You are right. I don't have enough information and expect you to give advice. I guess I have to apologize for that.
I also think that I did not articulate my real question very well. I was asking more along the lines whether it would be better to thrash my credit score now with several applications and have all cards age at once, or whether it's better to apply in certain intervals. I lost years with doing nothing in this regard. Now I see that it might take many years if I take a slow approach. I don't see needing any credit within the next 9 months at least, probably much longer. But I'd like to build up a basis that I won't have to touch anymore in some shorter period, even if this means some drop in the scores.
Anyway, enough talk. I just applied for the Discover and got approved, too. I guess that's it for better cards at the moment
.
I also think that I did not articulate my real question very well. I was asking more along the lines whether it would be better to thrash my credit score now with several applications and have all cards age at once, or whether it's better to apply in certain intervals. I lost years with doing nothing in this regard. Now I see that it might take many years if I take a slow approach. I don't see needing any credit within the next 9 months at least, probably much longer. But I'd like to build up a basis that I won't have to touch anymore in some shorter period, even if this means some drop in the scores.
Anyway, enough talk. I just applied for the Discover and got approved, too. I guess that's it for better cards at the moment
.
You stopped at a good place. I had more accounts. 
My scores are back within about 20 points of where they were. It will be worth it in the long run; it's just a pain, waiting it out.
My scores are back within about 20 points of where they were. It will be worth it in the long run; it's just a pain, waiting it out.
So, how many accounts did you apply for at once
haulingthescoreup wrote: You stopped at a good place. I had more accounts.
?
@Anonymous wrote:So, how many accounts did you apply for at once
@haulingthescoreup wrote:
You stopped at a good place. I had more accounts.
Let's see; on one Saturday, PenFed gas card, Chase Borders VISA, BofA Plat Plus MC (for a BT), Citi Home Depot store card, PenFed gas loan.
About three weeks later, American Express Gold Rewards Plus.
A few evenings after that, in a spirit of what-the-heck, Barclays Barnes and Noble MC. (My only impulse app, and like many impulsive things that you do in the evening thinking what the heck, I regretted it the next morning.
)Another 3 weeks after that, accidentally got the HSBC store card after a thread was reporting that you could do a pre-app without a hard on their site. I was deeply curious about this one, and I must have been holding my mouth wrong or something, because I wound up with an unneeded store card and my 4th inq on EQ, which EQ did not accept graciously. I classify this one to moderator research.
So seven cards and a car loan in a span of not quite 2 months. I started with 5 cards, a mortgage, and a HELOC, so I more than doubled my number of active TL's. EX went from around 750 to 675 (gulp), and the others were about as bad, but they're mostly back now, and once everything is over 12 months, I'll be where I was or better, with a much better credit profile.