Read MNers reviews of TotallyMoney & find out how to improve your credit score

[EmmaMumsnet]

We recruited Mumsnet users to test out free credit report provider TotallyMoney Testers signed up to TotallyMoney to find out their credit score and look at what has affected it over the years. They then browsed the TotallyMoney site to see credit cards, loans, and mortgages they could be accepted for based on their credit score, as well as tips on how to improve their credit score.

Here’s what TotallyMoney has to say: “TotallyMoney is a Free Credit Report provider, which aims to make consumer credit fairer and more transparent by giving customers the information they need to make the right choices.

Until recently, our customers didn't really know why their credit score changed, meaning they had little idea of what they could do to make it better. What's more, our customers didn't know whether they were eligible for a credit product: their only option was to apply and hope they would be accepted. This was a problem, because being rejected for credit can make it much harder to get accepted for credit in the future.

Now, thanks to our Free Credit Report, that’s a thing of the past. Your Free Credit Report lets you track your credit score and gives you reasons why your credit score has changed, so you know what you need to do to improve it. Your Free Credit Report also comes with Borrowing Power: one number to show the best offers for your credit profile — offers you're most likely to get accepted for, helping reduce your chances of being rejected.

But, why else should you sign up to TotallyMoney? TotallyMoney is free and always will be — and 97%* of customers would recommend us to improve their credit score. Our service is easy to use and understand, we’re the highest rated Free Credit Report provider on Trustpilot, and we're Moneynet’s Best Credit Report Provider 2018.”

If you’d like to find out your credit score and how to improve it click here to sign up to TotallyMoney.

All selected testers who leave their feedback on this thread will receive a £10 voucher of their choice (from a list) for taking part AND will be entered into a prize draw to win one of three £100 vouchers.

Testers please answer the following questions:

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
• How did you find the sign-up process?
• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?
• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?
• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?
• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Terms and conditions apply

*Based on a Feb–March 2018 survey of 958 respondents.

- How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
Overall good - clear and easy to read, I liked the display showing all debt in one place (card/loan/mortgage) and how much had been paid last month.
- How did you find the sign-up process?
Relatively easy - although when it asked for a credit card I'd applied for x years ago I struggled to remember which it was, luckily the second and final security question choices were a little easier!
- Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?
I like knowing how my credit history is seen by finance providers, in case I need to borrow, and I like being able to check my report in case of fraud.

- What did you think of your Borrowing Power?
Useful to know how my credit worthiness is perceived.
- How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?
Perhaps it was because my credit score was only 6/10 (I have only just taken out a mortgage and still have a few payments left on my car loan, would expect it to be low for a while), but the recommended providers all seemed to be companies I'd never heard of. I did wonder if these were linked to the Total Money site in terms of advertising.
- How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?
For me not a great deal as I have always kept an eye on what I earn and owe, and have used credit check sites before. This one is a nicer looking format than the other site I have used.

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

Very positive. The site was very easy to use.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Fairly quick and easy and they found me very quickly.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

Very quick and easy calculation of the credit report which was most useful.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

This was the one problem - apparently my validation didn’t work although I thought I answered the questions correctly.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

I didn’t get any because they couldn’t find my borrowing power.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I’ve got a more precise idea if my credit rating.

1. How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

I found it very easy to use, very user oriented. However after perusing the site, I was logged out and haven’t been able to log back in. It won’t recognise my details when I sign in and when I try to reset my password, a pop up window said to follow the instructions on the email that they sent but this never arrived which is disappointing.

1. How did you find the sign up process?

Started off very simple with ample warning of only having two chances to pass the ID verification. I failed the first attempt at verifying my ID although I’m not sure why, but luckily passed the second. I suppose it’s reassuring that even I couldn’t guess my details correctly

1. Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I liked it that the credit searches on my file were broken into hard and soft searches, I don’t recall seeing this on similar credit report sites. I found the acceptance rate for credit cards of other users with similar profiles very useful and gives me confidence to work at building up my credit score.

1. What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

Better than I expected. I found this element of the site very useful.

