A couple weekends ago as I was sifting through a stack of mail I came across an envelope from American Express. I could barely contain myself as I read and reread the enclosed letter that said I had a balance of zero! Five years ago I owed American Express $8,000. (Because of a confusing debt management program I had not known exactly how close I was to paying this off.)

I wanted to celebrate. After several squeals, an excited text message or two (and, okay, an overly-exuberant leap off my bed), I made myself a celebratory omelet and, believe it or not, decided to find out my credit score. I had checked credit reports over the years, but not with any sort of consistency, and I had never looked into my credit score. With the news from American Express, I thought maybe the number wouldn’t be as bad as I had earlier feared.

I wasn’t sure how to find my credit score at first but it occurred to me to read up on the subject on this site because I work with the team that helped create it. I checked under the “Borrow” tab of the “Financial FAQ” section. There the editors recommend visiting myFICO.com. So I logged on, paid $15 on my debit card and… voila! my score appeared on the screen, along with a detailed report.

I wasn’t thrilled with the number, to be honest—let’s just say it makes me a less-than-prime lending candidate—but, importantly, I discovered the report has half a dozen inaccuracies. For instance, I never worked for Citigroup! To my delight, myFICO.com makes the dispute process very easy. You can simply click on any details you’d like to challenge and the site generates a form letter explaining the incorrect facts.

I printed out the letter, mailed it off and am now anxiously awaiting a reply. I wonder if my score could just go up in response to my letter or if it could prompt follow-up requiring more proof. That’s the kind of thing that typically takes me months to get around to.

I also keep coming up with more questions about my finances. Now that I’ve rid myself of a big chunk of my debt, should I try to start saving? Is an emergency fund more important than longer-term savings? And, if so, how much should I contribute to one? Or should I just continue chipping away at the $10,000 I still owe and channel all the money I can there? (I got the news from American Express before I wrote my first journal entry so my total outstanding debt remains the same as last week.) I’ll update you as soon as I find out some answers – or any news about my credit report. Talk soon!