1. Building and Keeping Good Credit Andrea Misiano Consumer Counseling Northwest

2. Where do you stand right now? How do you know what needs fixing if you don’t know what’s broken. Free Credit reports –How and when to pull –How to read them –How to dispute something

3. Credit Reports National Credit Reporting Agencies Trans Union Corp www.transunion.com National Disclosure Center 2 Baldwin Place P.O. Box 1000 Chester PA 19022 To order Report: 1-800-888-4213 Report Fraud: 1-800-680-7289 Experian www.experian.com Profile Maintenance 701 Experian Parkway PO Box 9588 Allen TX, 75013 To order Report: 1-888-397-3742 Report Fraud: 1-888-397-3742 Equifax www.equifax.com Credit Information Services PO Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30574 To order Report: 1-800-685-1111 To Report Fraud: 1-800-525-6285 Contact Number: 1-866-238-8067 Annual Credit Report www.transunion.com www.experian.com www.equifax.com

4. Other great resources www.annualcreditreport.com Annual Credit Report Request Service PO Box 105281 Atlanta, GA 30348-5281 To order Report: 1-877-322-8228www.annualcreditreport.com FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ID THEFT HOTLINE www.consumer.gov/idtheft 1-877-438-4338 IDENTITY THEFT RESOURCE CENTER Email: voices123@att.net www.idtheftcenter.org www.consumer.gov/idtheft www.idtheftcenter.org Send Mail to the helpdesk with questions or concerns about this website.helpdesk

5. The Financial Fruit Basket Apples – Unsecured credit. Credit cards, lines of credit, signature loans. You got this credit because you have an honest face. Oranges- Secured credit. House, auto and student loans. If you don’t pay, the item it was secured by will be taken back.

6. Clean your plate before you go get more fruit Settlements Debt management plans (DMP) Bankruptcy Repayment plans Garnishments 7 year golden rule

7. How to establish or re-establish good credit Ask local companies for credit –Credit Unions –Les Schwab Find a co-signer –“Hey Mom, you look great today, let’s talk” Get a secured credit card –It’s a pre-paid credit card –Use responsibly for a year or two/equity

8. But how do I rent with bad credit? 1 st figure out what you can afford……31% of your income. 2 nd Save up 4 times that amount, then start looking. 3 rd MONEY TALKS!! Offer to pay 2-3 months upfront. Pay extra for pets. 4 th Co-signer 5 th Stability – letter from boss saying how long you’ve worked there.

9. Budgeting is not a four-letter word Figure out what your weak areas are Put it in Black and White Practice for a few months to see what works for you and your style Track it If it’s too rigid, you will resent it, and it wont work

10. Add each area up, divide that number by your monthly net (take home) income. 35% - Housing (rent, mortgage, utilities, insurance, taxes, dues) 20% - Auto (car/truck payment, insurance, maintenance, tabs, gas, parking) 20% - Other (food, clothes, pets, haircuts, entertainment, etc) 15% - Debt (credit card debt) 10% - Savings (401k, 403b, under the mattress)

11. The American Dream? House and white picket fence? Debt up to your eyeballs? Keeping up with your buddies? “I deserve it, I work hard all week” “Hey, you can’t take it with you” Work hard, spend hard? Redefine YOURS!