You probably already know that free credit reports are fairly simple to get. By law, you're entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three bureaus: TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax.
You can get those from annualcreditreport.com; just sign up to receive them, and you're done.
Getting your credit score for free is tougher to do, but it's information you need because it's used to determine loan approval, interest rates, and more.
Typically, credit scores have an additional fee tacked on to your credit report, but there are ways around paying for it.
More credit cards are offering that number at no charge, as a benefit to customers.
Doughroller.net says Discover, Barclays, and American Express customers could have access to their scores right now.
The website also names several other cards that offer free scores from FICO competitors, VantageScore and Creditwise.
If you don't have a credit card, nerdwallet.com says that if you have an eligible student loan from Sallie Mae or a car loan through Kia or Hyundai, you may qualify to get it for free from them.
Make sure to check with any companies where you have credit with them to see if they offer your score for free.
And if you're applying for a loan, check with of the three credit bureaus your lender is using and just pay for that score.
Remember, there could be big differences depending on which bureau is used.
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