1. How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products?

Excellent. Seemed to be tailored towards my particular needs.

1. How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

Better than I thought it was!

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

It was interesting, and informative. I can see it’s usefulness if you’re looking to apply for credit.
I liked the design of the site.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Pretty straightforward. Nothing you wouldn’t expect to be asked. Was quick and painless.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I liked the dashboard for an at a glance result.
I found it interesting that I’m still financially tied to my stbxh who left over 2 years ago. I live in a different house to our marital home and he’s never even set foot in the door.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

I’m not in need of a loan or credit card at present but I’ll definitely check back if/when I am. I liked the way it was easy to read without needing lots of detail. And a percentage likelihood is useful to avoid applying for something you’ve no chance of being approved for and having a hard check on your file.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

I think it would be useful in addition to other comparison sites. But it seemed that it was promoting specific lenders. Perhaps that’s down to my rating but it seemed a rather narrow spread.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I saw a few checks that I didn’t recognise. Presumably from when I was looking for car insurance (given the date of the searches) and there must be someone with the same name too.
I will be using the “raise a dispute” function to remove my stbxh from my credit record. I believe he has applied for a lot of credit since our split and I do not want to be tied to his spending habits.

The site is so easy to use! And as others have commented I found things I’d forgotten I’d had!!
Signing up was easy, for some reason it wouldn’t accept my landline? But once I used mobile number, I was signed up in seconds.
Easy site to navigate, clear links and easy to understand.
Totally surprised at my borrowing power, (mine was affected by husbands poor choices in his first marriage!) as we’ve been working very hard to get it back up!
Glad to see there weren’t any unexpected searches on my file too, as I said been keeping away from credit to build the score back up 😊
Looked at the sections on cards, loans and mortgages and when the time is right we may explore further.
According to my report I’m closer to getting a mortgage than I expected so all good!
Thanks for letting me do this! 😊

Overall experience- very easy to use and navigate. Clear layout.

Sign up - the process was surprisingly quick and simple.

Aspects liked most - credit score and mortgage offers were the most useful.

Borrowing power - very useful to know that some were preapproved or highly likely to be accepted.

Recommendations- made clear that first offer is an advertisement. Variety of offers and terms clear to understand.

Knowledge changed - I had an awareness of my credit score. Like how simple it is to check that details are correct and that there is no suspicious activity.

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

Really simple. I think it's great (and really important) that it's free.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Very quick and straightforward. When I've used other credit reference agencies in the past to access my credit report, it's been a massive faff to sign up.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I like to see my credit score. I know that financial institutions each use their own criteria, but it's a good visual to give you an overall indication of roughly where you are.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

I'm a stay at home parent, however my DH works full time and so I used our household income when it asked for mine. I would have liked some guidance on that. I'm not sure therefore if the information I was presented with was an accurate reflection of my own borrowing power.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

They seemed a bit random and I wondered if TotallyMoney have any affiliation with any of the lenders. I research things fully when I make any new financial commitments, so if I were looking for a new product, I would most likely do the research myself and then check on TotallyMoney to see if it was listed as one of the products that I'm likely to be accepted for.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I think I'm already pretty financially savvy, but I also think that it's really important to regularly check your credit report for errors and I'll be using TotallyMoney to help me do this going forward.

Where are people finding tips on improving credit score? I've looked everywhere and can't find it.

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney? Very easy and simple

• How did you find the sign-up process? Straight forward and needed basic information
• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you? Easy to find info such as accounts you have or credit rating. Been able to a list of accounts I hold was the most useful, peace of mind
• What did you think of your Borrowing Power? No issues with it, seemed accurate
• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)? It was fine, removed the hassle of doing research yourself
• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed? It’s stayed the same, I was clued up but reassign all of my data was accurate. I would use again

