Credit check: Where to find free credit scores and credit reports

If getting a grip on your credit score is a New Year's resolution, there are several ways you can you check your score or credit report for free. Here's how:

FREE CREDIT SCORES

Credit card issuers Discover, Barclaycard and First Bankcard offer free FICO credit scores to cardholders on their statements or online. Citi is expected to offer the same to its credit card customers this month. And Sallie Mae offers FICO scores to some of its student loan customers. If you aren't sure whether your lender offers free scores, ask — more are offering the perk.

FREE CREDIT REPORTS

A free report from each of the credit reporting agencies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — is available once every 12 months at AnnualCreditReport.com.

BOTH FREE CREDIT SCORES AND REPORTS

CreditKarma.com, CreditSesame.com and Quizzle.com offer both scores and reports. So does Capital One, to its credit card holders on its website.