tomorrow please call and reserve your spot.  Our phone number is 383-3456.  Oh, and do not forget to bring a copy of your credit report so you can apply what you learn.

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