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New to this, just started gardening as of May closed out April with getting a chase slate card and two out of three of my current cc's to increase my cli's. November planning on going after more cli while keeping utilization low. My goal is to hopefully finally qualify for that corporate amex, and maybe add another card or two by then but for now, garden as well as work on clearing the last few bad marks on my credit reports.
JP
I'm new here and just starting the journey of getting my credit cleaned up. Glad to have found this site, it's very encouraging.
May check in - let's see, I sent a GW ltr to a CO that had several accts appearing on my credit reports (most are paid). Haven't heard a thing yet, and they are still there. I will send another letter again. I have all baddies that show on 2 reports paid in full. Though I have loads of other medical bills, at the moment my payment arrangements are keeping them off my credit report. Keeping my fingers crossed nothing else appears.
My CC utilization still sucks, but I can't change everything. I received a ltr last week denying me the renewal of my credit union CC. I called to appeal the process and was actually granted approval, with very little effort. I had all this stuff written up and it was just as simple as asking - I was so relieved! My score had been really awful in July 2011 and I am working towards refi our mortgage, since then my scores are up just at 100 points. Very happy with the progress, but it does seem so slow.
I haven't applied for a new CC in years, as I felt I really didn't need another (didn't want anymore debt) - but would it increase my score if I got another card? My husband and I have 3 CC's only one in which I am the primary, though I am authorized on the one of his. Will this increase my score?
I will send another GW ltr to the same CO I sent one to three weeks ago. I'll decide whether to try and apply for the Discover It or not. If I don't refi for 2 or 3 months I thought another card might increase the scores. I also want to send out GW ltr to 2 old TL that have 30/60 late payments; neither have a balance, but I hope that if they remove the late status it might budge the scores. I would like to break 640 in one before the refi process. My credit union runs all 3 credit reports for a refi.
Spring is finally here!
WOW!! I'm so late with updating anything...but it's ok. Well so far May has been a true test of patience and gardening. I am in the last stages of the home buying process. Waiting on appraisal results and file being sent to USDA. My TU Walmart score has gone up 20 POINTS! I am now 1 point away from the 700 club and if my experian score has follwed suite with my TU it is over 700. I think I still have a little growth needed on my EQ but it has always been my lowest score. Gardening has been so hard consideringa ll the things I want to buy for my house but I would never do anything to jeopardize my home purchase.... SO gardening I will be doing until after I get the keys! No new CC debt been trying to maintain and lower balances and save. I did use my cards that I had zero balance on just to show some use but made a payment before the statement cut. May has been good so far but I'm excitred for JUNE! (June 7th that is!)
New Check in here. I think I posted my intro in the wrong area initially, I do apologize in advance for spamming these boards. I have the utmost respect for the community that you have developed, and I am here to learn as much as possible. Well here is my intro...Again LOL.
This has been a long time coming. I have been avoiding my Credit Report like it was the plague, out of sheer embarrassment. Now that I have been able to face those fears I have found the strength to buckle down and set the record straight. My credit report does not reflect accurately upon me or my beliefs, and now I am sitting at 27 years old, and striving to have my report sing to a different tune. I am determined and eager to learn. I may be slow starting out, but the only way to guarantee failure is to not even try. So here I am!
Okay I came across this forum maybe a month ago. Researching which credit unions or banks to use for an auto loan. I took notes on the comments from this forum and I tried a few suggestions. I have to say, because of my success I had to write and join as a member! my score a month ago low 500 across the board. Due to many of the comments from previous postings. I decided it was worth trying out a few credit bump techniques. While trying to increase my score I decided to garden my credit for 30 -45 days despite the fact I needed an auto loan.
4 collections were deleted from my credit report
I have 1 secured credit cards 1.5K capital one
secured credit card 1k NFCU
Wal-Mart credit card $400
I plan to hold off a little longer for an auto loan!
Just started this month, but I'm hopefully headed towards some big improvement. In February, I applied for and (and through some magic) got approved for a $21,000 auto loan at 1.9% APR for 72 months through Ford Motor Credit. For the 3 months I've had the loan, I've been on time with payments (and plan to be for the life of the loan). At the time, my scores according to FMC were in the 570s.
In April, I applied for and was approved for a $500 CL Capital One Cash Rewards Card that I've since been using to garden. I'm still learning the ins-and-outs of gardening this one, and accidentally had my first utilization pop in at 55%. I've currently got a $26 balance on that one, so hopefully I can get it to report for my next statement between 5-9%. With this, I'm only buying my normal day-to-day expenses, like gas or groceries, and then basically paying off the balance the same day, minus the 5-9% that I want to report as utilized. After my statement is generated, I plan to pay it to a zero balance to avoid monthly interest charges.
I just started using ScoreWatch this month, which is showing a current score of 614, so theoretically there's an improvement since I had my auto lender pull the score in February. I'm now starting the process of GW'ing 5 accounts, though my DOFD's are a few years old now on them. My next interim goal is to get above a 620, and to get 2 GW's accepted.
Hey All! Though I have checked in for this month already - I wanted to give a positive update. I wrote a PFD letter for my college daughter for a medical bill and she included the payment in full with the letter. A month later, it is off her credit report and her score jumped 52 points! So excited for her! Now to keep pushing forward on my own.
Checking In.....
In Feb. I did the following:
The Results of February's great work:
TU: 532- up 8 points
EQ: 542- up 38 points
EX: 579- up 19 points
Utilization: 1%
Last inquiry: Sept 2012
What’s left:
5 Collection accounts ($3,300)
March Goals:
What actually happened in March:
The results of March’s roller coaster: 4/9/2013
TU: 571 - up 39 points
EQ: 583 – up 41 points
EX: 595 – up 16 points
April Goals:
April Results:
TU: 611- up 40 points
EQ: 583- no change
EX: 690- up 95 points!!!!!
Utilization: 20%
Last inquiry: March 2013
Sent GW's - all came back with thanks but we can't remove anything...blah blah blah
Fingerhut Auto CLI (no HP)
What’s left:
Waiting for 1 account to update with a zero balance- EQ & TU reports
May Goals:
House ..... Here I come...
Enough Income……... check
Down payment……... check
Credit..........................Almost there!!!