topic Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right... in Credit Cards

"The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

TilltedBrim — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:16:09 GMT

Is it just me or does anyone else feel a little weird after searching the "Credit Card "forum to find the "The Garden" thread. It's kind of hard to ignore the tempting Instant Approvals and Back Door success stories before finding it sometime. I'd like to compare it to leading an alcoholic through a liquor store to get to the rehabilitation meeting in the back.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Shogun — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:18:20 GMT

True, but then there's the thought of the garden. The temptation to stay in it. Some people are as obsessed with it as others are for apping.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

maiden_girl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:30:20 GMT

LOL I thought it funny too. Smh. I'm trying not to app until my UTIL is down. One more PRIME card before 2013 VISA something. LOL.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 06:34:35 GMT

@maiden_girl wrote:
LOL I thought it funny too. Smh. I'm trying not to app until my UTIL is down. One more PRIME card before 2013 VISA something. LOL.

funny, many of us are in the same situation, just one more lol

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

RyVision — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 09:47:06 GMT

Although I have barely looked at the garden thread, I have a rather firm grasp of the concept

However, what is not mentioned.... is that "The Garden" is relative; VERY much on a persons situation and goals. That is the hard algorithm to calculate or even know about before you come to, or know about, MyFico and the forum. Before you read and learn a LOT, you'll find the garden is hard, not only to find, but to navigate (as in how it's relative to you) in terms of how to use it, this kind of info is the map and the flashlight so to speak..

Have you ever noticed most people that garden are a bit older? Factually in real life? That somewhat applies here with their credit history as well.

I had a goal this year of an AMEX Blue (any, I just wanted one of their revolvers and for it to show on my reports the same as my Z, 1989), I hit that goal in May, amazingly after only 5 months of "gardening", which is very little. But it was the only card I had my eyes on for 2012 and won't report (exactly...) as a new account.

Where it's relative in my case? I have 18ish accounts on history, 5 of which are closed a few of which are AUs (both closed and open). Perfect payment history. I may have high UTIL (esp due to 0%) but it's obvious I'm not "Seeking". I learned the HARD way not to close old accounts, at least my old AMEX history somewhat saved me from that horrible and ignorant mistake (years ago, so several accounts that could still be reporting, are not, it's why I recommend people get an AMEX when young).

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

jsucool76 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:06:22 GMT

Lol maiden_girl

Maiden_girl: JUST ONE MORE, THEN I AM DONE. I PROMISE. I NEED IT!!!

xD

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

TheConductor — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:15:56 GMT

If someone can't move through the forum and stay disciplined to remain in the garden, here where no one forces you to read a thread, how can they ever hope to move through the real world where lurid billboards and sexy sales clerks are in your face enticing you with magical rewards cards that do everything?

I feel your pain, Tilted, but ultimately our discipline comes from within. The temptation for another app lurks on every website and in every store. And we hack at that temptation with a machete and put in another bed of roses.

Garden Sticky...

TilltedBrim — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 14:42:28 GMT

The Garden is such a popular thread that it would be nice if someone considered giving it its own Sticky....

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Duncanrr — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 17:24:49 GMT

Credit garden is akin to Garden of Gethsemane where you know your temptations are out there but you have to stay and wait.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:45:42 GMT

I'm the individual who started this whole Garden Club thing, so please allow me to give you some idea of how and why it started.

Two years ago I had begun to rebuild my credit. I had a bunch of baddies that were going to be dropping off during a two year time span. I decided to add some fresh, unblemished accounts so that when the baddies did drop, I'd have a couple of years of positive reporting. So, I applied for and received a handful of rebuilder cards. I had searched to find out how long the new credit ding lasts and found that it depends upon several things -- inqs and number of new accounts in a short period of time, effect upon AAoA, etc. I also found out that simply sitting back and allowing new accounts to age allows the ding to heal, all while providing the opportunity for clean history to report. I had seen this refered to on a couple of miscellaneous threads as "gardening." So, I felt that the best thing that I could do for myself at that point in my rebuild was to simply sit back and garden my rebuilder cards until the baddies finished falling off. After that, I could apply for better cards to keep for the long term. That was my goal.

