@UncleB wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:Success creates success... I really like that!
As for me hanging out here, I plan to stick around a bit longer... even though I've met my goals, there's still a lot of knowledge here, and maybe by contributing some of my own data points I can help someone else as well. Also, I think of many of you as friends now... WeI wouldn't want to just up and leave!
UncleB, we think of you as a friend too and you're part of the myfico family.
Plus, a fun person to discuss Sam's and other topics with!
We can all give back at different points in our journey, even if we've met our goals, and you've demonstrated that point very well.
Thank you so much, humuhumunukunukuapuaa, and you're right, even with all the shop-talk, we still have a lot of fun here!
We do! 
@Anonymous wrote:
@UncleB wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:I've met my goal of getting all the cards I plan to keep. It took two years to go from no history to the point where I can do pure bonus hunting.
Bonus hunting is certainly cool... I've picked up a couple along the way myself, but my AAoA is too fragile at this point for me to make a habit of it. I think it was likely my high (at the time) AAoA that allowed me to get my first 'grown up' card with USAA. Since then it's plummeted to 4.5 years, but it will recover in time.
Oddly, taking a long-game approach of creating a strong AAoA is the only real reason I would think of considering a dept. store spree (I'm not at this time). While the AAoA would be 'sacraficed' in the short-term, in a few years it would be solid as a rock. I actually did this accidentally back in the 90s, and didn't even know it... LOL.
It's too bad none of those accounts are around today... if it weren't for the unavoidable BK7 in 2000, by now I would have a nuclear-proof AAoA...
My AAoA is just about a year, but it is very sturdy.
Having a strong AAoA is good, but there are also potential negatives to a department store card spree. A lender may think you have too many accounts, or too much credit, even if you have a high FICO score. And, if too much credit isn't a problem, then having a lot of low CLs may be. Having 6-12 "keeper cards" may be a good middle ground between 2-3 and 20-30.
I don't see myself going for more than 6 signup bonuses per year, so my AAoA will still steadily rise. It helps a lot that I got the "keeper" cards before the "bonus only" cards.
I agree with everything you say, which is the exact reason I'm not doing the 'spree' as we speak! 
Actually, having too much credit for my income has been a concern of mine, and is a reason I don't hit up all my Synchrony cards for a $25k limit - I'm not saying doing so is a 'bad' thing, but it might not be a good idea for someone with my profile. My recent approval with NFCU for $15.3k was a pleasant surprise, but I'll never bother with a CLI on that card, since it would be pointless (again, for me). The same goes for my USAA Visa - at $7k, even though I could get a CLI, I don't really have a good reason to. I already have plenty of 'cushion' for utilization, so unless they give me an auto-CLI that limit will be staying where it is.
I've always had a "policy" of only getting accounts that would actually be used, which prevents me from getting a bunch of low-limit store cards. When I first got on here, there was novelty with getting a card via the SCT, but thankfully that quickly passed since it would have been a pointless exercise. If I were to get a store card, it would be either JC Penney or Wal-Mart, both of which I do shop at occasionally, and both of which are Synchrony - which seems to like me - so I could likely get nice credit lines.
I know I'm good to get a Venture, which would pay me $400, but as much as I like free money, I'm just not inclined to get it. At some point if the pre-qual offers me a lower rate than I currently have with my QS I might 'bite', but until then I'm saving my HPs, and my AAoA.
@LadyJEsq wrote:Congrats on reaching your goals Uncle B! That must be a wonderful feeling, I'm still trying to decide on my next steps.
I agree with the many others, when they said that they've enjoyed reading your posts. So I would say, that even though you've reached your goals, you really should stick around (even after you've learned all that you feel you need) because you offer some great insights.
I also agree with the others that have suggested you create new goals now that you've reached your current ones.
Thank you so much, LadyJEsq! For better or for worse, I always have 'plenty' of things I can work on; credit was just the tip of the iceberg!
@UncleB wrote:
@fot1 wrote:@I know this feeling. 5 years ago I had no credit cards, terrible credit report with BK , multiple charge offs and collections all topped off with sub 600 fico scores. In four years time i was able to gw, pfd and let age off all my baddies, purchase a house and got 8-10 credit cards with combine limits of @90k.I don't have any must have cards on my list, and outside of wanting to buy a second vacation/retirement home I am goal-less also..lol
It sounds like you've come a long way as well... and I wouldn't call wanting to buy a second/vacation home exactly 'goal-less' - that sounds like an excellent goal to reach for! Someday I would like to have a vacation home as well!
Lol Yes it's a goal, its just more a goal on hold right now. I have twin boys about to start high school, and I don't want to take on that much extra debt at this time.
@Anonymous wrote:
Um. But you don't have an 800 credit score though?
LOL... nope, and I likely never will!
I learned years ago not to chase an arbitrary number... I set my goals, then act in such a way to get there. The number usually follows your activities pretty closely, but it's certainly not a goal in itself; not for me, anyway.
Congrats UncleB. I've personally enjoyed reading your posts and your insight is typically a voice of reason. I appreciate that. Good luck on the next set of goals
Congratulations UncleB on your success story!!! It's a wonderful feeling. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
