topic Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013 in Credit Cards

Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:40:31 GMT

Greetings, fellow credit gardeners! The new month begins tomorrow, but I usually like to start the night before the first of the month, as I'm not much of a morning person and I'd rather not have to have everyone wait until I've had my coffee. And so, I hereby convene the May 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. As always, there is a snack table set up. In honor of Cinco de Mayo, I'm going to begin by setting out some Mexican inspired treats: quesadillas, guacamole, tortilla chips, some beef and chicken enchiladas, a seven layer bean dip, and an assortment of taquitos. I'm also setting out some pitchers of sangria and Margaritas. And as always, we have mini-quiches (enjoy, Relevate!). There's also a nice selection of cold beers. Once again, please feel free to bring and add anything that you'd like to add to the festivities. And, in the corner diagonally across from the front door, there is a fully stocked bar, along with a wide selection of soft drinks. 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!

Our newest feature is a Friday night social. This will be hosted by myjourney, who has done such a wonderful job with managing the buffet and bar. He will present a mouthwatering dinner menu (with graphics!) and announce a discussion topic. Everyone is welcome to hang out and either discuss the topic or anything else that comes to mind. Feel free to let kick up your heels for the evening! The goal of the Friday night social is to enjoy getting to know each other and share in some fun.

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.

GARDEN CLUB CHALLENGE AND RECOGNITIONS:

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...

Less than 1 month - seedling

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.

Seedling:

<img src="http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/2760iB9166C1A493A3CBC/" border="0" width="50" height="67" align="right">

Bronze:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/LEYWe.png" border="0" width="40" height="40" align="right">

SIlver:

line to put at top of sig:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/Gfc4B.png" border="0" width="40" height="40" align="right">

Gold:

line to put at top of sig:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/24xvV.png" border="0" width="40" height="40" align="right">

Platinum:

line to put at top of sig:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/vVRv5.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="120" height="80" align="right" />

Diamond:

line to put at top of sig:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/40nIa.png" border="0" alt="" title="" width="40" height="40" align="right" />

So, please feel free to come on in and share your gardening progress. If you're new or returning, what are your goals? If you've been here for a while, how are things going? Let's all mingle, and support each other in our respective gardening efforts!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

myjourney — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:42:37 GMT

Another successful month of gardening....day by day

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

LS2982 — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:43:05 GMT

I'm here and ready for another month of gardening!!!!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

09Lexie — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:44:23 GMT

Happy May Gardeners!

I have a baddie that will fall off my TU making it completely clear this month. I'm letting my inq's and new accts age so that I can have another successful spree this Fall.
On my list will be CSP, US Bank Cash +, Amex BCE, maybe Barclays Rewards

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:45:21 GMT

Hello, all!

I'm having a wonderful time relaxing in the garden. On the fourth I'll have made it to the two month mark, and I have no desire for anything else. I received an offer for a Williams-Sonoma Visa in the mail the other day, but it went straight in the trash. I have no interest in it, but it does feel nice to be courted.

My Amex will reach the two year mark this month -- yay!!! I love watching my accounts reach their "birthdays."

Happy gardening, all.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

myjourney — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:45:32 GMT

@09Lexie wrote:
Happy May Gardeners!

I have a baddy that will fall off my TU making it completely clear this month. I'm letting my inq's and new accts age so that I can have another successful spree this Fall.
On my list will be CSP, US Bank Cash +, Amex BCE, maybe Barclays Rewards

Clean reports is a great milestone Yay

Nice list of cards on your to do list

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

LS2982 — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:47:14 GMT

The outside world would be lucky to meet us gardeners. I've caught myself slipping saying I was in the garden to some folks

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

09Lexie — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:47:37 GMT

@myjourney

Thanks and I'm still gathering my list. Who knows, maybe by then something else will peak my interest. Lol

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

09Lexie — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:48:10 GMT

@LS

Lol

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

myjourney — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:48:23 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello, all!

I'm having a wonderful time relaxing in the garden. On the fourth I'll have made it to the two month mark, and I have no desire for anything else. I received an offer for a Williams-Sonoma Visa in the mail the other day, but it went straight in the trash. I have no interest in it, but it does feel nice to be courted.

My Amex will reach the two year mark this month -- yay!!! I love watching my accounts reach their "birthdays."

Happy gardening, all.

Indeed it feels nice to be wanted and 2 years with Amex wow someday I hope to say that starting real soon :-)

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:49:12 GMT

@LS2982 wrote:
The outside world would be lucky to meet us gardeners. I've caught myself slipping saying I was in the garden to some folks

I know... it's started to find its way into my everyday speech, as well, LOL!!!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

myjourney — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:51:43 GMT

@09Lexie wrote:
@myjourney

Thanks and I'm still gathering my list. Who knows, maybe by then something else will peak my interest. Lol

You know now that you mentioned it my list has been changing monthly i may have to push back my app date to be certain i'm making the right choices....

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:55:27 GMT

I fell out of the garden for an Amex recon. New HP on EX.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

myjourney — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:56:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I fell out of the garden for an Amex recon. New HP on EX.

Welome back its ok we all slip up did you get it?

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

mcf — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:57:36 GMT

Just a lil seedling waiting to grow! @LS do they ask, ohh you garden?? lol.. @lex oh wow completely clean!! pristine?? OMG id frame it. For real, and maybe put me a little venus flytrap under it!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:58:00 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I fell out of the garden for an Amex recon. New HP on EX.

That's ok, I think we've all been there a time or two. You just need to pick up your gloves and watering can and start over again. Was the recon a success?

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

LS2982 — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:58:54 GMT

@mcf wrote:
Just a lil seedling waiting to grow! @Anonymous do they ask, ohh you garden?? lol@.. @Anonymous oh wow completely clean!! pristine?? OMG id frame it. For real, and maybe put me a little venus flytrap under it!

I get that look like they think I forgot to take my meds

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2013 01:59:59 GMT

@myjourney wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I fell out of the garden for an Amex recon. New HP on EX.
Welome back its ok we all slip up did you get it?

Thanks! Unfortunately no, I didn't. My plan now is to garden for a 6mos, then apply for BCP every 6mos till I get it, since it'll be a soft pull. No recons. It's the last card on my want list, so no hurry.

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

mcf — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:02:01 GMT

@LS LOL all too familiar.

Sorry about the recon. Youll get it for sure. Cant let them discourage us!!

Re: Garden Club Meeting - May 2013

LS2982 — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:01:27 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@myjourney wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I fell out of the garden for an Amex recon. New HP on EX.
Welome back its ok we all slip up did you get it?
Thanks! Unfortunately no, I didn't. My plan now is to garden for a 6mos, then apply for BCP every 6mos till I get it, since it'll be a soft pull. No recons. It's the last card on my want list, so no hurry.

Sorry to hear

Better luck to you in 6 months!!!