Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

[unc0mm0n1]

Hi all. I'm a former military law student who is trying to increase my credit score after a few bad choices as a young adult.  The good thing is the only debt I have is an $8500 school loan which is current and should be paid off this summer  and about 4 credit cards with $10,500 worth of available credit. My goal is to have only one more inquiry (NFCU card) until next year. Keep my util under 7% and increase my credit score to 720 on all three reports by the end of the year.  I hope we all reach our goals! 

[tirado126]

Hi,

I'm trying to become a first time homebuyer this summer.

Since Jan 2013 I've paid off all of my collections (except one car repossession). Many of the collection accounts were deleted after I disputed them, only 3 remain on my report as Paid in full as of Mar 2013.  I opened 3 credit cards last year...Capital one (CL $500), Premier (CL $300) and Matrix (CL $300). They are all currently as of Mar 2013 under 5% utilization.

I have money saved for a down payment hopefully with an FHA loan, but am having trouble reaching the credit score minimum of 640. The FICO EQ is currently 596 and the wells fargo vantage score is 624. Don't know where to go from here (i.e. open a secure cc with a high CL? open a personal loan to diversify accounts?)

Hoping to learn from others in the forum and go from there.

Thanks.

[Bdj1]

So all three scores were around 660-680.

AAoA is around 7 years.  Longest open acount is around 10 years.

Was carrying balances on my credit cards.

One $108 collections that should not have been there.

...

Since December of 2012, I was able to pay off all credit cards.

I had gotten the collection deleted, via dispute, from Transunion.

I applied for CC's from Citi (wanted tax records), AMEX approved, two Chase cards approved, cli for USbank CC and ODLP, Discover Card approved.

Then,

Through discussions at the local BrightHouse location, was able to get them to agree to credit my account, bringing a zero balance, and agree to delete the collection from my credit reports.

...

My Fico score for Transunion is now at 770 with the hard pulls for recent cc's.

My Fico score for Equifax is now at 765 with the hard pulls for recent cc's.

Experian is normally 10 points higher than Equifax, actual fico score now is unknown.  Although, I should have a good idea when my update for citi identity monitor is updated around the first.  Their scores tracked pretty close to Fico for me.

...

Goals.

1 MC, 1 Visa, 1 AMEX, and 1 Discover card. With at least $10 limit on each. or up to 25k on each.

Scorewise, I've wanted to get to 800.  the estimator for myfico says that is best case over the next 12 that it is possible.

[himynameis]

This is my first time taking the myFICO Fitness Challenge and I'm excited to do it!

First off, DH and I filed for Ch 7 BK Sept 2012, had it discharged Dec 2012 and now we're starting over.

My scores before that were not great and in just the last couple months have gone up a little bit. I got an auto loan in Nov, right before the BK discharge and is current. DH just got an auto loan here in March and I'm joint on it. I just got approved for a secured card through my CU for $200 and we're going to apply for a joint secured card through our bank - USBank - by next month. We'll probably do the min $300 limit on that one. We also bought a mattress and bed from RCWilley but through a "lease to own" finance company but they will be reporting to EX for both of us. That will put me at 5 TL and DH at 3 TL I think.

DH and I both work FT and make decent money. We had hard times and he divorced not too long ago which took him from a 720+ score to now hanging somewhere between 550-620. Like I said, I never had good credit to begin with, I made lots of mistakes and for the last few years have been trying to fix it.

So, my goals are:

1. To improve all three scores above 620.

2. Refinance both auto loans for a better interest rate.

3. Keep everything current.

4. I want to be able to apply for unsecured cc and an RCWilley account.

5. Work my way to great scores to buy a home when the 2 year mark after bankruptcy is up.

[Anonymous]

I had established a score higher than 720 prior to marriage. Now separated, single parent trying to reign supreme again. New score 560, goal is 800. I have to teach my son about credit and what NOT to do with it. Wish me success!

[Cracka]

I'm so happy to have stumbled upon myfico.com. I previously subscribed to another CMS, only to find I was spending too much per month and not really learning how to start improving my credit.

Here was my situation in a nutshell:
-great credit history -AAoA is over 17 years
- no collections until 9/12
-pre 2005 had a decent fico score >700 and qualified for a $500k heloc (joint)
-moved to SoCal in 2008 and racked up my CC's
-new medical plans were HDHP and I didn't understand HSA's
-bought new BMW with $850+ monthly
-new baby born and costs were outrageous
- wife had med issues and put me into a financial hole
-used all of my heloc to rebuild my home
-also racked up the remainder of CL on my CC's to finish building my house
- approx 4 CC's maxed out <$25k
-joined a DMP to help pay down debt, but missed a few cycles resulting in approx 5 Baddies (120+ being the worst)

Fast forward to 2013:
- got a work bonus and paid off all CC debt! Whew, what a relief!
- qualified for 2 new lease vehicles (tier 2) joint with my unemployed wife
- opened a new CU checking acct
-App'd for a becu visa and qualified for $1k CL woohoo!

