Next steps?

[Natashalechat]

I have been slowly rebuilding my credit for the past 18 months or so. Have multiple CO's and settled collections with DOFD of 2005 (let's just say more than 10), so due to fall off in the next year or so. I'm inclined to just let these all age off instead of fighting to have them deleted. Have 1 card (orchard bank, $1300 limit, 0 balance) and 1 store card (target, $200limit) and a mortgage of around $110,000. TU score 676, up from a low of 502. I want to increase my total amount of credit. Preselected for Household Bank card, also Cap One rewards card. Both have AF of $39. Do you think there is any point to go with either of these, or should I just wait until next year when i might be able to get something that isn't a rebuilder?

[mauve]

I'm a no-AF kind of girl, myself.  I'd probably send GW once a month on those collections, but I wouldn't try GWing anything where you wouldn't want the TL removed.  Some CCs will remove a whole tradeline in response to GW instead of just the negative info - that can drop your AAoA and your scores.  I'd hang on to those 2 cards and maybe that Target card will grow into a Target Visa.  It's hard to wait for negative info to drop off, but your whole file will be better when it does and those negative tradelines turn positive.