Holiday fun, already reflecting on how the year has passed. Have to admit, finding this forum and announcing a plan and sticking to it has been nothing but goodness for me.
Original plan:
Revelate wrote:2012 plan:
- Jan: open up another secured card at old credit union
- Jan: take out a secured CD loan 3 year term USAA, cheaper way for installment tradeline
- Jul / Aug (depends on when they report sixth payment): finish off the unsecured personal loan
- Aug/Sep/Oct: depending on current FICO score, pull trigger on refinancing auto loan
- Dec: *maybe* try for an Amex Zync if scores look better, report gets a little cleaner, and mortgage is delayed as I expect
- Ongoing: depending on finances, figure out when to use the long stick to wake the tiger (IRS), might be paid but my documentation has been lackluster this decade
- Ongoing: seeing if I can get that collection removed
I hit nearly every single milestone with the exception of finishing the IRS issue and getting the collection removed (really didn't try hard on this one as frankly the collection is righteous from my own wayward stupidity). Highlights from the year included:
- Hitting my goal score of 640+ in July, though my score has since flatlined at 643 for the last several months.
- Refinanced my car from 19.35% APR in August down to 5.99% (now 5.74% with DCU's good behavior bonus)
- Zynced just under the wire in October before it was discontinued.
Next year's plan is a theoretically simple two-step process (with some random score target since I've no idea anymore):
- Deal with IRS
- Get mortgaged
Have a wonderful holiday season and best of wishes and luck to everyone for next year!
Edit: Tale of the FICO score (EQ Beacon 5.0) for the curious:
01/01/12: 561
02/03/12: 571
02/24/12: 595
03/30/12: 608
04/27/12: 617
05/25/12: 619
06/29/12: 631
07/27/12: 646
08/31/12: 634
10/01/12: 643
10/26/12: 643
11/30/12: 643
Starting Score: EQ 561, TU 567, EX 599* (12/30/11, EX lender pull 12/29/11)Current Score: EQ 648, Wally TU 673, EX 687 (06/15/13)
Goal Score: 680 in all three (01/01/14)
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