Credit or not to credit that is the question.....

I know that everyone has had times in their life where there bank account looks as if it has become anorexic. Our stock market account has continued to purge itself lately and our bank account seems to really need a good "meal". The kind of work we do it can really be feast or famine. During our economic challenges we've come through pretty unscathed. Friends all around us are being denied loans because of the economy and what it's done to the banks line of credit. It seems that you would have to have almost perfect credit, great assets, and large down payments just for them to look at your application seriously. Who has that? We as a nation have become dependent on credit. My husband and I have been credit dependent most our life except for the last two years. Now, we do have a few things paying with credit but that's just to keep our credit scores on the map and rising. That FICO score seems to be everything nowadays. My husband and I have learned the hard way that having credit is nice but it should not be a crutch. I highly suggest to anyone that you get your credit report every year and review what's in it to ensure it's correct. Definitely know your credit scores from all three bureaus before going to get a loan. Do your homework first so you don't get schooled! You can get a free credit report by going to https://www.annualcreditreport.com/. If you want your scores you will have to pay a nominal fee. Shop around though. Some places can charge an arm and a leg for your scores or sign you up for credit reporting which can cost you a fee every month. You will have to have a credit card to get your scores but some sites have addresses that you can send in a payment to get your score by mail. Be informed and don't get caught with the deer in the headlights look. Most banks will not give loans if your score is under 620 and you've claimed bankruptcy within the last two years. Check around before you commit. Each hit on your credit report will be another point off your score. Pay your bills on time, don't cancel cards pay them off, clear up old debts, and all this will increase your scores. It takes time, patience, and persistence to keep your head above water. Don't let the sharks circle you.