Well, you are correct about the excitment that occurs on these forums when someone is approved for a new card. I wanted to continue to participate and share my progress with this community, but in the context of waiting for accounts to age and perhaps receive soft CLIs. I started by posting a thread titled "Garden Club Meeting" as a lighthearted way of discussing progress with other forum members who were in a similar situation -- sitting back and waiting for accounts to age, for whatever reason. A good number of people joined in and the thread ran for several pages; and so, the Garden Club was born. Much to my surprise -- and delight! -- it has become an incredibly popular thread on this forum.

IME, the GC helps to fill a need on this type of a forum. Some people would like to stay active as forum participants and would like to continue to learn about credit card related matters, but don't want to app for a period of time. Such individuals can read and participate in all of the various threads, but feel like they have a place to come and participate in the specific endeavor of NOT applying for credit for a set period of time. So, I don't see the GC as being incompatible with a credit card forum, but rather as a helpful compliment to the threads typically provided.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

CS800 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:47:00 GMT

@maiden_girl wrote:
LOL I thought it funny too. Smh. I'm trying not to app until my UTIL is down. One more PRIME card before 2013 VISA something. LOL.

It never is 'one' more

It's generally 5 more lol

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

CS800 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:53:00 GMT

I view the garden as my support group for staying out of applying. The rest is up to the will power of each individual.

It's a sense of relief (for me personally) to go in the garden and report in as a milestone for not applying and looking at others who have no either. Without the sanity of the garden,, we would only be looking at the 'I'm approved' or 'I'm declined' threads.

What anyone can draw from it is very different however, the basic concept is that it's a place to congregate when we feel like we have done enough apping and to escape the credit app frenzy threads

That's my version and I'm sticking to it

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Duncanrr — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:04:26 GMT

@CS800 wrote:
I view the garden as my support group for staying out of applying. The rest is up to the will power of each individual.

So its an AA group for drapping? (Drunken apping)

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

CS800 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 20:39:20 GMT

@Duncanrr wrote:
@CS800 wrote:
I view the garden as my support group for staying out of applying. The rest is up to the will power of each individual.

So its an AA group for drapping? (Drunken apping)

LOL i know it has worked before. It's like the intervention for apping

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

jsucool76 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 21:57:22 GMT

Hi...I'm Jared....and I'm a credaholic

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

maiden_girl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:04:05 GMT

@CS800 wrote:
@maiden_girl wrote:
LOL I thought it funny too. Smh. I'm trying not to app until my UTIL is down. One more PRIME card before 2013 VISA something. LOL.
It never is 'one' more

It's generally 5 more lol

LMFAO this is true! You get one approval and then you can't stop until you start hitting a wall of denials!

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

maiden_girl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:06:13 GMT

@jsucool76 wrote:
Hi...I'm Jared....and I'm a credaholic

Welcome JARED to CA (credaholics anonymous)!

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

Duncanrr — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:20:32 GMT

@maiden. It stopped me. 5 for 5 but last one was an approval only after a recon. That was enough to put my app itching drapping butt back in the garden.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

maiden_girl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:29:07 GMT

@Duncanrr wrote:
@Anonymous. It stopped me. 5 for 5 but last one was an approval only after a recon. That was enough to put my app itching drapping butt back in the garden.

@Anonymous @ drappin smh. You should make a music video!! Yea. I had 3 of 4 approved (CITI -denied, AMAZON -approved, DISCOVER-approved, WM DISCOVER -approved). They were all instant...except for CITI bank...only one I had to RECONN...twice...got no where...CITI showed no mercy! I stopped applying after Walmart...my UTIL is a mess...I'll be denied if I keep applying for stuff.

Re: "The Garden" - Something just doesn't seem right...

jsucool76 — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 22:33:19 GMT

Since my cap1 I've gone 4 for 4,

I got cap1, WF, PPSC, and Walmart