As of today, people in my part of the country (the South) can get one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus. Resident of Western states have had this privilege since December 1, 2004, whereas Midwesterners joined the fun in March. If you live in the East, you’ll have to wait until September 1. Simply go to annualcreditreport.com to claim your free credit report(s). You might consider getting just one at a time, rather than all three at once. This would allow you to check your credit (using a different bureau each time) every four months, thereby allowing you to keep an eye on your financial well-being without paying a dime.