I wanted to sign up to say Thank you!! I have been struggling with rebuilding my credit for over 15 years. NOW I know, from all of the wonderful posts, questions, answers, and constructive criticism that I have read on the forums recently how a lot of this works. Long story short, in 2003, I bought a new truck with a lender pull 519 score. refi'd at 6 mos. I have made MOST of my payments on time, until there were some extenuating circumstances that caused me to almost lose the truck. I have added up that paying on said truck has cost me more then double the original purchase price over the years. So I decided to find out why. Then I found ya'll. (yes, that's southern for All of you guys!)
So recap: I was in Sams buying groceries and got a $500.00 instant approval with no app at the register. I accepted it. After a few months time they AutoCLI me to 900, then I found out about GE doing the soft pull CLI. BAM... 1 year after opening account, $4900.00!!! And that was from the LUV button!. So I did same on my WM store card, which was 8 months old.. $600 to $1200.!! This is GREAT !.. I have read up on utilization and have gotten things down to less then 50%, with a goal of 30% by March 1, 2014. Armed with this new information, and feeling the "app itch"... Sept thru Oct 2013 was mind-boggling. I was able to get three collections removed, pick up a car for my daughter at less then 9% interest. (I know, still high, but we all start somewhere, right?), get those two CLI increases, a new Lowes card ( I have wanted one of those since I bought my house. And a Freedom Rewards card!!.. with a 4k instant approval!.. And to top it all off.... WM Fico posted for November and I went from 664 to 701!.. WOOT.. I could not have done it without the expertise and care I have gotten on these forums.
Anyway, I have been reading a lot of posts here, and I have learned so much, I wanted to THANK EVERYONE THAT HAS POSTED!!! I am currently gardening, although I haven't checked in yet.. (I better before I get attacked by a squirrel) /grin.
THANK YOU ALL AGAIN.... I look forward to continuing to learn as we all share the information we have learned through times of grief, as well as prosperity
OFFICIAL GARDEN START DATE: 10-05-2014... TARGET GARDEN END DATE: 06-01-2016 Lets Git 'r' dun
Ha ha ha
This is a wonderful and inspiring account of your journey congrats and keep up the good work
BTW
A friend of mine said you don't have long to check in.
See you in the garden
Thanks for sharing get to the garden or we'll send out the gators! LOL 
Discover IT $17k / US Bank Ace (VSig) $13.5K / US Bank Cash+ (VSig) $13.5kI checked in to the garden last night 
That squirrel is SCARY!!.. I think i can take gators.. but the Jedi squirrel? oh uh - huh