The Single Woman's Survival Manual: the Free Credit Report (cont.)
Contributed by Alix Mcmurray
However, in all other cases, obtaining your free credit report usually requires signing yourself up for a 30-day trial period for a package of services. There is also some variation among the three bureaus with regard to what you can look at online once you've signed up. Some hold back the entire report, others just hold back your overall credit score, unless or until you upgrade to the next level of services.
Peace of Mind in a Package: Other Services Included with a Free Credit Report
Each of the three major credit bureaus have credit monitoring businesses as subsidiaries or affiliates. These credit monitoring companies vary in terms of how they package your credit profile information. Some give you all three bureaus' profiles in an "easy-to-read" format, all for one flat rate. Some offer "instant online access" to your updated profile, with email alerts of any referencing activity to your account.
Some offer "identity theft protection" which consists of separate highlighting, verifying, and disputing options for each section of your report. As with any reading material, it's a personal choice how you like yours organized, illustrated and indexed. There are plenty of options out there to personalize your own person "survival manual."
