Garden Thread - March 2015

[Anonymous]

---

@sunkissed wrote:

I’m currently a member of two credit unions, SECU (in MD) and NFCU.

SECU is small(ish?) and tends to be a bit on the old school side.  When my son went off to college, I brought him over to SECU to open his first checking account.  He was heading to a state university and the only ATM on campus belonged to SECU.  I like credit unions as a rule.  They tend to have lower fees and genuinely look out for their customers.  I thought SECU would be a good fit for him.  I didn’t have a credit union at the time, so I joined as well.  I opened a checking account and savings (required for membership) right away.  A bit later I added a Visa.  I loathe their online bill pay.  It was completely unreliable.  I have stopped using that checking as my primary account.  Their Visa has crap rewards – it earns points used to buy overpriced merchandise.  Also, they treat balance transfers like cash advances.  I’m not sure if I want to continue there.  For now, I have a small direct deposit going into the checking account to keep it free.  I pay Netflix with the Visa to keep it alive.  I pay the Visa bill with billpay from the checking.

Everyone knows that NFCU is outstanding!  I have my primary checking with them.  I also have the Flagship and CashRewards Visas.  I have nothing but love for them.  I’m earning .35% on my checking account.

---

Do you still live in Maryland?  That's where I live and know several people that belong to SECU

[Anonymous]

We* joined our CU because we were fleeing big banks and are unimpressed with the local banks (plus small banks have a bad habit of being swallowed up by big banks). Credit was just a bonus.

*Not a royal we, rather husband inclusive.

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
We* joined our CU because we were fleeing big banks and are unimpressed with the local banks (plus small banks have a bad habit of being swallowed up by big banks). Credit was just a bonus.

*Not a royal we, rather husband inclusive.

---

Very good point about the smaller banks getting bought out.  Just when you think you established a relationship, poof Chase buys it out

[sunkissed]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@sunkissed wrote:

I’m currently a member of two credit unions, SECU (in MD) and NFCU.

SECU is small(ish?) and tends to be a bit on the old school side.  When my son went off to college, I brought him over to SECU to open his first checking account.  He was heading to a state university and the only ATM on campus belonged to SECU.  I like credit unions as a rule.  They tend to have lower fees and genuinely look out for their customers.  I thought SECU would be a good fit for him.  I didn’t have a credit union at the time, so I joined as well.  I opened a checking account and savings (required for membership) right away.  A bit later I added a Visa.  I loathe their online bill pay.  It was completely unreliable.  I have stopped using that checking as my primary account.  Their Visa has crap rewards – it earns points used to buy overpriced merchandise.  Also, they treat balance transfers like cash advances.  I’m not sure if I want to continue there.  For now, I have a small direct deposit going into the checking account to keep it free.  I pay Netflix with the Visa to keep it alive.  I pay the Visa bill with billpay from the checking.

Everyone knows that NFCU is outstanding!  I have my primary checking with them.  I also have the Flagship and CashRewards Visas.  I have nothing but love for them.  I’m earning .35% on my checking account.

---

Do you still live in Maryland?  That's where I live and know several people that belong to SECU

---

Yup.  I'm still in Maryland.  I like SECU.  The employees in my local branch are super nice.  I just haven't had much success with the products I've tried so far.  A friend of mine got an excellent deal on his home equity loan.  I've heard good things about their auto loans as well.   I'm not in the market for either at the moment.

[omoa]

Evening fellow gardeners,

I've been gardening for a few months now after doing a December HP/SP spree for CLI. Today, got an email from Amazon saying I received a CLI from $1100.00 to $3100.00. This sitting back and watching things grow is very nice. Very relaxing as well. Haven't been stressing over HP's or worrying about my credit in general at all. I'm starting to love the gardening thing.

[SunriseEarth]

---

@omoa wrote:

Evening fellow gardeners,

I've been gardening for a few months now after doing a December HP/SP spree for CLI. Today, got an email from Amazon saying I received a CLI from $1100.00 to $3100.00. This sitting back and watching things grow is very nice. Very relaxing as well. Haven't been stressing over HP's or worrying about my credit in general at all. I'm starting to love the gardening thing.

---

Congrats!   Gardening is working!

[Anonymous]

Happy to report I've been gardening since 1/1/15. Last CC applied for was 12/31/14. January I spent a lot dye to a family wedding and if course testing out the Quicksilver One. Realized at months end the rewards cash earned is minimal compared to what I spent. All my scores went down. EQ and EX went to above 600 whereas TU stayed over 620. So February hits and I pay both cards to $10.00 balance; figured a little under 2% per card and overall 4% for total CL of $1300.00. As of today all 3 scores are above 620. 2% Util reported on each card. TU 641 EQ 624 and EX 623. TU loves me; they were the first to report giving me 14 pts and then another 3pts for the $10 balance. I'm very happy with the points increase. I'm so thankful for myfico, the forum and all the other sites I read regarding credit. I'm going to be in the 700s before years end. I'm claiming it!!!

[WillTeasle]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Time for Friday Night Social in the Garden Club

Everyone is invited to participate and ask questions.

The food tonight is surf and turf so come hungry

While any topic is open for discussion tonight's subject is

CREDIT UNIONS

We often hear that credit unions are more customer friendly in comparison

to banks but is that always the case or a myth.  How many of you belong to a credit union or as in my case, several of them.  Did you only join a credit union

in order to obtain a credit or loan from or do you use them for your banking?

For those of you that don't belong to one, is there any particular reason for 

not joining one?  None in your area or are you just satisfied with your bank.

Lets start the party!  First drinks are on Nixon.

---

Hey Nixon, send a bourbon, neat, my way!

Not currently a member of a CU, but have been thinking about it.  I might have an in with NFCU, but not sure how beneficial it would be for me to join.  I don't have anything I really need that they can help me with at the moment.

[WillTeasle]

---

@SunriseEarth wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

Lets start the party!  First drinks are on Nixon.

---

Oooh...we're getting the pary going early!  Since Nixon's got drinks, I'll take a Jameson & Coke.

---

You're not supposed to mix Jameson...

[WillTeasle]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
Happy to report I've been gardening since 1/1/15. Last CC applied for was 12/31/14. January I spent a lot dye to a family wedding and if course testing out the Quicksilver One. Realized at months end the rewards cash earned is minimal compared to what I spent. All my scores went down. EQ and EX went to above 600 whereas TU stayed over 620. So February hits and I pay both cards to $10.00 balance; figured a little under 2% per card and overall 4% for total CL of $1300.00. As of today all 3 scores are above 620. 2% Util reported on each card. TU 641 EQ 624 and EX 623. TU loves me; they were the first to report giving me 14 pts and then another 3pts for the $10 balance. I'm very happy with the points increase. I'm so thankful for myfico, the forum and all the other sites I read regarding credit. I'm going to be in the 700s before years end. I'm claiming it!!!

---

Good work, and stick with it.  I wish you the best of luck on cracking 700 by December!  Also, you'd have better luck bumping that score if you only let one of the cards report 2% rather than both reporting 2% (assuming I'm reading your post correctly).  While gardening, it can be a fun game to see what you can do to boost your score.  Takes your mind off apping a bit.