tcbofade wrote:Howdy, howdy boys and girls.
I'm still here, just awfully busy.
DW lost her job 03 August, so the last few months have been a real challenge for us...our util is going in the WRONG direction...
The good news is that she starts a new job 01 November, so there IS light at the end of the tunnel, but it seems awfully far away.
No Apps since 08 August...I'm about two weeks shy of my silver spade...
Well, in terms of good news / bad news, at least you started with bad news but ended with good news... much better than the other way around! Congrats to your wife for finding a new job and best wishes to her.
Silver spade on the horizon... woo hoo!!! 
Starting Scores for 2013: EQ 723, TU 735, EX Credit Sesame 751
Current Scores: EQ 733, TU 724 (05/01/2013), EX Credit Sesame 725 (05/08/2013)
Goal Score: 740+ FICO scores
Take the FICO Fitness Challenge Bronze Spade Garden Club Member - Last App: 03/04/2013 - No apps until Fall 2013
Cards: Cap1 Venture 6.4k, Cap1 NHCR MC 750, BankAmericard 1-2-3 Visa Signature - UCF Alumni Association 5k, Discover 4k, Citi Diamond Preferred MC 7.55k, Wells Fargo Rewards Visa 7k, Chase Freedom 5k, Chase Ink 7.5k, Amex Green NPSL, Dillard's Amex 7.5k, JC Penney 4.2k, Kay Jeweler's 5.1k
I got another SW today, and my EQ score has gone up 5 points! I'm now at 722, which is only 1 point shy of where I was before my recent app spree. 
This latest boost was from my BoA Visa Signature card "settling" into my garden. Since it's a BoA siggy card, the $5000 CL doesn't report, only the high balance. I had charged and paid off a little over $300 before the very first statement cut, but there was an additional last minute ~$200 charge came through and there was no time to get it paid before the statement cut. So, the card must have been weighted in as being close to maxed out -- yuck! Well, this past month I got my high balance up to $1216 and once again closed out the statement with another charge of around $200. Now the card doesn't look maxed out, so I got a score boost! Next month I'll try to see if I can close out the statement with a $0 balance, and at some point I should be able to up my high balance. But for now, I'm much happier with the way that my siggy card is reporting.
All in all, my little seedlings are settling into my garden very nicely! Now that I've had a couple of statement cycles pass, I have more control over issues relating to the timing of util reporting. Glad see my scores on the rise!
Starting Scores for 2013: EQ 723, TU 735, EX Credit Sesame 751
Current Scores: EQ 733, TU 724 (05/01/2013), EX Credit Sesame 725 (05/08/2013)
Goal Score: 740+ FICO scores
Take the FICO Fitness Challenge Bronze Spade Garden Club Member - Last App: 03/04/2013 - No apps until Fall 2013
Cards: Cap1 Venture 6.4k, Cap1 NHCR MC 750, BankAmericard 1-2-3 Visa Signature - UCF Alumni Association 5k, Discover 4k, Citi Diamond Preferred MC 7.55k, Wells Fargo Rewards Visa 7k, Chase Freedom 5k, Chase Ink 7.5k, Amex Green NPSL, Dillard's Amex 7.5k, JC Penney 4.2k, Kay Jeweler's 5.1k
Revelate wrote:Still gardening, Beacon 5.0 score has flatlined at 643 for the past few months, ah well. Looking back at my plan with more experience, I think I should've applied for a CLI-chaser card (GE-backed something or other) to have something more short-term than the theoretical mortgage to look forward to from a credit building perspective.
I suppose it could be worse as at least I am barely over the minimum mortgage underwriting hurdle with that score
.
Trying to build some measuring sticks in the rest of my life other than my finances, hopefully that'll keep me on track towards my goals.
Stick with it Revelate! It sure does seem like you've come a long way in less than 12 months. So imagine what will happen as time continues to take effect. Inquiries falling off, baddies falling off, AAoA increasing, etc. will all bring you to the level you need for that desired mortgage. Congrats on all the progress, and keep your head held high.
Starting Score: 647 15 days until I get the bronze spade back
Starting Score: 08/29/2011 TU 671 EQ 674Current Score (myFico + Amex): April 2013 TU 754 EQ 694 EX 694
Wallet: NFCU Visa Sig 25k, Amex Lowes 22k, NavCheck 15k, Amex PRG, Amex Zync, Discover It 13.5k, Amazon Visa 5k
Silver Spade Garden Club Member: App Free since 1/1/13. No more apps til 2014
MyFICO Fitness Goal: 800s Club!
Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Starting Score: MyFico TU: 621 EQ: 610
I am now committed to at least 6 months app free.
It feels good to finally be content with my rebuild
Im in!
Last credit pulled June 2012. Planning to garden until April 2012.
Starting Score: MyFICO Equifax Score 523 (pulled March 2011)
Current Score: MyFICO Equifax Score 643, MYFICO Transunion Score 628, Experian report from there website 651 (pulled October 2012)
Goal Score: 700 by April 2013
Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
myFICO is the consumer division of FICO. Since its introduction 20 years ago, the FICO® Score has become a global standard for measuring credit risk in the banking, mortgage, credit card, auto and retail industries. 90 of the top 100 largest U.S. financial institutions use the FICO Score to make consumer credit decisions.
>> About myFICO
