topic Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012 in Credit Cards

Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 15:18:10 GMT

Greetings, fellow credit gardeners! We’re starting a new month, so it’s time to start a new thread. I'm going to kick this one off a day early so that I don't have to worry about typing it out over my morning coffee tomorrow. With that, I hereby convene the June meeting of the myFICO Garden Club.

For those who are new to the concept of gardening, it involves refraining from applying for new credit or seeking CLIs that require hard pulls. Soft pulls CLIs, however, are not only acceptable, but are encouraged. The idea is to allow one's current TLs to grow and mature, waiting for inqs to age or fall off, and possibly waiting for "baddies" to be removed or age off. During this time, one tends to one's current accounts and watches their AAoA grow and the new credit ding fade.

So, if you're at the stage of your credit journey where you're ready to enter the garden, please come and join us. You may pick up your complimentary watering can and garden gloves by the front door -- you can even choose your favorite color! We're proud to offer a well appointed clubhouse. There is a snack table set up. Last month we added a full featured gas grill to our club house, and since this month marks the beginning of summer, we're going to start putting it to good use! Burger, hot dogs, and kebobs are available for your dining pleasure! There's iced tea, lemonade and sodas, and if you like, a variety of ice cold beers. And as always, we have a selection of mini-quiches, as Relevate really likes them. Please feel free to bring and add any items that you'd like. And, in the corner diagonally across from the front door, there is a fully stocked bar. If needed, there are some anti-itch medications stocked in our supply cabinet near the door -- Lanacaine, Benedryl, etc. If you need to place your reports in the deep freeze, we also have a freezer, located next to the bar, so go ahead and throw your reports in!

Come on in and make yourself comfortable. Make a gardening plan and commit to sticking with it! Are you planning to wait six months before applying for additional credit? A year? Until the last of your baddies drop off? Whatever your goal, we're here to support you. If you feel the "app-itch" coming on, let us know and we'll try to help you through it.

Now, if you happen to leave the garden prematurely, that’s your decision and we respect that. You are always welcome to come back, pick up your gardening tools and start over again. But please, celebrate any approvals on another thread. While we are happy with members’ success stories, we really do want to keep this thread’s focus and tone to be consistent with gardening efforts. You are certainly welcome to celebrate soft CLIs on this thread, though, as they do not involve inqs or apps for new credit.

NEW STARTING THIS MONTH:

Garden Club Challenge: Pick a firm date for staying in the garden and post it in your siggy!

Garden Club recognition levels: To qualify, your reports must contain:

No new tradelines of any type on one's accounts (this includes backdated Amex accounts, as they are STILL new "seedlings").
No HPs for anything that would allow for the possibility of a new tradeline being issued or increasing the CL of an existing tradeline.

. You will be able to add the following to your siggy if you have abided by the above for the following time periods...

1 month - bronze spade

3 months - silver spade

6 months - gold spade

12 months - platinum spade

24 months or more - diamond spade

Please note: recognition levels reset once you add an account or incur a HP. We recognize that there may be very good reasons for "leaving the garden," and we respect whatever thoughtful decisions members make. As stated previously, members are always welcome to come back, grab their gloves and start gardening once more.

So, how's everyone's garden doing this month?

I'm really looking forward to this month, as an old CO and the resulting CA account are due to fall off my EX report sometime in June! That leaves one last CO, which will come off in August. All of these are due to fall off of TU in August. I don't have the exact month for these to fall off of EQ, but it should be in line with the others. Once this happens, I'll be apping for the last few cards that I have on my wish list. I've been app-free since last October, so it's just a little bit more time to wait.

Last month LS suggeted that everyone pick a firm date for staying in the garden. I can't give a firm date, as I don't know exactly when the baddies will drop, just that it will be sometime by the end of the summer. So... I'm on record as stating that I'm staying planted here until my reports are CO and CA free. That's a firm goal and it's one that I'm well on my way to meeting.

I'd also like to ask the folks here if they believe that the Garden Club threads have helped them. I would really like to hear how they have helped, or if they haven't, what can we do that might be useful. Thoughts???

So, with that lengthy intro to the thread, please feel free to share and mingle!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

RockinRay — Thu, 31 May 2012 22:46:46 GMT

First to jump in here!

I am still in the garden. We have paid off all but one of our credit cards and it is small. Hopefully, in June, we will both cross that magic 800 line! Even with the last card, utilization is less than 3%.

I "might" step out for a Chase Southwest Visa - need something for my small side business. Otherwise, firmly planted.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

hedgeclipper2 — Thu, 31 May 2012 20:03:37 GMT

After my Hilton app spree last month (april), I am in desperate need of some garden time. I am all in!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

BrokaToe — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:19:14 GMT

Hi all, this is my first time to officially try out gardening. Thanks to this forum, I now know exactly what it is and how to use it to my advantage. I made the decision on this a few days ago, so here's what I'm looking at.

TU I have 2 CA that are due to fall off in August this year

EX I will have a couple of hard inquiries that are due to fall off in October.

So my plan is to stay in the garden for a year and let my current cards mature to raise my AAoA which will hopefully increase my chances of better "Prime" cards. I really have my sites set on a Discover More and either a Freedom or AmEx of some sort, but I have plenty of time to configure my game plan.

