It can be pretty useful to check your credit score regularly, as it reflects your financial behaviour and can impact your ability to access credit or get better interest rates. By checking your score, you can monitor for any changes, errors, or fraudulent activity and take the necessary steps to improve it if needed. Knowledge is king, right?
Some banks or credit card issuers will provide you with your credit file, but perhaps the more popular option is to use a credit reference agency (CRA) like Equifax, Experian, or TransUnion. Each of the main three CRAs listed calculate credit score slightly differently and use different scales, but they are all totally valid. You can also check your score for free through comparison websites such as Finder.
Regardless of the method you choose, it's important to provide up-to-date and accurate personal details to confirm your identity and financial history.
What Information Will You Need to Provide?
To confirm your identity and access your credit report, you'll typically need to provide some personal and financial information. Personal details might include your full name, date of birth, and current address, while financial information could include account numbers, dates you opened accounts, and current balances of your bank accounts, credit cards, and loans.
It's important to have all your relevant paperwork or online account details handy when checking your credit score to make the process run smoothly. It can be a pretty painless process once you get into the swing of things.
Hard vs Soft Credit Checks
It's important to know that when you check your own credit score, this is considered a "soft inquiry" and won't have any negative impact on your credit rating. However, if you apply for credit and a lender performs a "hard inquiry" on your credit report, this can have a temporary impact on your score.
With Yonder, you can find out whether you’re eligible to sign up for a card by submitting your information to us and we’ll perform a soft check - no impact on your credit score. If you decide to proceed with the application beyond this step, we will need to perform a hard check and this could be logged on your credit history and have a temporary impact on your overall credit score.
How Often Should I Check My Credit Score?
Regularly checking your credit score is essential, as it's a dynamic number that changes based on your financial management. While a yearly check is recommended, checking it monthly or even weekly, similar to your bank statements or utility bills, can be highly beneficial if you're serious about building up your credit score and taking control of your finances.
The good news is that you can check your credit score as often as you'd like without it affecting your rating. So go ahead and stay on top of things by checking it frequently!
Remember, a good credit score opens up opportunities for credit, insurance, renting, and even employment. By keeping an eye on your score, you'll have a better understanding of your financial health and be empowered to make informed decisions for your future.
Check Your Eligibility for a Yonder Credit Card Today
Want to elevate your credit game? Click the 'see if I'm eligible' button at the top of the page and find out if you qualify for a Yonder credit card. It's quick, easy, and we'll only ask a few simple questions to determine if you meet the requirements.
And the best part?
Yonder has loads of awesome ways to earn and redeem points, making it the perfect choice for boosting your credit score and laying the groundwork for a successful financial future.