9 questions about credit scores you were too embarrassed to ask Imagine trying to lose a few pounds without ever stepping on the scale or trying to cut your cholesterol without ever getting it checked. Tens of millions of Americans are taking a similarly blind approach to their money. Everyone wants their finances to be in good shape, but less than half of all Americans even know their credit score. That's not good — a bad credit score can mean a high-interest loan that costs you thousands and thousands of dollars over the course of a lifetime. But it's not just laziness. Private companies o