- How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney? I thought it was great! I found it very easy to use and was surprised at how much information it gave me- in a really well laid out format.
- How did you find the sign-up process? Surprisingly easy! It was very quick.
- Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you? The credit report was interesting and I found information there which has helped me with a PPI claim.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power? It was interesting to see what I’d be able to get if the need arose. I liked that there were lots of options and looking at them was really straightforward.
• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)? I liked this aspect as it gave ideas that I wouldn’t normally know about. Having these suggestions alongside how they’d be relevant to me was useful.
• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed? I’m more aware of the finer details of loans/credit cards I’ve had and also of searches that have been done. I’m definitely more knowledgeable in this respect since trying TotallyMoney

Not a success for me. It couldn't verify who I was so blocked me at the end of the sign up process. The info I had entered was definitely correct though, so not sure what information it was trying to match against. All in all disappointing

- How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
Well, first of all, I was pleasantly surprised at the ease of the sign-up process, and then the amount of info I could find about my credit history was both accurate and reassuring (thankfully no nasty shocks in there!!). The FAQs were also very thorough and helpful. Plus a totally free service - what's not to love!
- How did you find the sign-up process?
It was thorough but didn't take long (1-3 minutes I'd say) and required key information about my credit history so that felt secure. I even had to go through a second round of questions to confirm my identity (because I must have mixed up a date or two) but no more problems and, once in, I really liked the overall layout of the site. It is easy to find the deals and to check my account.
- Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?
I like the Dashboard as it allows me a quick check to make sure that everything is tickety-boo. I pride myself on being careful and thought I had a pretty healthy credit rating, so it is reassuring that this is reflected in my score! I also love the Accounts section as I can quickly check the status of my active accounts in one place. Saves me logging into the bank which is always I bit tedious. I'd much rather login regularly to TotallyMoney just to have a quick look. Overall, I find it to be very user-friendly.
- What did you think of your Borrowing Power?
I am reassured that there are plenty of financial options available to me should I need them! I was also pleasantly surprised at the number of products available and how easy it is to compare them to find the best deal for me.
- How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?
It's great that I can pick and choose from the many options available, and that it automatically orders them, starting with the cheapest. I also like that it splits the options. For example, I'm interested in a car loan and I see there is a specific section just for those loans. I've also been toying with changing my mortgage provider. Having this all in one place is brilliant!
- How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?
Not greatly (thankfully!). I thought my credit rating was good so I was pleased to see this confirmed by TotallyMoney. Furthermore, it's great that I have this overview of my credit history and I can make sure that nothing untoward has happened (or will happen) without me noticing!

Thanks to Mumsnet and TotallyMoney for this opportunity

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

I use a different provider for my credit report usually, I found this really easy to check the details I wanted to and see key info.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Very easy to sign up and get going. I panicked when I had to answer questions about myself, not sure if my memory is good enough! It was fine though, there were no problems there.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

To see my overall credit score and what it is out of. I then always check hard searches as I'm worried about identity fraud.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

It's good to know what kind of deals are out there.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

The key differences were displayed in an easy to understand way and made comparing deals easy

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

No, which is a good thing! More knowledge of deals available on credit cards. I wouldn't normally check this or shop around.

1. 8/10 - easy to use but there appeared to be some errors - it said that I had borrowed over 50% of available credit on one of my accounts, but the accounts section didn’t back that up.

1. It was very easy to sign up and much easier than with other credit check agencies.

1. I like the report but felt it was limited compared to others. I liked seeing the recommendations for credit cards as I think this will be useful.

1. Pleased with it but it’s not a surprise.

1. Credit card recommendations were good, might use them. mortgage section wasn’t broad enough to take my specific requirements into account so not useful for me.

