Greetings all you FICOholics...new & old, but mostly new. 
I have been here for quite some time now and I would like to share, in one letter, some of the most valuable information I have. Some was given to me by request, some came from sitting in front of this machine for countless hours...searching.
This needs no lesson #...If the score you buy does NOT have the FICO logo, it means absolutely nothing. YOU cannot purchase your Experian FICO,
Lesson 1...no matter how low your score, you CAN rebound. I have been in the 4's & now I see at least 1 700+. I had (IIRC) 2 positive TL's & 12 BAD ones!
Lesson 2...READ the stickys!!! Please!!! They are full of wonderful info. Nothing is easy, so if you aren't willing to read, you are headed for a tough road.
Lesson 3...While we DO enjoy helping everyone reach their goal, you must be willing to put in an effort too. For instance, needing a good email contact at a company...Google the company. READ several of the links. You might find that they are owned by another company. If so, google ---> "joeblo company executive email". You won't believe what comes up! Most important...save those names!!! Send an email to yourself named Crap 1 or whatever and put either the link in there or copy the names. It will come in handy when someone else isn't having so much luck.
Lesson 4....Cover your backside! Don't take the word of someone on the phone that they will make your acct pretty again...just send them $1500. Get it in writing. I do realize that sometimes this isn't possible...sometimes folks will comment that they paid & the company removed the neg's, just like promised. Just try & keep a paper trail!
Lesson 5...Cover backside part Deux! Print up your reports & all GW letters! You may save this info on your pc & that's fine...as long as it doesn't die on ya! Me...I have 3 manilla folders: TU, EQ, EX. These contain reports going back 10 years. from 3 in 1's, to right from their site to some from here at myFICO. Some mailed to me...whatever. I have them all.
lesson 5 cont: Also...I have a folder with all my GW letters in it! What I sent to who..when...all my CMRRR stubs, cards, ets & their repilies, stapled together. If it's a done deal, positive result...goes on the left with a big black clipie. Still in progress...on the right.
I have ALL my old bills, payments, collection notices & whatnot from 10 years ago to today. CYA!!!! They take up almost no room & I can find anything I need within minutes. (maybe over the top, but I also have every tax form *city, state & FED dating back to 1975.)
I cannot strss the importance of NOT tossing this stuff out! It is an excellent habit to get into and no one will ever be able to say "you didn't pay this...bla bla", because you will know right where to go to find it. Every one of my bill stubs has the paid printout with it & I write on the stub...date paid, ch# or cc pmt, How much, etc. cover cover cover your butt.
Lesson 6...If your'e working on repair & want to try & rebuild at the same time...don't app for an AMEX! You're wasting an inquiry Prime companies are NOT going to approve you in the 500's, or even high 600's in many cases. Start with either a secured cc thru your bank...or one that helped me was Credit One. Easy to get approved. I started with a$300 limit & every 6 mos you can request a CLI & after 4 years this acct has served me well, added to my history & has been worth the yearlly fees. Yes, the int rate is high, but I keep low or no balance on it. This card is worth the fee for helping raise my score.
Lesson 7....Be creative with your GW letters! I'm sure if these folks get one more "I need 3 more points to be approved for a mortgage" they're going to lose it. Someone here on the forums mentioned that every week, she would send a funny card, a joke, nice stationery, etc...she got creative! She got her baddie deleted too. Use your imagination...it helps if you can make them laugh! Everyone loves a good chuckle! Someone else had sent a series of those redneck pics...you know...the grill, the guest bedrooms...the horseshoes...always with the GW message in there too... Baddie...GONE
*more a fact of the fix process than a lesson....when your score drops by 20 points, it's not the end of the world & it's not forever. This is what happens after getting up at 4 am, paying your mortgage, then 4 days later, forgetting you'd already done it & you realize it...try to back out & it takes your $$ anyway! Overdrawn chek acct & almost 2k pulled from cc acct! 
I can fix it...I can fix it.
I will likely add more to this, but so often I find myself answering the same questions, or giving the same information over & over, I thought it might be easier to just put in a nice concise list of things that make this entire repair process easier. Easier for those asking & easier for those answering.
I encourage the old timers here to add to the list.
@MarineVietVet wrote:Very nice list. Although I'm not an old timer here I would add that credit repair seldom happens quickly. There are no magical solutions. The 3 most important pieces of advice I can give anyone:
1. Pay on time
2. See #1
3. See #1 & #2
Oh yeah....those 3 RULE!!!! 
Great advice as usual! Thanks Mo! (may I call you Mo?)
The hardest thing to do re: #1 above IMO? Be patient and stay the course!!
When you wanna jump in and do something NOW, that you're not really sure of? Post the question and have someone reel you back in to do the right thing (thanks, Shane)!
Do a search regarding your particular situation. Tons of advice and helpful folks (thanks, GrillMaster, Ladyofnight, Mel, Kathy, et,al.)!
Read about the success of others for inspiration (thanks for sharing lady, 2libras, vitorbr, nick, et,al.)!
Heed the advice of the pro's (thanks Dallas)!
Finally, thank (insert name of favorite Deity here) for MyFico.com!!
Oh, yeah! Thanks to Wannahouse for shootin straight from the hip!!
Thanks Army...and of course you can call me Mo!! 
I think the #1 most frustrating thing for newcomers here...most find this site *after* the did "A" to try & fix...then find us & realize they should have done "B".
Never give up & never lose hope. We are all here to help you move ahead & UP that FICO ladder!!!
MO, Great Advice!!!
Another thing about newcomers, take for me for example, when I started 2yrs ago.I read things here too quickly, thought I knew it all,wrong.
I disputed lates an a account, they deleted the whole thing...I thought ..Bravo.
Wrong it was my oldest account.....Points fell
lesson learned: #1....Deleting is not always a good thing.
#2..READ,READ,READ, if don't understand ask questions(very smart & knowledgeable people here, Mo included)
#3..Search box here...Very useful....As well as Google.
Newbie take a breath, and try not to get too stressed.Credit repair and rebuilding takes time, so take the time to make the right decision.
We all have been where you are,so sometimes I had to put it away for a few months and come back to it later.
You can get there.Read the success stories!! I love reading those, it gives me hope
Hello Everyone,
I've been lurking around on this site infrequently and decided to comment. Just wanted to say thank you for this "Sage Advice"---it's right on time. I hadn't pulled my credit in 2yrs and was quite surprised (good/bad way) at what was on my credit and what was no longer on my credit. Looking fwd to posting more and participating in discussions.
Starting Score: 647EQ 625 TU (Sept 09)
Just wanted to say that the sage advice list is definitely on point! I am fairly new to the FICO
site and by following most of the items on your list (esp. #1 and #2) I am slowly moving towards
my credit score goal of 700 club. Excellent advice Mo!
And for all you newcomers be patient and put in the work, read, ask and apply you will see results!
2/09 EQ 578 TU 590 EX LO 602
4/09 EQ 606 TU 639
8/09 EQ 640 TU 651
Starting Score: TU 651, EQ 640, EX 597