My goals for the remainder of 2013:
1) pull all 3 credit reports from the annual site and review for disputes
2) continue educating myself via this forum (thanks everyone for your valuable input)
3) improve my fico back to high 600 and possibly 700's!
4) obtain a mortgage to buy my home!

I feel good knowing that I'm not alone in my journey. Thank you all for your inspiration and support! I hope to be a coach and mentor for others who join this forum in the near future!

[LabRat2RN]

Hello

Umm...my story....

Bankruptcy discharge 3/2011

My scores were 400-something after filing. I got one Cap one card (CL 500, increased to 750 after credit steps), and an Orchard Banl (CL 320). Then after 6 months got another Cap One (CL 1000, with increase to 1500 after credit steps). I have always paid these on time and kept utilization below 30%, thinking that was good enough to boost my score. I had a medical emergency in late 2012 that had me out of work for a few weeks, and only getting about 60% of my regular pay. I charged up to over 80%, but have since paid those down to 25%. (Still paid bill on time but not before statement went out reporting high balance). I just got an NFCU unsecured card (CL 500), after paying balances down to 25%.

IMy one frustration has been recently. I signed up for ScoreWatch and within a week, I got 2 updates with increased EQ scores. 615-616 (Hey every point counts lol), and then 616-631. I was sooo pumped. THEN...as I vented elsewhere on the forum...a medical collection hit, and dropped my 631 to a 597!! The frustrating part is that I had been working with my insurance, the hospital AND the collection agency it got turned over to well BEFORE it was reported. Bottom line I was told that I had reached my out of pocket maximum for deductibles and that insurnace would cover it, I submitted all the required paperwork, and I told the hospital, and they said okay as insurance was sending them payments here and there related to the visit. Well, as these things go, it took a few weeks for insurance to decide that a certain portion was NOT covered and would be "co-insurance" which evidently means self-pay (why they can't just STATE that directly drives me nuts, to the uniformed "co-insurance" means that I have some other insurance coverage....which is evidently not the meaning...not even close). So once I figure this out, I call the hospital. Nope, it's been sent to collections. I call collections, make arrangements to pay, they say yeah cool, send me a contract, I get all squared away to pay and they say OH wait...we don't take HSA debit cards as payment so you have to pay the hospital. Are you kidding?? They sent me to you and you send me back...why is this with your "collection" agency??? OK...I pay the hospital with what I have left on my HSA. I ask them...since I am paying you...why can't this be removed from the collection agency? It wasn't blatant negligence, I am handling it now. It's barely 3 months old. NOPE. Once we send it, we can't undo it. Right. Okay...so I take all my receipts that I pay AT THE HOSPITAL to this agency for proof of payment. Well turns out even though I give them a physical recepit form the hospital..they claim they need some official accounting paperwork from the hospital that they get weekly before updating my balance. Yet these idiots had NO problem updating my Equifax report as an UNPAID CLOSED collection, with the original balance. I literally got the score watch FICO bomb notification a week after I paid because I paid after their 3 pm weekly cut off. UGH!!!!!!

I disputed the damn thing but still. There IS a remaining balance I have to wait until my paycheck to pay but still. I asked if I can pay for deletetion since they effed me over and they don't do pay for deletions. It will only update to a paid collection. UGH again.....

Both my FICO scores tanked on this but only EQ dropped below 600.

SOOO as it stands now:

EQ FICO 597

TU FICO 605

My EX PLUS is 577

TU FAKO (via CK) 618

Vantage Score...whatever that is...660.

I'm thinking keeping my NFCU below 10%, paying all my 25% utils down to 10% in the next 2-3 months, will hopefully improve my scores. THE NFCU card actually has not been reported yet. I have only had it maybe a week...I haven't received any monitoring alerts on it. And of course getting rid of the collection from hell.

My goal is still to get to the 700 range by the end of the year. Of course that was more realistic before this damn collection but I am disputing the inaccurate stuff so we shall see

[sford_68]

I have been working to rebuild my credit after a bankruptcy in 09 and death of my spouse. Thanks to community and advise I have had great success in removing inaccurate information and watching my score rise! Almost to my goal

[cabenn]

Pour me a glass puhleeezzzzeeee!!! 😛

[jtaber79]

Haven't checked in to the forums very often, but I finally feel like I'm moving in the right direction.

My story ...

BK in April 2009. Divorce in 2010 ... Finances were a large reason for it.

First year and a half after BK was tough to re-establish credit. Started with one cap1 card and a high interest rate auto loan.

In 2012, I:

Re-financed auto loan through my credit union and got a 4.24% APR
Built up my total available credit balance to over $9,300
Bought a diamond ring at Jared
Got re-married to a wonderful woman, the love of my life and best friend. We have a blended family of 5 wonderful kiddos.
Started a photo booth business
Lived within my means and tried to remain credit responsible
Paid 100% of my bills on time

For the first year of my new life, I am happy and I want nothing more than to continue on the right path in 2013