1. It hasn’t, I already knew this information. Nice to have it verified by more than one agency though.

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

I found it really easy to use, it was lovely to have a site that doesn’t confuse you too much with different tabs and links to just be able to see what you want to see. I also found it extremely helpful and gave me more insight into what I needed to know.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Easy peasy !! No silly questions or asking me to remember accounts I may have had from 10 years ago. Lovely and smooth sign up process without all the millions of questions just to sign up.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I loved the fact that it was so personalised to your credit report & score. I specifically wanted mortgage advise due to bring a first time buyer and this helped me to see what I could get and what I needed to reach what I could have with a little improvement.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

It actually was quite an eye opener and Interesting to see.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

Extremely impressed, very informative with relevant offers according to your current situation.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

A lot, I know now what I need to do to improve my credit and help clean up my report to help get the mortgage I need

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

Really easy, the sign up process was very straightforward and the overall site simple and easy to navigate.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

As above, easy 

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

All of it really. Was brilliant being able to see what financial products I'd most likely be accepted for and how these would save me money. Really useful.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

As above

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

Very useful, will definitely be using the site in future

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

Was better viewing than I'd anticipated 😀 I personally found it really useful in terms of identifying products that would save me money and was great that they were tailored to my needs, saved trawling through comparison sites etc

Will definitely be using in future

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

I was really happy with it, I found it easy to sign up and use.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

When I have tried to check my credit score in the past I have found the sites quite difficult to sign up to and most require debit card details but it was quick and simple to do with Totally money.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I really like the simple way it is laid out, it doesn’t give you lots of useless information, just basic facts about your credit score and borrowing information. The credit score check was most useful to me.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

It was better than I expected and although I am not currently looking to borrow anything but it would be very handy if I was looking for a loan or similar to just check how likely I am to be accepted without harming my credit score.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

As I said above, I am not looking to borrow anything at the moment do I didn’t spend a great deal of time looking at that section but there seemed to be quite a range of products available.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

There was nothing on there that was unexpected. I do think it is an easy way to keep track of things.

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

Really easy and quick sign up! Easy to find sections for accounts/credit cards/loans and searches

• How did you find the sign-up process? Really quick and easy! Liked that there wasn’t a million questions to identify
• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you? I liked the eligibility of credit cards and the breakdown of things like 0% balance transfer/low apr etc
• What did you think of your Borrowing Power? Although I don’t need this right now, it is handy to know in case anything is ever needed. It would be good to know how to improve this
• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)? Yes great with the eligibility percentage. Again would like tips on how to improve
• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed? Yes, was good to see everything all in one place

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

• Quick and easy

How did you find the sign-up process?

• Quick and easy

Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

• Credit score, purchasing power and the information about mortgages

What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

• Interesting

How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

• Really useful as we are currently looking at mortgage comparisons

How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

• Assumed my score was pretty good, but great to have information on it without leaving a footprint. Now know which companies to focus on for mortgages without the need to go to a broker in person

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
Really good I found it user friendly. I couldn’t see any tips on how to improve my credit score ( although I think it’s quite good?). As someone mentioned earlier - a bit of info on what that score means, why it’s that and how to improve would be good.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

It was straight forward. Although I did get an answer or 2 wrong so kept getting asked questions which I then checked the answer to and got right.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I liked that I could see my accounts and that nothing had been taken out that shouldn’t have been. It was good to see who had done checks on me and when too... I was surprised to see how many people had my info. ( but I had given it!)

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

It was good to see I could get borrowing if I needed, especially as I am on a small part time wage.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

the offers had really high interest%, and weren’t from places I recognised ( which isn’t a bad thing). It was good to see so many products were available - but I don’t like debt so I’d have to be desperate to get a loan etc.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I now know I can get a loan etc and what my credit score is ( which I had no idea of before). It’s also reassured me my credit score is doing well and nothing has been taken out without my knowledge. It’s a good service and I’d recommend the site :)

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

Good and straightforward. I liked the layout of the dashboard. It was clear and easy to understand.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

It was pretty easy. The only part that gave me pause for thought was one of the verification questions which referred to me taking out a product and I had to say with which company. It took me a bit of digging to realise that the Very account I'd signed up for was, in fact, with Shop Direct

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I liked the reassurance of knowing I had a reasonable credit score. I think the most useful element was the credit card suggestions. It seems an easy way to apply if I needed one.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

Happy with it and it seemed an easy way to find out.

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

I liked the credit card suggestions. I must admit to not delving too far into the mortgage stuff as I can't imagine this would be the way I would choose that product.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I know now that I've got a decent credit score. I tend to be simply an additional card holder on dh's credit card accounts so it was good to be reassured I'd get one in my own right if necessary.

