My patience is being tested...and I'm just a seedling!! AHHHH BE STRRRRONNNNGGGGG lmao
Starting Score: EQ FICO 627 CK 633 CS 630 (12/2012)
@Springer wrote:My patience is being tested...and I'm just a seedling!! AHHHH BE STRRRRONNNNGGGGG lmao
lol its tough at first but once you lay off you can stay off.
after you see the effects of gardening you can learn to only apply when needed.
since im at such a young age(21) my aaoa is my biggest problem right now.
time is the only thing that will heal that and i just cant wait lol.
longest ive been was just over 3 months(since i found out what gardening was). but i did go a year. 2010-2011 with no accepted apps lol. before that 0-18 years with 0 apps doubt ill ever get that high.
Tomorrow I can pick up my silver spade. I am struggling because I really want to app for the new Discover, Amex, DCU and Chase Freedom. All the recent approvals are so tempting and I am wrestling with waiting the full 6 mos since my last app spree (Sept/Oct 2012).
I opened 5 new cards during that time period, my oldest account is 28.5 yrs ( paid mortgage/installment accounts); AAOA 7.85 yrs; util 26% ( still paying off Xmas) 2 cards reporting 0 balances; 2 baddies ( Dismissed Ch13 filed in 2005 on EQ only and 1 sm coll to fall off in March on all 3 CRA) INQ- 6 EX, 8 TU, 6 EQ.
I know that all it can do is help my score- my util will probably lower, I will have more time with my current cards but I would like new cards for a planned trip to NY in mid March.
So fellow gardener s- should I step out? Or stay until after my trip and then after I pay down my cards from my trip? 
Still gardening and even sock-drawered cards. Only carrying one card now.
Once they're paid the heck off it'll be time to prune. 
Hey guys, just checking in. Picked up a USAA Rewards card last month and my bronze spade this month. Just checked Discover and they gave me another $750 auto CLI so my new CL is $3,500. Nice.
I'm content for now. Going to pay down some balances and wait for time to pass to request SP CLI's on AMEX and Walmart in a few months. Hopefully my Citi Forward will be upgraded to Visa Signature (fingers crossed). I'm posted up with a tasty beverage. 
Still hanging out, but the gears in my head are always turning. I'll buy a new truck when I'm back in the states this summer so I'm looking at reviews and prices online, NFCU has an auto buying service that looks pretty good. I got a new BCE right before I came into the garden but my last CLI was at the end of November on my Delta Gold. I want more on my BCE but I'll probably ask for a 3x on my Delta and wait for the counter. Then I can move some of the CL to the BCE and that should make it high enough for me. I also got the Citi Simpliciti right before gardening but that's at $4200, I'll wait on that one. No hurry, no worries!
@tinuviel wrote:
@MsLadyRover wrote:Just wanted to take a moment and say hello to all my fellow gardeners.
I've been feeling the itch lately but I have continued to stay strong on my journey to a gold spade.
The itch is so bad that last night I dreamed that I applied for and was approved for the AMEX Delta. I woke up this morning confused asking myself did I apply last night? LOL!
I'm going to stay focused on my journey and just live vicariously through the approvals of other myfico members.
Have a great day!
Congrats on exercising your willpower! Stay focused on your goal and know that there are others here to support you on your journey.
Thanks so much tinuveil. It's this type of support that keeps me holding on!
@09Lexie wrote:Tomorrow I can pick up my silver spade. I am struggling because I really want to app for the new Discover, Amex, DCU and Chase Freedom. All the recent approvals are so tempting and I am wrestling with waiting the full 6 mos since my last app spree (Sept/Oct 2012).
I opened 5 new cards during that time period, my oldest account is 28.5 yrs ( paid mortgage/installment accounts); AAOA 7.85 yrs; util 26% ( still paying off Xmas) 2 cards reporting 0 balances; 2 baddies ( Dismissed Ch13 filed in 2005 on EQ only and 1 sm coll to fall off in March on all 3 CRA) INQ- 6 EX, 8 TU, 6 EQ.
I know that all it can do is help my score- my util will probably lower, I will have more time with my current cards but I would like new cards for a planned trip to NY in mid March.
So fellow gardener s- should I step out? Or stay until after my trip and then after I pay down my cards from my trip?
