topic Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results? in Credit Cards

What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Dalmus — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 22:42:41 GMT

So with the end of the year fast approaching, I am done with new accounts for the next 12 months. I thought it would be interesting to see what people have done for themselves over the course of the year.

Quick background... 3 years ago, my highest limit was $3,000, and that was a store card. I only had a couple Majors, and they were all small limits. With the help of MyFico, I've been able to pull myself back to the point of getting regular 5 figure SL and get to the point where I can start cancelling unproductive cards without effecting my score. Thanks, everyone!

My 2017 Credit Activity:

Cards opened and SL:
Amex BCE:             $15,000
Cap1 Venture:       $15,000
Cap1 Savor:           $10,000
WF Cashwise:        $11,000

Cards w/ CLIs:
Amazon Prime:   $1,700
Barclay Reward:   $1,800
Cap1 PSV:              $500
Cap1 QS:                 $750
Cap1 Venture:      $3,000
Discover:                 $1,500
Elan:       $500
Fashion Bug:      $300
JCrew:                     $1,500
NFCU:                      $700
NRA Visa:      $3,800
Paypal:                     $1,500
Sportsmen's:           $1,600

Cards Closed:
Express:               $3,300
First Ntl MC:      $2,100
Gander Mntn:      $700
HSN:                     $2,500
Overstock:           $3,200

Walmart Store: $5,000
Wayfair: $1,800

Cards on the 2018 Chopping Block:

Cabela's MC: $1,000

Cap1 PSV: $2,000

James Allen: $3,500 (TD Bank)

Legacy Visa: $3,250

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 23:28:00 GMT

January 1, 2017

Capital One Journey: $4500

January 1, 2018 (projected)

Capital One Journey: $7500

Discover it Chrome: $7300

Bank of America Cash Rewards: $1200

Chase Freedom: $2500

Chase Freedom Unlimited: $2500

Chase Ink Business Cash: $6500

Auto Loan: $606 remaining balance out of $8645 origional loan

Here's my 2017 story as short as I can make it. At the start of the year I was happy using my one and only card and getting 1.25% cash back was great. At the end of January my car gets totaled and I need a loan to get a new one. With only one card I didn't have too much history to qualify for a good loan. Got the loan and then decided to look into this whole credit thing. Realized what I was missing out on and its been a hobby of mine ever since. I'm happy with my cards now and am constantly looking at ways that these and other cards could benefit me. For example the whole cash back thing. In 3 years of having my Journey card I got about $360 back in rewards. Then from June until now, between cash back and signup bonuses I got back around $1500. I'm happy I found this site.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Sat, 23 Dec 2017 01:54:44 GMT

I started paying attention again after 5 years or so of indifference in April. In April, I had a total credit limit of $8400. Currently, I’m at total credit limit of $94200. Also, I got an auto loan from NFCU in May for $34K.

April vs. Current Scores Below:
April 2017 FICO 8 Scores - EX 695 | EQ 621 | TU 655
November 2017 FICO 8 Scores - EX 730 | EQ 745 | TU 737

2017 Card Acquisitions:
Dell Preferred - $5500
Chase SW Rapid Rewards - $3500
Amex BCE - $1000
Navy Go Rewards - $19600
Capital One Venture - $15000
Barclaycard Arrival + - $5000
Amex Gold Delta - $2800
Discover it - $9000
BoA Premium Rewards - $12000
Barclaycard Red Aviator - $5000

CLI:
BoA Cash Rewards - $2900 > $10000

It’s been a great year. So many bonus points too (320,000) since April and $350 in cash bonuses.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

MrDisco99 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 05:51:39 GMT

Starting this year I had a single card account with a $1K limit (Synovus). Since then I've acquired everything in my sig, and I've collected enough rewards to send me and my wife on an epic vacation next year.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 07:16:16 GMT

My credit started this year and I opened nine cards. The active ones are in my signature.

Chase & USAA have been the most generous

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 07:13:42 GMT

From three cards and under $3k to almost 10 cards/$100k.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Dec 2017 11:48:30 GMT

2017 was the year I finally (kind of) figured out how to properly handle credit. I had primarily used my debit card for the last 5 years, after buying my house, thinking that I wouldn't be tempted to overspend because I track everything (daily...well...hourly...who's kidding...every minute...) Then I had my card compromised by hackers in Jordan. Whoops, my bad, that'll never happen again! Bank cleared the charges, I was refunded in 2 business days and I had a new card overnighted. Life is good. Then my card is compromised by someone in the UK, who was trying to buy something I would've bought had I been in London at the time! Second time?! Shame on me. Bank clears the charges again. But now, almost every debit I attempt outside of my normal spending is rejected! I call the bank, they approve my card for use for that business day. Umm. I couldn't live like that. So then I wised up.

