My name is LilMirth, and I'm a barely recovering Appaholic.
When I started repairing my credit in late July, my FICO scores were in the toilet. They were so bad, that I was too embarrassed to even tell you what they were. Watching the economy and financial sector spin out of control, I knew that I had to at least try to do something, because (frankly) paying for airline tickets (with my checkcard), renting cars, and getting hotels was a PITA. I also knew that I'd be ineligible for a lot of jobs with credit history as bad as mine. I knew if I waited too long, I'd get caught up in the credit crunch, and no amount of "fixing" would net me what I wanted. So, I fixed my credit. My scores rose. And, my loosely considered goal of having three major credit (one for business expenses, one for monthly expenses to get reward points, and one for "emergencies"), and one store charge card (for mix).
Credit repair went exceedingly well. I had a goal of having my BoA CLId, and getting a NavyFed nRewards card, and keeping Cap1 (if they CLId it) or cancelling Cap1 and getting a different card, by the Spring of 2009. My credit situation wasn't nearly as bleak as it appeared, because BoA noticed my efforts and bumped me up to 5k. NFCU, offered me two 12k nRewards cards. I rolled the dice on Target, and got a $500 limit. My scores kept rising.
And then, I got an e-mail from Barnes & Noble Juni... they were offering a rewards Mastercard. I didn't need it. I didn't even research it. I App'd. I got it. And then, there was the Walmart... I don't even like that store!!! But, I was amazed that I'd gone from being laughed at to being instantly approved. So I app'd. I got it.
Then, they all reported, along with my new car and the refi of said new car with NFCU's even lower rate. 
Let's just say that it wasn't pretty. My AAOA was knocked from 6-7 years down to 2. I was rebucketed. My experian score, which had been my highest, was knocked down 34 points, and is still hovering around 640. Ouch! Fortunately, EQ & TU are 30-40 points higher.
If that wasn't bad enough... Now, I have to deal with keeping Juni & Gemb happy until I get some type of score return on the INQ, new account, and lowered AAOA that I took for them. I hate both cards. They're difficult to deal with, and I resent having to manage them. I'm going to close them at the one year mark, but that's more than 7 months from now.
So, you'd think I'd have seen the light... Oh, I see it alright, but I also see "CLI Request" buttons, and random offers of credit that sometimes get through the opt-out net that I've cast. When I'm out shopping, the cashiers try to convince me to apply for credit; Old Navy, Gap, Nordies, Macy's, Krogers, Meijers, BestBuy you name it... And, I keep almost caving. First, I'll talk myself into it. Only the threat of public humiliation at being turned down for having too many new accounts has kept that small little voice just audible enough to hear.... "DON'T DO IT YOU IDIOT!" That, and the fear of shame & disappointment at having to confess what I've done in this forum. You guys have put a lot of effort into me. I don't want to disappoint now...
I don't need more credit. I don't even WANT any more credit. I've got exactly what I want and need, save for my much further down the road goal of getting a Discover card. But that's at least 2-3 years away. Because of my impulsiveness and Apping addiction, I have two cards that I don't want or need, that have contributed to my scores being held down, and new app count. From two subprime lenders that annoy me. My just desserts.
So, help me to stay FICO sober. There is absolutely no reason, at all, for me to apply for credit. There is absolutely no reason, at all, for me to pester generous (so far) lenders for CLIs. If you sense me slipping off the wagon... yank me back to the garden with some tough love. Please?
My goals: No new Apps, PERIOD. No "me" initiated requests for CLIs, PERIOD. Only auto CLIs as granted by lenders for payment history, spending patterns, and relationship. Age my new accounts to one year, then cut Juni & GEMB loose.
ETA: Good grief did that turn out to be a long post! Sorry!
@SCF wrote:I'm in too, nothing to cause an INQ for one year for me.
Exactly that for me, too - no new inqs! It's exceedingly boring just sitting waiting for things to age, with nothing more exciting going on credit-wise than the occasional inq dropping off or account hitting a birthday, but it has to be done! No applications or anything else inq-causing for me this year, and I'm going to attempt to go easy on the CLI requests, too. I'd rather get auto-CLIs than just barely wheedle my way into a CLI the issuer would really rather not give me - even CLI requests feel very risky and liable to backfire right now, and I'm not even talking about (just) AmEx!
Good luck, everyone, and Happy New Year!