Addicted to App'ing - Reports Frozen, joining the garden

[Anonymous]

It did. I didn't even really want the card.

I guess...when it becomes a game to you. You should stop.

[kdm31091]

Absolutely. If one is obtaining cards they don't really want, its a red flag to stop IMO.

[Anonymous]

So far I've skipped the 'Flavor of the month' hysteria with stuff like NASA, Venture (although I may apply for that eventually, only when I'm ready and not a minute before), and others.  It helps to make a list of your needs and what cards are best for your needs.  Since I already have Freedom, that means CSP is almost mandatory.  I canceled Amazon a while ago, but I'm a prime member, and they now have 5% cash back for Prime members.  I'll apply again in September, a year after I opened it the last time. I do a lot of spending on Amazon and that would be a great perk to have uncapped 5%. 

Others would be gas and grocery cards like BCP or Sallie Mae (probably as a backup to BCP if I had both) and at least one more 5% cash back card like Discover. That's pretty much it. I do look in the Approvals section, but I see the regular app sprees over there as a great example of what not to do. 

[kdm31091]

Great point. Sprees can be dangerous

There will always be a new hot card. A new flavor of the month or even week. New products are released constantly. If you're always chasing the next best thing, you will never be fully satisfied. There's always a new thing on the horizon. You have to just focus on maintaing your cards resppnsbily and adding when it's appropriate and not because of trends. In my mind that's a much better path to long term good credit health vs running after every trend. Of course YMMV

[medo]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So far I've skipped the 'Flavor of the month' hysteria with stuff like NASA, Venture (although I may apply for that eventually, only when I'm ready and not a minute before), and others.  It helps to make a list of your needs and what cards are best for your needs.  Since I already have Freedom, that means CSP is almost mandatory.  I canceled Amazon a while ago, but I'm a prime member, and they now have 5% cash back for Prime members.  I'll apply again in September, a year after I opened it the last time. I do a lot of spending on Amazon and that would be a great perk to have uncapped 5%. 

Others would be gas and grocery cards like BCP or Sallie Mae (probably as a backup to BCP if I had both) and at least one more 5% cash back card like Discover. That's pretty much it. I do look in the Approvals section, but I see the regular app sprees over there as a great example of what not to do. 

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Good thinking you have there.  I see the Approvals section as a way to discover new cards and app.  Or I did anyway.  I'll see in time how or if my views of the Approvals forum change.

[Anonymous]

Sprees are good when you have a goal in mind.

[EdMan63]

Great to see you recognize things before they get to out of hand. You have some great cards to enjoy so just sit back and relax. Best of luck to you!!!

[Callandra]

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@kdm31091 wrote:
Great point. Sprees can be dangerous

There will always be a new hot card. A new flavor of the month or even week. New products are released constantly. If you're always chasing the next best thing, you will never be fully satisfied. There's always a new thing on the horizon. You have to just focus on maintaing your cards resppnsbily and adding when it's appropriate and not because of trends. In my mind that's a much better path to long term good credit health vs running after every trend. Of course YMMV

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It's like that with anything though -- clothes, electronics, etc -- there will be always be something new and "hot." I only apply for cards in which I will have long term use for. I do have Sallie Mae which is a flavor of the month/forum sweetheart, but I use it all the time, get a lot of cashback (and I'm a low spender!), and will keep it open probably forever. I see no point in opening a card I won't use (don't need a high limit card on a card that the rewards system doesn't suit me!). I guess I'm more of a long-term thinker/planner but whatever suits you is good!

[Shogun]

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@Anonymous wrote:
It did. I didn't even really want the card.

I guess...when it becomes a game to you. You should stop.

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I regret that I have but one kudo, to give to this post.  Bravo!

[TRC_WA]

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@akula wrote:

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Admitting there is a problem is the first step.  I think if it was a tad bit more inconvenient to unfreeze your reports, it might be more useful - example, you should mail in the form for EQ.  You made the right choice, and congrats on taking the first step.  It may be even useful to stay away from the myfico forums, if the allure of new cards starts to be a problem; I have seen examples of certain individuals feeding off the attention of others when their erratic behavior gets out of hand.  Some never learn and just go right back to their addiction of apping, so if it gets to that point, it may be best to distance yourself.  Best of luck to you!

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I'm amazed at these "I'm addicted to apping threads" like it's a drug addiction or something.

Gardening is not difficult...  I did it for all of 2014 prior to my end of year app spree and new car purchase in January.  I set goals to get those accounts and told myself unnecessary apps and INQs would only cause me to fail.

Didn't take anything more than that.

I opened another account a couple weeks ago... and will be gardening the rest of 2015.  I've got a new goal... and that is my reports will be clear of my BK13 derogs on 10/1 (TU) and 1/1/16 (EQ/EX) with early exclusion.  When everything is clear I will have clean reports and 6+ months of no apps.

It isn't any harder than that for me... no need to freeze my reports.

I've never once woke up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat thinking about applying for a CC but based on what I've read on these forums I'd guess it happens quite frequently to the "addicts."