When it comes to being well-versed in personal finances, people should remember the importance of checking their credit report and taking the proper steps to maintain a high credit score.

In fact, a recent column on the Chicago Tribune website gave consumers some additional pointers about how to avoid misinformation and misperceptions about personal credit.

For example, the newspaper noted that there is no negative effect on one’s credit score for checking a credit report, and that it makes sense to check up on such information at different times through the year because of the frequency with which credit information changes.