starting scores:
TU 709; EQ 691, exp (who knows?)
in january, i finally pulled my report one sunday morning after discovering this forum. til then, i paid everything in cash and just ignored my credit.
on my report: student loans for >100,000, car loan for 2000, one medical bill that went to collection, paid after collection on amex from 2008.
so i read everything here and got some awesome advice and got to work.
i settled the medical bill by calling the collection agency with verbal agreement for PDF. they wouldn't send me a written confirmation, so with some faith and a letter of PDF, documenting the name of the representative, exact time of conversation, with the check in mail. then, i checked my score a month later only to find out, the collection was there. so i called again with the time and name of the first conversation and was able to get a letter with PDF promised. i then contacted the bureaus and submitted disputes. in one month, the collection fell off. my score went to 759 TU, 755 EQ. i called amex to see if i could remove the collection but they wouldn't budge. i spoke to one rep, another rep, wrote a GW letter, but nada. figured, in 2015, it will fall off anyways.
with better scores in april, i got two credit cards after receiving suggestions from the forum. Discover IT and amex. i was surprised that amex took me back and more surprised about amex backdating. when i got my amex (the card said 2013), but when i went online, there it was, member since 1998!
i waited and waited for both cards to report and today, my scores are 799 TU, 774 EQ, exp unknown. so in 5 months, i have jumped 100/83 points in my credit score. could not believe that i was seeing those numbers this morning.
lessons learned? pull your report. call, write letters, call again, document and speak to someone even when you are applying for the card. be responsible with credit cards (i keep utilzation at 9% on discover, 0 on amex) and be patient.
i remember how in january i thought this is going to be so tough after reading the link on common abbreviations, lol, but this forum saved me. everyone was so encouraging and helpful. thanks everyone!
