cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Left the Garden... but it was worth it!

tag
cmthomas06
Regular Contributor

Left the Garden... but it was worth it!

I decided to throw myself out of the Garden today after hearing about how great Chase has been about CLI. I went from $700 to $1500!!  Im so excited!! My UTIL went down to 12%! (parents also added me as an AU on their Discover). Now I just have to pay down my cards and wait for my scores to skyrocket! Smiley Very Happy

 

 

 

Edit: customer initiated so Im assuming a HP

Ex 752 (Amex) Tu 758 (Walmart) Eq 703
Goal: 750+ on all
Current Cards: Cap1 Cash Back; Chase Freedom; Chase Amazon; Citi Thank You; Citi Forward; Discover iT; Amex Zync; GE WalMart; BoA 3-2-1
Message 1 of 13
12 REPLIES 12
YahComb
Established Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!

congrats. lots of of chase luv happening this summer it seems.

EQ-736(08/14) TU-752(09/14)
Newest to Oldest
Barc Sallie Mae 6K | Citi TY Pref 4.5K | US Bank Cash+ 10K | Chase Freedom 11.7K | Disc It 10.5K | Amazon Store 2.5K | BOA Cash Rewards 10.5K |

Closed Cards: 4 Oldest: 3yrs AAOA: 2yrs
Message 2 of 13
cmthomas06
Regular Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@YahComb wrote:

congrats. lots of of chase luv happening this summer it seems.


agree! I kinda feel like I shoulda asked for more Smiley Tongue Its nice to see them being more generous. My last CLI was only $200 

Ex 752 (Amex) Tu 758 (Walmart) Eq 703
Goal: 750+ on all
Current Cards: Cap1 Cash Back; Chase Freedom; Chase Amazon; Citi Thank You; Citi Forward; Discover iT; Amex Zync; GE WalMart; BoA 3-2-1
Message 3 of 13
LTomBerry
Frequent Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.


Starting Score: 690
Current Score: EQ 780 EX 814 TU 783
Goal Score: 800

Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
Message 4 of 13
cmthomas06
Regular Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@LTomBerry wrote:

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.


oh, I thought it was if you got an inq either from a new app or CLI then you were out. Thats even better then! 

Ex 752 (Amex) Tu 758 (Walmart) Eq 703
Goal: 750+ on all
Current Cards: Cap1 Cash Back; Chase Freedom; Chase Amazon; Citi Thank You; Citi Forward; Discover iT; Amex Zync; GE WalMart; BoA 3-2-1
Message 5 of 13
LTomBerry
Frequent Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!

OK I just read the first post in this months garden post and I guess HPs are out. Darn, right when I was gonna make some more agricultural references. At least you have the right idea maturing the one you have instead of apping for more.

BTW Chase showed me some luv this month too. My freedom was at 5k and CSP was 6k and they each just got auto CLI'd to 8k. Chase is feeling generous lately.


Starting Score: 690
Current Score: EQ 780 EX 814 TU 783
Goal Score: 800

Take the FICO Fitness Challenge
Message 6 of 13
gettnthere
Established Contributor

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@cmthomas06 wrote:

@LTomBerry wrote:

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.<<<< a little off here on the info...


oh, I thought it was if you got an inq either from a new app or CLI then you were out. Thats even better then! 


i hate to bring bad news, but while gardening you can NOT take any kind of HP whatsoever even if it is for a CLI. the only way around that is to get CLI via SP. so while i congratulate the OP on the CLI hes technically having to re-start in the gardening. Remember, when your in the Garden the goal is to tend to ones's current tradelines and watch them grow and to not take ANY HP's whatsoever. but CONGRATS, nonethelessSmiley Wink



Starting Score: EQ 609, EX 633(Fako), TU 700
Current Score: EQ 699, EX 758, TU 733
Goal Score: 720 across the board
Garden Club Member-GC Challenge: App free since 10/31/12 Smiley Wink
Message 7 of 13
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@gettnthere wrote:

@cmthomas06 wrote:

@LTomBerry wrote:

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.<<<< a little off here on the info...


oh, I thought it was if you got an inq either from a new app or CLI then you were out. Thats even better then! 


i hate to bring bad news, but while gardening you can NOT take any kind of HP whatsoever even if it is for a CLI. the only way around that is to get CLI via SP. so while i congratulate the OP on the CLI hes technically having to re-start in the gardening. Remember, when your in the Garden the goal is to tend to ones's current tradelines and watch them grow and to not take ANY HP's whatsoever. but CONGRATS, nonethelessSmiley Wink


Since you actually have to use your credit report to accomplish many beneficial things, gardening for the sake of gardening is kinda inane.

 

If you're not looking for a big ticket item (house, possibly new car loan or refinance) then arguably the best possible thing you can do with your FICO score is to get CLI's to the magic 5K boundary which qualifies you for the very top tier of publically available credit cards (Amex BCP excepted).

 

End of the day, there's more important things than just havng a FICO score for the sake of a FICO score; while there's probably better ways to get to a 5K CL than repeated HP's, it's not a poor choice in this case, and it's nowhere close to the end of the world.




        
Message 8 of 13
tinuviel
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@LTomBerry wrote:

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.


 

Not if it's a HP... SPs only.


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
Message 9 of 13
tinuviel
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Left the Garden... but it was worth it!


@Revelate wrote:

@gettnthere wrote:

@cmthomas06 wrote:

@LTomBerry wrote:

Umm, I think you actually stayed in the garden. Our definition of "gardening" is: not applying for any new cards, instead you just tend to the ones you've got by growing their limits and age, which you have done.

Is it still gardening if it took a HP? Uh, sure, I think so.<<<< a little off here on the info...


oh, I thought it was if you got an inq either from a new app or CLI then you were out. Thats even better then! 


i hate to bring bad news, but while gardening you can NOT take any kind of HP whatsoever even if it is for a CLI. the only way around that is to get CLI via SP. so while i congratulate the OP on the CLI hes technically having to re-start in the gardening. Remember, when your in the Garden the goal is to tend to ones's current tradelines and watch them grow and to not take ANY HP's whatsoever. but CONGRATS, nonethelessSmiley Wink


Since you actually have to use your credit report to accomplish many beneficial things, gardening for the sake of gardening is kinda inane.

 

If you're not looking for a big ticket item (house, possibly new car loan or refinance) then arguably the best possible thing you can do with your FICO score is to get CLI's to the magic 5K boundary which qualifies you for the very top tier of publically available credit cards (Amex BCP excepted).

 

End of the day, there's more important things than just havng a FICO score for the sake of a FICO score; while there's probably better ways to get to a 5K CL than repeated HP's, it's not a poor choice in this case, and it's nowhere close to the end of the world.


 

I'm one of the biggest gardeing proponents on this forum, but I do agree that one shouldn't garden just for the sake of gardening. Credit is a tool, and if it makes sense to apply for a new account or take a HP to get an increase, then this is what one should do. The flip side is that apping just for the sake of apping is harmful, and at some point everyone needs to sit back and allow things to age, to "garden." But if getting a good CLI makes strategic sense, then I agree that it's a good move.

 


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
Message 10 of 13
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.