Your AAoA is pretty good, as is the age of your oldest TL. It's the util that I'd be concerned about. With 5 new cards and 3 of them reporting balances, you're showing balances on more than 50% of your active TLs. And, your util is at 26%, which is not bad, but not ideal. So, is there any way that you can get any of this down by the middle to end of next month? Maybe pay off one of the cards? If so, you'd be in a stronger position to apply and still be able to get the new cards in time for your trip.
ETA: One more point to consider. You have a CA that's going to drop off in March. It's a shame that there isn't any way to predict the exact timing. When my last CA fell off, my scores shot up and approvals came my way. How far into March is your trip? If the CA falls off at the very beginning and you apped then, your chances of getting approved with a good starting CL would be all the bettter.
Either way, I hope you have a great trip. My DH and I went to NY last month and had a wonderful time.
Current Scores: EQ 775 (03/04/2014), EX 756 (03/01/2014), TU 760 (03/01/2014)
Ruby Spade Garden Club Member - Last App: 03/04/2013 - No apps until 2014
Cards: Cap1 Venture 6.4k, Cap1 Quicksilver MC 1.75k, BankAmericard 1-2-3 Visa Signature - UCF Alumni Association 5k, Discover 7k, Citi Diamond Preferred MC 10.35k, Wells Fargo Rewards Visa 7k, Chase Freedom 5k, Chase Ink 7.5k, Amex Green NPSL, Dillard's Amex 7.5k, JC Penney 7.5k, Kay Jeweler's 5.1k
@tinuviel wrote:
@09Lexie wrote:Tomorrow I can pick up my silver spade. I am struggling because I really want to app for the new Discover, Amex, DCU and Chase Freedom. All the recent approvals are so tempting and I am wrestling with waiting the full 6 mos since my last app spree (Sept/Oct 2012).
I opened 5 new cards during that time period, my oldest account is 28.5 yrs ( paid mortgage/installment accounts); AAOA 7.85 yrs; util 26% ( still paying off Xmas) 2 cards reporting 0 balances; 2 baddies ( Dismissed Ch13 filed in 2005 on EQ only and 1 sm coll to fall off in March on all 3 CRA) INQ- 6 EX, 8 TU, 6 EQ.
I know that all it can do is help my score- my util will probably lower, I will have more time with my current cards but I would like new cards for a planned trip to NY in mid March.
So fellow gardener s- should I step out? Or stay until after my trip and then after I pay down my cards from my trip?
Your AAoA is pretty good, as is the age of your oldest TL. It's the util that I'd be concerned about. With 5 new cards and 3 of them reporting balances, you're showing balances on more than 50% of your active TLs. And, your util is at 26%, which is not bad, but not ideal. So, is there any way that you can get any of this down by the middle to end of next month? Maybe pay off one of the cards? If so, you'd be in a stronger position to apply and still be able to get the new cards in time for your trip.
ETA: One more point to consider. You have a CA that's going to drop off in March. It's a shame that there isn't any way to predict the exact timing. When my last CA fell off, my scores shot up and approvals came my way. How far into March is your trip? If the CA falls off at the very beginning and you apped then, your chances of getting approved with a good starting CL would be all the bettter.
Either way, I hope you have a great trip. My DH and I went to NY last month and had a wonderful time.
Thank you Tinuviel. My util was over 60% due to a statement cut and I had balances on all cc's last month. Naturally, my score took a dive. I paid the largest balance down earlier this month and paid off the 2 cards. The cc reporting balances are my MC (had the large balance), WalMart ( $256/$1000) and a Nordstrom with $21. I had just received a CLI on WalMart so I am not due for another one so soon. In a few days I can ask for one on my MC ( I was told last month I had to have it for at least 90 days)- that will hopefully help my util.
I just double checked my reports and the CO is not showing on EQ- just that I'll advised Ch13 that was dismissed in 2005. My trip is planned for the 2nd week of March. I am afraid it will not have fallen off and updated by then. My EQ score was from my last app with Nordstrom in Nov and it was pretty close to my EX score I received 2 weeks earlier. I was thinking since I am a little over 700 on EX and TU- my EQ score is probably over 700 too. By the way... I have tried 2x to get my scores here but I always get that code 360- and no I do not have any freezes on my bureaus. Tried when I first joined and again in December...it just doesn't like me for some reason.