Semi-Newbie

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone! 

I have been stalking the forums for awhile. I used this back in 2009 to help get a few things off my account so that my husband and I could buy a house. Well, since then, I have gone through nursing school (having to live off credit cards pretty much) then had another baby who was a total surprise.

I have quite a few accounts on my credit, but my main issue was late payments while I was in nursing school. 2 semesters before I graduated, we started getting behind on everything due to me being laid off, and my husbands work cutting back hours.

I sent some GW letters to US Bank Home Mortgage, trying to get some of those removed since I have gotten caught up. I am hoping they feel bad for me and remove some of the lates.

My car payment was also late 3 times, so I sent a GW letter to them, hoping for the same outcome.

I made arrangements to PIF 2 of my CC's on the 8th when I get paid. (They are low value cards, balances are around 500 a piece)

I have a Fingerhut charge off. I ended up paying the collection agency as a PFD, they are not reporting, but FH is still reporting the charge off until 7/2014. Is there anything I can do about that? Can I GW them and hope for a response? Or is there another way to go?

I also have Southeast Financial reporting a "collection" as of 9-2014. The thing with them was that I was only one payment behind, and they sent it to collections. I am not sure what to do about this? The collection agency sent me a letter offering to settle last week.

Lastly, I had a Kay Jewelers account, I was 2 months late, and they offered me a settlement for 300 less than I owed. I took the settlement and PIF what they offered, so it shows the 2 lates, then says OK, and the next month it shows "closed at credit grantors request" 

Should I just GW them to see if they can remove the lates? Or leave that one alone? 

I feel as if I am taking a step in the right direction, but things are so overwhelming at this point. 

Thanks so much!

Summer

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Hey everyone! 

I have been stalking the forums for awhile. I used this back in 2009 to help get a few things off my account so that my husband and I could buy a house. Well, since then, I have gone through nursing school (having to live off credit cards pretty much) then had another baby who was a total surprise.

I have quite a few accounts on my credit, but my main issue was late payments while I was in nursing school. 2 semesters before I graduated, we started getting behind on everything due to me being laid off, and my husbands work cutting back hours.

I sent some GW letters to US Bank Home Mortgage, trying to get some of those removed since I have gotten caught up. I am hoping they feel bad for me and remove some of the lates.

My car payment was also late 3 times, so I sent a GW letter to them, hoping for the same outcome.

I made arrangements to PIF 2 of my CC's on the 8th when I get paid. (They are low value cards, balances are around 500 a piece)

I have a Fingerhut charge off. I ended up paying the collection agency as a PFD, they are not reporting, but FH is still reporting the charge off until 7/2014. Is there anything I can do about that? Can I GW them and hope for a response? Or is there another way to go?

I also have Southeast Financial reporting a "collection" as of 9-2014. The thing with them was that I was only one payment behind, and they sent it to collections. I am not sure what to do about this? The collection agency sent me a letter offering to settle last week.

Lastly, I had a Kay Jewelers account, I was 2 months late, and they offered me a settlement for 300 less than I owed. I took the settlement and PIF what they offered, so it shows the 2 lates, then says OK, and the next month it shows "closed at credit grantors request" 

Should I just GW them to see if they can remove the lates? Or leave that one alone? 

I feel as if I am taking a step in the right direction, but things are so overwhelming at this point. 

Thanks so much!

Summer

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Yes, I agree you are taking not one but several steps in the right direction!

GW letters are often the only way we have left to attempt for improvements in scores.

Fingerhut CO - GW is all that is left.

Southeast Financial - a paid account is always better than unpaid.  A PIF looks better than settled under manual review.

Kay Jewelers - you can try GW again - delete the whole account would be great, then try for change status to just 'paid' and remove the lates.

Many times, it takes a long GW campaign to wear down the creditor to give GW requests.  I would suggest making like a form letter individualized for each creditor and setting up a schedule for maybe every other month and then change the dates and mail off a GW letter to each one.  I prefer the US Mail route over calling because the phone reps are focused on extracting money out of our wallets and not much else.

GL - never give up

 ETA: welcome back!