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@haulingthescoreup wrote:e2
@-RED wrote:I'm starting to get this mindset, but I'm not in a big hurry to get there, but I get it, I really do!
You and I are probably headed toward the middle ground. I got a bunch of new cards (killing my AAoA) in order to establish multiple clean tradelines to "dilute" the effect of past lates, and it worked. But after a year or so, it was obvious that it was going to be a PITA to keep them all happy. Plus with time, it was obvious which cards would be the duds.
I figure that in the end, I'll wind up with maybe 6 cards --maybe 3 CC cards (including non-CC USAA), 1 or 2 bank cards, and 1 or 2 store cards. That will be enough to maintain my total CL, let me use them for various rewards, and keep my sanity.
+1 in the process of gardening over the next few years I hope to pair down with 4-8 from about 12 open TL in the meantime I'd like to think all of the TL in good standing are still strengthening history and building relations... that was the goal--in order to build and dilute SL lates.
HTSU, with the exception of a couple of duds (dell, cap1) and borderline cases (alliant, citi) the ones I have see good use and I can manage effectively... besides these possible targets for closure, do I close a perfectly good accts that have a practical use just to pair down and simplify? that may become an issue for me going forward.
@score_building wrote:do I close a perfectly good accts that have a practical use just to pair down and simplify?
Don't close a perfectly good account unless it has an annual fee. It's really not that hard to keep your accounts active.
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:best advice i ever heard (but i'm no expert, so people feel free to educate me if this is wrong!) - whatever you wanna buy, pay that money in advance on whatever card you want to use, then go buy it! that way you look REALLY good to the cards, little or no finance charges, it's almost exactly like paying in cash, BUT you have a record of your payment (the cc payment) in case of any disputes, and you earn whatever points and your accounts aren't inactive!
.....however, i have never been financially solvent enough to put this into practice.... but i got the advice from a teacher whose sister did the aforementioned...
For those cards which will not accept payments above current balance (for us: Alliant CU, BofA, Jupiter, Kroger 123, Macys), you can follow this same procedure, but pay immediately after. Lots of posters PIF monthly, which is basically doing the same thing.
Cabelas will let you post payments above the current balance (plus, it's a Bank Card!) and so will Orchard (but they will always question you, and want to know if you'd like a check for the credit balance).
Great idea to avoid carrying balances on cc's - for so many reasons! Peace of mind being my favorite . Good post!
I overpay them so that charges don't post on the statement date and report a balance. Never had a problem doing that.
creditwherecreditisdue wrote:
@score_building wrote:do I close a perfectly good accts that have a practical use just to pair down and simplify?
Don't close a perfectly good account unless it has an annual fee. It's really not that hard to keep your accounts active.
Thanks for the valuable f/b HTSU and CWCID.
In my mind I think 8 is the new 2 as the perfect minimal number of cards to have LOL at least for now, to continue to help balance out installment TLs, and build etc.