I paid down my debt to 8% revolving UTIL. My scores jumped. Now I have not been the savviest at figuring out what cards work best for me, but I can say as we head towards 2018 I can comfortably garden until my US Bank 0% APR expires.

Started the year with mainly subprime cards, slightly over $17K CL. I've opened prime accounts, closed many of the subprimes. Of the $17K+ I started with, I parted ways with $11K. When I went to garden at the beginning of November my CL was approximately $60K.

As much grief as Capital One gets around these parts, I received a better than expected CLI. Citi has been showing me some love as well. So I will say that those banks are very good to you if you give them the spend. And given a couple of situations with each bank this year, they were exemplary in their response. I will not leave either bank (voluntarily) My year end revolving is $88.5K.

I have gotten to this point after over 2 decades of poorly navigating credit, thanks to the MyFico community. For anyone who is in a rebuild, or at the finish line, this community is THE BEST source of information around.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:12:18 GMT

@banquier, you’re absolutely right. This forum has been invaluable to me this year. It’s by happenstance that I stumbled upon search results from myFICO. I’m happy I did.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:16:11 GMT

CU CC: 10,000

KAYS: 6,000

Barclay: 3,000

Capitol One QS: 750

Nordstrom: 500

2018:

AMEX...

also how do I add credit card images to my signiture bottom? lol

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 14:26:02 GMT

2012-March 2017: One secured local bank credit card with 150D lates but still open.

Today:

That secured card is still open but shows perfect payment history thanks to massive goodwill campaign on my part
Amex BCP ($2000) -- Jan 2, 2018 is my 61 day CLI request upcoming
Discover IT Chrome ($2500, graduated after 7 months)
Capital One Platinum secured ($3000, increased to $3300 but still secured at 7 months)
Comenity Williams Sonoma ($400, got an HP for a CLI request denied, no CLI even at 7 months, going to close)
Amazon Store Card ($400->$5000->$6000 and going to try for $10,000 later this month, gets no real usage as I rarely shop there)
Chase Freedom Unlimited ($500, 7 months, no auto CLI, have left 95% reporting and 0% reporting and 25% reporting)
Capital One QS1, only use it for Spotify ($500->$600 on manual CLI request)
US Bank Cash+ ($500, CLI request denied due to unpaid tax lien reporting on TU) -- sock drawered and can't imagine using it
Alliant SSL ($40 balance on $500 loan)
Boat loan (codes as auto loan) currently 88% balance but will PIF soon, just keeping it to get data points on installment utilization and have a deal with the dealer to get a credit for any interest I pay within 12 months so it's a free interest loan for 12 months

2017 has been amazing. Started in the 550 FICO range (probably lower as I didn't pull my scores until March but pulled my 3 credit reports in January and disputed a few tradelines that were definitely wrong and they got removed). Now 700s across the board and FICO estimator and my own calculations tell me I can be at 780-790 by end of 2018 except on TU, thanks to having 1 CC open that will be in the 72 month range then.

2018 is going to be weak sauce for credit seeking. I am aiming for Amex Platinum if I can get a $100K prequal, and maybe Discover IT Miles for the 3% first year. I also really want Chase Sapphire Reserved but going to wait for an in-branch preapproval and don't expect it any time soon as they pull TU in my state and I have that unpaid tax lien still reporting. #1 goal for 2018 is getting that lien released or deleted somehow. It's only $1000 but I won't pay it until they confirm they'll release and withdraw it completely. And the state runs slower than molasses on a winter day.

I also want to move checking to Consumers CU for that 4.8% or whatever interest rate on the first $20,000. Got to do some math to see if it works for me but that's free money sitting on the table.

Goal for 2018: earn up to $4000 in cash back or discounts based on my actual spend from CCs only. I think I can do better than that, but 2017 will end up being about half that.

Goal for 2018: CLIs across the board and get to $100,000 in available credit by year's end. Not sure if it's realistic but I can try.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Gmood1 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:16:00 GMT

Congrats OP and the rest of y'all on reaching some of your credit goals!

Honestly, I have too many to mention and too lazy to do so. Lol

It's nice reading all the positive moves you've all made!