I found the overall experience of using TotallyMoney to be really straight forward. It was easy to set up an account - and I was found straight away! The sign up process was simple. My one thought was that, when I said I had been living at my current property for less than a year, and I inputted my previous address, I thought I would need to specify how long I had been at that property, but there was no option for that. it didn't affect anything, though, so I guess I was worrying over nothing!

The last part of the sign-up process involved asking me questions about my credit/accounts etc that I should know, and I had only two attempts to get the answer correct! Luckily, I got it all right on the first attempt.

I was pleasantly surprised with the amount of information in my credit report. I have used these credit report websites before, and TotallyMoney's website was set out in such a clean-cut way, it was very easy to see what alerts I had, and the actions I should take in order to improve my credit score. Everything was correct and up-to-date, bar the fact I'm not on the electoral register: I am, but I know this can take up to 3 months to be added to my credit file, and I'm not quite at the 3 month mark of having moved into my new home.

Although I am not looking to borrow any time soon, as was confirmed by my borrowing power, I had a look at what was available to me. The information was very helpful, in that it told me the pros and cons of each product, and told me the likelihood of me being accepted for that particular product. It also explained the repayment process using a representative example, so I could see how much I would be repaying over the specified time frame, to see if it was worth it.

I had credit building products recommended for me, which would have been ideal for me, but I will be declaring bankruptcy in the next month or so. These products will be useful for when I am discharged from my bankruptcy, as I will want to rebuild my credit score and not fall into the debt trap again!

Because I am going through the bankruptcy process, and have been working with Step Change Debt Charity, my knowledge of my financial situation has been pretty solid. The only way my knowledge has changed is knowing which products are available to rebuild my credit score, which is the most relevant information for me and my current situation.

Overall, a very aesthetically pleasing website. Very easy to use and navigate, information is laid out in a simple and orderly fashion. I will definitely be using the service again, and recommending it to other people, as I just don't think you should have to pay or subscribe to a website to see your credit score!

• How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?

My overall experience is very positive. Very easy to understand and keep a check of your credit score. I accessed the website through my smartphone which was very easy to do.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

The sign up process was quick and easy. A few personal questions to complete and a few questions to answer that only I should know. Luckily I got them all correct first time and then I did the email verification.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

The layout and ease of navigating my way around the site has to be what I like the most. There are different sections for everything so you can easily find what you are looking for. Most useful thing I would say would be that I could see deals relevant to me.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

It is a good idea. Although I don't want to borrow money at the moment I was surprised because I am currently unemployed

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

They were good, quite a few to pick from

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I have never used a credit report before so I had no idea and I thought it would be bad but it isn't! Useful to know my financial situation incase I ever take out any products

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
Generally good. I haven't had a full credit report for about 10 y although I get a monthly update of my overall score with my credit cards online banking service. It was good to see the detail, although I'm not sure it is 100% accurate as there were no hard searches on me, which is hard to believe as I have just taken out a mortgage this summer.

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Really easy and quick to sign up.

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you? Check of open and closed credit accounts, overall score and options for products.

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

As I expected really, although I was surprised to find I am not on the electoral register when I completed the paperwork and returned weeks ago, so that was handy!

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?
  Good, although I don't feel like the choice of credit cards was optimised to show the best ( cheapest) deal first.

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?
  I know I can improve my score by getting on the electoral roll ( which I have now done online) and would probably access next time I'm looking for a balance transfer card.

How did you find the overall experience of using TotallyMoney?
Not brilliant

• How did you find the sign-up process?

Tricky as it kept saying I had got the questions wrong - which I hadnt

• Which aspects of the TotallyMoney site do you like the most? And which were most useful to you?

I couldnt tell you

• What did you think of your Borrowing Power?

I couldnt access it

• How did you find TotallyMoney’s recommendations for products (e.g credit card/mortgages)?

They were fine, but I dont want to borrow more money

• How has your knowledge of your financial situation changed?

I've no idea