We talk a lot about how to earn more money. But protecting what you already have matters too. A fraudulent credit account can consume months of attention just when your household is trying to qualify for an apartment, replace a car or prepare for homeownership.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains that consumers can freeze and unfreeze credit reports for free at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A freeze restricts access to the report for most new credit applications, making it harder for someone to open a new account in your name. It does not erase existing debt or raise your credit score.

You must contact all three nationwide credit reporting companies separately. Keep a secure record of how to lift each freeze. If you plan to apply for a mortgage, auto loan or new card, ask the lender which bureau it will check and temporarily lift the relevant freeze before applying.

A freeze is not the same as a fraud alert, a credit monitoring subscription or a dispute. It also will not stop fraud on an account someone already controls. Continue checking bank statements, using strong unique passwords and reporting suspicious transactions quickly.

Washington's Department of Financial Institutions says consumers can now check their credit reports weekly at no cost through AnnualCreditReport.com, the federally authorized service. Reviewing your own report does not hurt your score. Look for unfamiliar addresses, accounts, hard inquiries and incorrect late payments.

For families in Rainier Valley or Skyway who share financial responsibilities across generations, make this a household conversation. Adults can review their own files. Parents or guardians should consult the CFPB's rules for protecting a child's credit rather than assuming an adult process applies unchanged.

If you spot a mistake, document it and dispute it with the credit reporting company and the company supplying the information. Keep copies of correspondence and dates. If you suspect identity theft, IdentityTheft.gov provides a recovery process.

This is one of those financial moves that costs no money and takes less time than recovering from preventable fraud. It cannot replace an emergency fund, insurance or debt repayment, but it belongs beside them.

Southend Sally's weekend assignment: check one report, confirm that every account is yours, and decide whether freezing your files fits your borrowing plans. Start with the official resources, not a paid advertisement.

Official resources: CFPB https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-a-credit-freeze-or-security-freeze-on-my-credit-report-en-1341/ and WA DFI https://dfi.wa.gov/financial-education/information/credit-reports. Photo credit: Mikhail Nilov / Pexels. No affiliate relationships.