Elections Today
- Pennsylvania
Recent Projections
| State | Candidate | Delegates |
|---|---|---|
 Donald Trump | ||
Pennsylvania |  Joe Biden |
Resolve to try these money-saving tactics in 2009
— -- The custom of making New Year's resolutions dates back more than 4,000 years, when the Babylonians started the year by returning borrowed farm equipment.
You could continue that tradition by resolving to return your neighbor's leaf blower. Or here's a better idea: Resolve to take some simple steps that will save you money. Some suggestions for 2009:
•Order your free credit reports. You're entitled to a free credit report every 12 months from each of the three major credit bureaus. You can order credit reports, either online or through the mail, at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Don't be misled by other websites purporting to offer free credit reports, says Evan Hendricks, author of Credit Scores and Credit Reports: How the System Really Works. These companies often require consumers to sign up for credit monitoring or other services — for a fee — to receive a credit report.
Checking your credit reports is critical this year, says John Ulzheimer, president of educational services for Credit.com. Interest rates on home mortgages and car loans have dropped to record lows, but you need spotless credit to qualify.
Once you receive your credit reports, review them carefully for omissions that could hurt your credit score. For example, if you've been making regular payments on a loan, and the loan doesn't appear on your reports, contact the lender, Ulzheimer says. Otherwise, "You're not getting credit for good credit management," he says. "These days, you need every good account on your credit report you can possibly muster."
If you find an error, such as an inaccurate account balance or an account that doesn't belong to you, contact the credit bureau. All three credit bureaus provide a way to dispute information on your report. Ulzheimer also recommends contacting the lender that supplied the inaccurate information.
And what about negative information that's accurate? "There's not a whole lot you can do except compensate by doing things right," Ulzheimer says. That means reducing your credit card balances and scrupulously paying your bills on time.
Related Stories
ABC News Live