If you could start over what would you do different?

[Adalen]

I would never let my 19-year-old self apply for and use a credit card - eeeeveeer!!

[Student_Loans_Kill]

Not ignore my student loan deferements

[teenastie]

1. Not let Sears Card become a CO (now blacklisted from citi)

2. Not let Wamu Card become a CO (now blacklisted from chase)

3. Kept the 2 aforementioned cards open AAoA would be closer to 10 years not instead of 4

4. No Co-signed a cell phone with my cousin

5. Paid my Jetta on time (actually had the cash for the payment in the car when it was repossessed )

6. Not paid for my bachelor's degree in cash.

7. Not apply for Capital One last year!

8. Opted to have health insurance at my previous employers

[Anonymous]

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@teenastie wrote:

6. Not paid for my bachelor's degree in cash.

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Why would you change this?  I would love to graduate college without the ~$50,000 in debt I'm going to have.

[Anonymous]

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@bridgetkaryn wrote:

Also, for the 24 year old me... not answering your phone or opening your bills doesn't mean they don't exist or will go away... they won't in fcat they usually get worse...  

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I couldn't agree more and this is exactly what I wish I could change.  I always just ignored bills I didn't feel like paying.  It was almost like I assumed if I didn't acknowledge them, they didn't exist any more.  What a dumb kid / young adult I was!

[teenastie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@teenastie wrote:

6. Not paid for my bachelor's degree in cash.

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Why would you change this?  I would love to graduate college without the ~$50,000 in debt I'm going to have.

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I would have preferred to run it through a rewards card then pay off immediately. It goes towards my AAoA which it's pretty puny considering what it could have been !

[Anonymous]

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@teenastie wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@teenastie wrote:

6. Not paid for my bachelor's degree in cash.

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Why would you change this?  I would love to graduate college without the ~$50,000 in debt I'm going to have.

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I would have preferred to run it through a rewards card then pay off immediately. It goes towards my AAoA which it's pretty puny considering what it could have been !

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Oh, ha.  Well that surely would have been better!

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't have treated credit cards like extra piles of cash, I wouldn't have deferred my student loans so I could have more fun travelling, and I would have enrolled in my CCCS sooner.  If only I had found this site in my ignorant youth, I might have been able to manage my finances better.

[annielorie]

I would have applyed for CC when I had a substantial amount of money when I was 24.  I would never had bought a house cash deal and I would have always paid with a rewards card for the bonuses.  All that said Im so close to the semi-promised land I can taste it not just freedom but piece of mind.!!!!!!!!!!!

[andrew]

If I could start over I would not be ignorant and wreckless about credit & not care like I was doing when I was young. I have had a rough recovery & still to this day I am still struggling to get back my credit health. Thanks to everyone on this forum I am headed in the right direction but I will be alot happier once I reach the 700 + fico score.....