Two years ago I went to get a loan on a car as the first thing I ever put on my credit. When they pulled my file they found that my ex wife had put her debts on my credit and that the child support agency had reported inaccurate information about my payment history stating that I had never paid and owed 3300 dollars back child support, when in fact I had bank statements of every single payment. at this point my highest score was a 509 and I had to get my mom to get a loan and add me as a cosigner instead of opening one in my name.
I over time had the issues fixed on my credit including having 4 collections removed due to forged signature on guarantor documentation and proved that I wasn't married to her at the time of her using my information. It took me a year to, but I got the payment history corrected on all the CRA's. I after getting all of this removed opened a Credit One credit card and a Kay credit card. I used the Kay credit to buy my new wife a better wedding ring than what I was able to buy at the time of our engagement and the Credit One card I paid off every month.
1 year ago I opened a Capital One card that now has a 1.3k limit and then 5 months later opened the Quicksilver One card with a 500 limit. I kept all my balances low on the cards and brought my scores up to the 660's
3 months ago I opened a loan with VW credit to buy a new car and traded in the car that I had a loan on before. I went with a higher interest rate, but needed a new car badly, so I accepted the rate.
1 month ago I applied for multiple cards in the same 3 day period, because I just wanted to have a card with a reasonable limit. I was approved for Amex Everyday with a 3k limit, Chase Freedom with a 4.5k limi, and Barclaycard Arrival with a 5k limit. Opening these cards my scores jumped to what you see in my signature. The only card I applied for and didn't get was Discover IT card. I don't really care if I get it, but it would be a nice card to have.
I don't utilize my credit much, but I pay everything with a credit card and pay it off before it reports to the CRA's. I sometimes will leave a few hundred dollars on one, but never more than I know I can pay off the next month. I have savings that I don't touch unless I need to and have a well funded IRA considering how young I am. I am changing jobs at the moment to a higher paying job and will start funding my 401k at that job as soon as I am elligible.
I know that improving my score at this point is just paying my bills and waiting for credit line increases, so I'm not planning on applying for any more cards till 6 months has passed and I can refinance my new car at a better rate first. I know my story of credit is not that impressive and my credit report has way more inquiries than most people have, but I am proud of how far I have taken it so quickly.