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:33:07 GMT

@Gmood1 wrote:
Congrats OP and the rest of y'all on reaching some of your credit goals!
Honestly, I have too many to mention and too lazy to do so. Lol
It's nice reading all the positive moves you've all made!

I'm not going to lie. I'm a bit jealous about that USAA limitless

And that yellow credit card looks very stylish.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Sandman771 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:41:56 GMT

I stumbled on this forum sometime in March or April of 2017. At that point I was in the high 400's and had no credit except bad credit. I learned through here about PFD and UTI and what FICO wants to see. I got a secured $300 card from Open Sky that I spent $100 on and PIF and it has shown a $0 balance since that first month in May. I also learned that veeterans can join NFCU and how cool they were. I joined planning on getting a $500 secured card with them to grow, but on a lark I apped for a CashRewards card. Approved for $2K. What???? So I went to the garden for a while not even really knowing what that was and started working on the bad stuff. Rehabbing student loans and PIF some old C/Os. 94 days and three statements later I asked for a CLI from Navy. No dice so I apped for a second card and they gave me $5100. Again....what???? Hey not to kick a gift horse in the eye I took it and ran.

Anyway thanks to some very knowledgable peeps on here who explain things and guide folks my scores are now upper $500's only two bad accounts left reporting and over $7K in revolving credit. Even started saving for that rainy day fund (thanks ABCD). So when I talk to people I know about this place and about how great NFCU is I truly sound like a cult member, but in a good way.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Anonymous — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:47:51 GMT

Methinks Sandman's going to be in the 700s by this time next year. Start that goodwill saturation campaign on any PIF'd C/Os to get them removed.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Sandman771 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 15:52:51 GMT

Thanks man. I just want to get my EX up high enough to get int he Amex club then I'll just garden away until the bad stuff falls off. I'm not buying a house or anything in the near future and I'm sure Navy will let me get a new vehicle when I get ready in a year or two and I have a good rate on my current vehicle (though I do wish they would re-fi that one for me).

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Dalmus — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:06:11 GMT

@Sandman771 wrote:
Thanks man. I just want to get my EX up high enough to get int he Amex club then I'll just garden away until the bad stuff falls off. I'm not buying a house or anything in the near future and I'm sure Navy will let me get a new vehicle when I get ready in a year or two and I have a good rate on my current vehicle (though I do wish they would re-fi that one for me).

Fantastic job! I wish I hadn't been forced to get a replacement vehicle three years ago when I still had crappy credit... I'm underwater on that vehicle, and I'm just paying it off at an accelerated rate so that I can get into something better on my own terms this time.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Sandman771 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:09:03 GMT

If you have good credit now even underwater with the year end rebates and incentives going on this is the month to buy one. You may get more for it than you think. The hurricanes took 500K used cars out of the market in Texas and in Florida which are two places that we like to get cars from so there is none of that road salt and stuff like from up north.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Dalmus — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:20:03 GMT

@Sandman771 wrote:
If you have good credit now even underwater with the year end rebates and incentives going on this is the month to buy one. You may get more for it than you think. The hurricanes took 500K used cars out of the market in Texas and in Florida which are two places that we like to get cars from so there is none of that road salt and stuff like from up north.

True. I suppose it doesn't hurt to look. Curse you and your glimmers of hope!

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Sandman771 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:26:13 GMT

Hey I'm a car salesman, so of course that's what I do. And I know most folks want to visit us less than anyone else in the world except maybe a dentist.

Re: What Are Your 2017 Year End Results?

Sanjo812 — Tue, 05 Dec 2017 16:46:29 GMT

My 2017 Credit Activity:

Background: opened my first account in 2014 (Cap1 Secured) to start to establish myself in the US. Opened two more accounts; a Chase Freedom and PRG. The PRG got charged off late 2015 and was paid off last year.

Cards opened and SL:
Citi DC: $1,000
AMEX BCE:           $1,000
JetBlue Biz: $1,000
AMEX HH:       $1,000
AMEX Gold Delta Biz: $3,000
Disco Secured:        $3,00
Chase FU: $1,000

Cards w/ CLIs:
Citi DC: $1,000 CLI
AMEX BCE:           $2,000 CLI
JetBlue Biz: $1,000 CLI

I learned a lot from the community and travel blogs. Had a few rewards flights from JetBlue and a nice Hilton redemption in NYC. Going to let accounts and inqs age for 2018 and take it slow in the Garden for the most part.