How do you get these histories? There’s a single federal site where you apply: www.annualcreditreport.com. There’s also a toll-free number: 877-322-8228. If you approach the three major credit bureaus directly, i.e. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, there’s a chance you will be asked to pay. If you go to any other website, you will almost certainly be asked to pay to get your “free” reports. Use the federal site only to avoid problems. When you log on to the site, be prepared with your name, address, date of birth and social security number. You will also be asked for some other information only you would be expected to know, e.g. the amount you paid as the last mortgage instalment. Assuming you pass through the security system without problem, you will be give immediate access to your report. If you use the telephone system or write them a letter, expect to wait two more more weeks for a hard copy of the report to arrive.

If you find a mistake on your free credit report that affects your credit scores, you should act immediately. Write to the credit bureau and the reporting agency that filed the incorrect information using certified mail with return receipt requested, and explain in detail why the credit report is wrong. Send copies of the relevant bills, statements, cancelled checks and receipts – hopefully, you are well organized and have been keeping all these original documents and records in a safe place. If you are writing to report a case of identity theft with someone opening an account or falsely using your credit cards, make a police report and send a copy of that report to the bank, credit card company, etc. The bureau and reporting agency have thirty days to reply with the results of their investigation. If they agree with you, the information will be corrected. If they disagree, they must given reasons. In this way, you can ensure that all the information about you is both complete and accurate. With your records accurate, your FICO scores should improve.

So what was going wrong? The most common problem was related to the quality of the information on file. People would submit their personal details and be rejected because their “real” information did not match the “data” on file. Access by the public was set up through a security system that assumed the data on file was always right. Big mistake. The quality of data is only as good as all the people who input it. So although we can applaud a security system that protects us from scammers trying to pass themselves off as us, there has to be a fallback position that allows people to have this faulty data corrected. The second problem was ironic. The security system was set up to ensure that people only got free reports when they were due. So if the scammers got in first, the real people were refused access because “they” had already received their annual report. Very reassuring.

So how do you get your free credit report? Well, avoid all the scam internet sites that appear to be offering your “free” reports but actually charge you through the backdoor. There are hundreds of look-alike sites that try to deceive consumers. Never sign up for any service that asks you for money. The official site runs under the URL www.AnnualCreditReport.com. There’s also a toll free telephone line – (877) 322-8228 – and a real-world address – Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Most of the early problems have now been solved allowing people easier access to their report. So what do you get after you have jumped through all the hoops? You get your credit history. That’s all the transactions recorded against your name by your creditors. You do not get your credit scores. The reason for this is simple. Every lender has a different formula for working out whether you are a “good” credit risk. Getting one bureau’s calculation is no guarantee of how the others will do the math. So work through the credit report and protect your interests.

Similarly, it’s easy to say that food on the table meets a need and you spend what it takes to keep the family from starvation. Except, of course, that’s an exaggeration. The majority of us eat a lot, and eating smaller portions is not only saving dollars, it’s also avoiding diabetes and heart disease. So the first question is where do we shop? Habit can take us to the same store every time. This can be costing us a lot of extra dollars. Shopping at local stores can save on gas but how do the prices compare? Look for stores where the grocery bill is always going to be cheaper overall. Then plan so that you can buy in quantity. If you prefer national brands, look for clip-out coupons or buy store brands or generics which are always cheaper. Never buy sale items unless you can store them or use them quickly.

It’s the same with clothes. It’s no longer cost-effective to work on a throwaway basis. Give up following fashion. Buy clothes of sufficient quality that will last and mix-and-match. You want a versatile wardrobe that makes a little go a long way. The other given is to avoid “false economies”. Often, you can buy something cheap only to find it falls to pieces after a week or so of everyday use. Buying quality is the best money saving tip for clothes. Now apply this general rule across the board. Plan ahead so you can always make the best value-for-money buy. That means spending a little time on the internet, searching out which brands give the biggest bang for the buck. Whatever you need to buy, there’s usually something of reasonable quality at a good price at a store near you. If you have to buy sight-unseen over the internet, always check the terms and conditions to make sure you can return the goods if they prove defective. Money saving through comparison shopping is the answer to budget control.

So where to start? The first step is to remember the difference between wants and needs. We all need a roof over our heads, food to eat, clothes on our backs and some way of getting around. Everything else is a “want”, a potential luxury we could probably do without. Two years ago, we might have played catch up with the neighbors, always looking to buy the biggest and best. Now we have to ask the hard questions. When it comes to transport, for example, we probably need a car – public transport in most cities is poor and once you get out into the suburbs and exurbs, personal transport is almost certainly a “need”. But we can make do with the current car for years so long as we spend the money on maintenance and repair. There’s no need to run out and buy the latest sport utility. All that does is bust the budget when uncertainty over jobs is at its highest.

So let’s start with a simple set of money saving tips. If you can do without, don’t buy it. If it’s a “need”, try borrowing when you do need it or buy second-hand. Looking around the neighborhood, there are likely to be garage sales as people try to pull in a few dollars to help pay the bills. Now’s the time to start looking for the things you do need at never-to-be-repeated prices. If there’s no choice and you have to buy new, always remember the price you pay for a big-name brand covers the cost of all the advertising and marketing to keep the name fresh in your mind. There are always cheaper alternatives. Often these alternatives are just as good (if not better) than the branded goods. Finally, always try to pay cash for what you buy. If there’s no choice, always put the buys on the cards with the lowest rate of interest. When it comes to keeping your budget under control, look out for more money saving tips on this site.