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I know you are all hard at work with your credit goals. Have you progressed as far as you hoped? Were there any unforseen expenses that cropped up and may have thrown you off schedule?
As a reminder, participation in these monthly checkins is optional, but encouraged. The goal is to help keep you on track, so feel free to post your progress updates here. This is a no-judge zone; feel free to say what's keeping you up at night or give yourself a kudo for having it all together.
Did you hit any potholes or speedbumps? Achieve some milestones, either small or mighty? Change your goals or add new ones?
Let us know how you're doing!
Checking in folks
I accomplished my January goals.. off to conquer February!
Good luck all!
Checking in for February! Some re-evaluation going on.
Goals:
1a). Continue saving 12% of income, and look to increase that if I'm able to lower my tax withholding. Check!
1b). Look at depositing part of what I've already saved into a higher yield CD, maybe NFCU's Special 15-month at 2.25% Wondering if I should wait until I have a little more in my savings. If I put $3000 into a CD now, I would have $1800 left in savings. Of course I would still have the $500/month direct deposit going in to continue building it up. Advice welcome on this.
2a). Continue paying that extra $100 per month on my highest student loan balance Check, but wondering if I should put that extra $100 toward some CC balances.
2b). Pay off my lowest student loan balance, which is less than $350 now. It's just annoying seeing it there, lol! I was actually going to do this, but it doesn't appear that I can make a payment on it independently of the unsubsidized loan that was consolidated with it. I might call to see if it's possible to just pay it off.
3). No credit apps. Looking to get a ruby spade in December 2018 Check, check!!!!!
4). Pay down utilization. Working on it!
That's about it!
Bella -- that savings goal is freaking AWESOME.
The new tax law changes have affected my savings plan so much because I can now invest in REITs outside of my tax deferred retirement accounts. So I am bashing my head against the wall trying to figure out what to do. I had my 2018 savings/investments planned and scheduled but nope, had to start over.
My February 2018 check-in is nada. No changes to FICO score as I had hopped crossing into 24 months AAoA. No structural changes to my profile. Got some CLIs last month which are nice.
Here's my Feb 2018 updated chart during my rebuilding process starting in March 2017:
So I've gone up in everything but now I will be flatlining until probably July, unless Discover gives me more CLI love.
Biggest goals for 2018:
OK I made it through my first month. No applications. No hard pulls. No new accounts.
1 down, 11 to go.
It may not seem like much to you, but for me it's an accomplishment
So far February is off to a positive start.
Experian re-investigated my dispute regarding the bogus mortgage, and decided to delete it this time.
Now I am just waiting for Equifax, and hope that they follow along with Transunion and Experian.
No time for this to show a jump in my scores, although I don't expect a huge jump due to the lowering of my credit lines
which makes my utilization higher.
I have had no inquiries and still have zero lates or collections on my three reports, so hoping by the end of the month to
see some positive changes.
My February is off to a great start. I managed to save $500 last month, which is a big deal for me. I also managed to bring down my utilization to below 200%. I am becoming more cognisent of my spending choices and deciding to put more needs ahead of wants. It honestly feels good to pay bills off and see the 0 next to amount due. Not having any of the added late fees, returned check fees, etc. has provided such a mental boost. I am looking forward to smashing some more of my goals this year.
My goal for this month is to simply bring down my utilization to below 100% and to get to the $1000 saved mark for the year.
Hello all! Doing great here. Hitting my goals and looking forward to continuing to do so! I will be closing on my new house this month!! SO EXCITED!