New Year New Shutdown

I can't be the only one still feeling the sting from the last shutdown, right? Yet, here we are again. My husband is active duty, and I work in civil service, so both of us get our paychecks from the government, making things like this very concerning for families like mine. If neither one of us is getting paid, what do we do? That is part of the reason I write this blog, for those of you like us who need someone who understands. I can't get the government to reopen, but I can offer one tangible idea for your financial life. Order your credit reports. There are three major credit reporting companies:

Experian: Manage Your Credit and Save on Loans, Credit Cards, Car Insurance, and More, Free Credit Score, Report, Monitoring & Alerts

TransUnion,

and Equifax | Credit Bureau | Check Your Credit

All of these are required to provide you with a copy of your credit report once per year. A good habit to form is to start ordering one every four months.

Additionally, you may consider placing a freeze on your credit if you do not plan to open any new lines soon. This will provide you protection from others who may want to take out credit in your name. It only takes a few minutes, and once you have done it with one, they share the request with the other credit bureaus. You will have to unfreeze your credit if you want to take out a loan in the future. This minor inconvenience is well worth it if it prevents a fraudulent charge from being made in your name.