One question, after the 2 CA fall off (medical bills) can the CA put these back on my account after they've fallen off? Just not sure how this works. My understanding is that the SOL is 7 years here in Texas, but I would hate for them to fall off and continue to haunt me. Sorry if I should of put this in a different thread. Just thought you folks in this thread may have some experience with this. Thanks again and glad to be in the garden with everyone!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

injustifiiable — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:28:12 GMT

I'll be in the garden for the foreseeable future.

I'm babying my two cards...not really worrying about what utilization reports until later this year, since I plan on apping for cards in March - April 2012 when the majority of my baddies drop. AMEX, here I come!

I've brought Long Island Iced Teas to the party!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

bettercreditguy1 — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:41:57 GMT

Hi to all,

Happy gardening to you! I am in gardening mode month three now and waiting to see how scores improve after all inquiries fall off the end of this month.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

AZHeather — Thu, 31 May 2012 21:47:20 GMT

Let the gardening begin. I got my 3 rebuild cards, got rid of all my baddies, got my student loans under control, and got the new car (albeit sooner than I wanted to, but the old car just couldn't hold out any longer ).

Ready to sit back with my margarita, watch my garden grow, keep an eye out for any weeds that should pop up, and prepare for the Amex next year, as well as a mortgage.

By the way...the pool is warm now and you really should take a dip! Don't forget your sunscreen.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Thu, 31 May 2012 22:09:07 GMT

I will be gardening indefinitely. Hopefully I'll be able to get a job after graduation this August and have a steady income. Really the only card I want at the moment is AMEX BCE, and maybe some CLI's on my current cards.

Been in the garden since February and plan to stay there!

Happy gardening to everyone!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

qtcbcute — Thu, 31 May 2012 23:22:22 GMT

Hello all! This is my first time in the garden and I am happy to be here. After lurking about and learning the lingo I'm ready to see the fruits of my labor. Between April and May, I app'd and was approved for 4 new cards not to mention refinancing my car. I got a Walmart cc $800/limit, Kohls cc $1000/limit, Best Buy cc $800/limit, and Amex Zync NPSL! I was excited by them all. Now I am ready to let them mature and let my scores soar. I know my limits aren't high but I figure higher credit score, higher limits....right? Anyway, I think I put my most recent scores that I was able to obtain in my sig. I guess I'll know once this post. Just wanted to say hello again to all and happy gardening.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

LS2982 — Thu, 31 May 2012 23:49:49 GMT

So who's in on the challenge??............................

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

android01 — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:22:46 GMT

@LS2982 wrote:
So who's in on the challenge??............................

What challenge?

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

ObeyJohnny12 — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:26:26 GMT

Hello everyone!

This is my first time gardening and I am ready to make a full commitment to garden and let my cards grow and mature. This site has really helped me learn more about credit cards and how to manage credit and I thank everyone for that. I have less than a year of established credit and I have managed to get 5 cc 2 are secured and will be graduating soon so I am looking forward to that. I am looking forward to garden for the next months and see my cards grow.

Happy gardening everyone!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

iCoop — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:27:26 GMT

Still in the garden from last month, putting the finishing touches on making sure I don't app for a while with security freezes in place.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 00:27:50 GMT

I'm still walking the fence about this one last app with USAA, but I definitely going into the garden come June 1st. We'll see what happens in the next 3 1/2 hrs.

I need to create a signature.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:03:31 GMT

I am definitely gardening in June, and for the months to come. I have 2 relatively new CCs, and want both of them to get some age, while making sure to keep my overall util below 10%. Goal is by Nov/Dec add another card, and get a CLI on Cap 1

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

LS2982 — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 01:27:34 GMT

@android01 wrote:
@LS2982 wrote:
So who's in on the challenge??............................
What challenge?

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

qtcbcute — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:23:30 GMT

I'm in...no apping until May 2013! Wait...does this include CLI?

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:33:52 GMT

Couldn't resist. Applied for the USAA World Master Card and was approved for the platinum and rate advantage cards!!! $2k limit each! I'm in the garden till January (at the earliest). Again, I have to thank everyone on this board for all of the great info! I'm new to posting, but have been studying the boards for a almost a year.

I love myfico.com!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

android01 — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:45:45 GMT

@LS2982 wrote:
@android01 wrote:
@LS2982 wrote:
So who's in on the challenge??............................
What challenge?

Ah...Good challenge!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - June 2012

Anonymous — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 02:59:30 GMT

I've been in the garden since the end of April. I am gettin' kinda bored, though. I want to add some tomatoes (Discover More) and watermelon (Citi Forward) to my garden. But whatever...I am determined to stick to gardening what vegetation I already have. I am waiting for a couple of late payments to fall off over the Summer. I am also paying down my current CCs and a personal loan. Should be done paying those off in September. I have two inqs falling off this year. Unfortunately, I have to wait two years for 12 to 14 more inqs to fall off. I am going to wait one year, close my Cap1 acct if they don't waive the fee, ask for a CLI on my Chase Southwest Visa, and an upgrade to a visa sigmature on my Citi Hilton Honors Visa Gold card. I will also ask for a CLI on my credit union CC. I think that one will require a hard pull.