Take control of your identity and better protect it from identity theft threats, data breaches and fraud.

If you want to borrow money from the bank but find out that your credit score is not that good, you won’t be able to get an approval unless you are willing to pay this back at a high interest rate but this can change if you are able to improve your credit score.

Here are ten tips that will help you get started.

First, stop spending money on things that you don’t really need. These include clothes, shoes, jewelry, CD’s, toys, a trip to the parlor, the spa or salon. You will miss them for awhile but when things get better, you can surely enjoy them again.

Most of us use the credit card to pay for just about anything and part of cutting on your expenses means putting limits where you can use it. This should only be used to buy food and groceries as there are things that we need daily.

Reduce the number of long distance calls that you make. If possible, cancel your service provider and get one that gives better rates. The same goes with cell phones since some companies charge lower for air time or allow you to make free calls at certain times of the day.

Your utility bills come during the end of the month so that is another thing to worry about aside from the card bills. To lessen the amount you have to pay, conserve so you don’t use that much by lowering your thermostat during the winter and raising during the summer as well as turning off the lights when no one is in the room.

To come up with the money you need to improve your credit score, try working overtime, getting a second job if it is possible and sell stuff that you don’t need. Keeping yourself will really help so you are not tempted to spend your hard earned cash.

When it comes to your credit card, pay the one that has the highest interest first then work your way down the line.

Strike a deal with creditors so that they are aware of what is happening because this gesture helps improve your credit score.

As things pick up, close your unused accounts especially the newer ones. You can also apply for a new credit card preferably those offered by groceries and supermarkets as they offer lower interest rates than those coming from banks.

Also, review your credit report and see if there are any errors. Most of the time, there is one or two there that can be corrected as long as you have the supporting documents. If the investigation shows that there was an error or that the creditor cannot prove their allegations, this is immediately removed from your record and you get a revised copy with these corrections.

Improving your credit score is something you have to do if you score is below 700. Doing so will allow you to have better rates from banks and other lending institutions when you want to buy a house, a car or undergo a renovation at home.

So for those who are in trouble, there is still hope. You just have to make some sacrifices that will eventually pay off in the long term. For those who are in good standing, keep up the good work or make it even higher.

A review of the TrustedID credit monitoring service

TrustedID Review: How Does it Compare?

TrustedID is a company based in Palo Alto, California, that offers identity theft protection services for both individuals and businesses. The company has a robust set of services to provide a well-rounded identity theft prevention and response solution.

Your identity doesn’t stop being your identity outside of your credit report, your Social Security number, and your financial accounts. Your identity is also on the internet through social media and social networking sites, and TrustedID can help to repair your online reputation if it has been stolen and mismanaged. Employers are more and more often checking social networking websites on all potential employees, and a stolen identity that has been abused online can not only hurt your finances directly… but it can also prevent you from getting that key position or key promotion that you are striving toward.

TrustedID Monitors All the Sources

TrustedID was voted the best identity theft protection agency in 2011 because it monitors all the sources of information that identity thieves utilize to steal what you have. This includes credit card usage, credit monitoring, monitoring your Social Security number, and even bank account number scanning. Name and address scanning are also included in the TrustedID plans because an easy way for thieves to get your information is to file a simple form with the Post Office.

With IDEssentials, you get your Identity Threat Score so that you know where your current exposure risks are and what things that you can do to make sure that you can protect yourself better. With access to billions of public and private databases, you’ll know for certain if you already are… or are about to become a victim of identity theft. This even includes databases that contain information about your medical benefits!

TrustedID can also monitor your business’s data for breaches of information.The TrustedID Alert System.

With TrustedID’s CreditLock, you can quickly freeze your credit report and open it as you need to so that the three major credit bureaus cannot release your credit information to any third parties without your expressed permission.. The incidence of identity theft is something that requires decisive and timely action and CreditLock provides exactly the conduit to make that happen. There is no limit to the amount of times you can lock and unlock your credit report, but this is only available through the IDFreeze program.

Fraud alerts can be placed on your credit reports if you believe that you are at risk of having your identity stolen. This lets third party lenders know that the information an applicant may be providing them is invalid, giving you another level of protection when it comes to your identity.

When new information is added to your credit reports or your identification profile, TrustedID sends you an e-mail so that you can confirm that the information is accurate. If not, you simply call an On-Call Protection Specialist to begin the process of eliminating the inaccurate information and stopping theft or fraud before it begins. You also receive daily updates regarding your identification information so that you know every single day whether or not your identity is safe.

Recovery AssistanceTrusted

ID offers members a $1 million service warranty should identity theft happen to them while covered by a membership plan. This includes up to $5,000 in lost wages or the equivalent of a month’s wages, whichever is lesser, and any general expenses and legal fees that it may take to restore your identity. You also receive a comprehensive informational package regarding the resolution process, what steps you may need to take, and the steps that TrustedID will take to help you restore your identity.

TrustedID offers an enhanced data breach response service known as IDAssure for businesses. Rendering breached data useless is another way to take decisive and timely action rather than exhaust resources in an extensive recovery effort, and this is how TrustedID protect yours data effectively.

It’s Easy to Use TrustedID

Signing up for TrustedID is easy. Simply choose whether you want a family plan to protect your entire family or an individual plan to protect yourself. Once TrustedID has your information, it can take up to 7 business days to be fully protected. Once that happens, you have full access to the information about your identity that you need from an easy interface. If you ever suspect someone may be trying to steal your identity, you can also call an On-Call Specialist at any time of day.

What Do You Get with a TrustedID Membership?

TrustedID offers members a host of additional features and benefits that come standard with every paid protection program. Lost wallet protection helps you recover from losing your wallet. Anti-spyware and anti-phishing software keeps your computer data safe. Junk mail reduction cuts out the pre-approved credit offers most people receive. And TrustedID provides medical benefits protection too.

Pricing & Value

IDEssentials is the protection package that you receive through TrustedID. An individual plan is $125/year, while a complete family plan of protection is $250/year. It should be noted that there are no monthly payment installment plans – these are billed on a yearly basis. You also receive a 14 day trial of TrustedID services with the purchase of any plan which you can cancel within the trial period for a full refund. If you find that after 3 months of service with TrustedID that you are not satisfied with their services, you can call to receive a prorated refund.

CreditLock is a part of the IDFreeze program. To have your credit reports frozen, it will cost you a one time fee of $44.95 that repeats for every time you need to have them frozen. To have your credit reports unfrozen is a one time fee of $39.95. This fee applies any time you need your credit reports locked or unlocked.

Data Breach Response Services for businesses are provided by quotes only. If you would like to contact TrustedID for a data breach quote, you can contact them through this link.

Protect Your Credit Today

TrustedID can help you to have faith in your identification once again. With supports that cover everything from social networking to your unique credit profile, you can rest assured that TrustedID has all of your identification information properly monitored. Highly affordable from both the individualistic and the family perspective, you can get the coverage you and even your family needs without having to worry about meeting your other financial obligations. Protect yourself today with TrustedID and you won’t have to have another worry about your identity again.