topic Re: I finally have a clean credit report!! in Rebuilding Your Credit

I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 08:32:08 GMT

It has been a tough journey but a great learning experience. I never kept up with my credit and rarely used credit until we wanted to buy a house. I got my credit reports in November 2014 and it wasn't a pretty site. I was successful in getting some items removed with letters. Not everyone was so generous. Ironically, I had to wait out a small medical collection that wasn't mine. TU removed it on dispute but EQ and EX wouldn't budge. Last month it aged off EQ and yesterday EX removed it!!

In Nov 2014, I didn't have anything but old ugly credit. I didn't have any credit cards so I started reading everything I could on this forum. I checked prequalifying sites and they laughed at me as expected. All except for good ole capital one. I started with them and went on a 3 month schedule. 3 months later, an overstock card. 3 months later total rewards visa. I used them and paid them off building history for several months. I didn't get caught up applying for every useless store card there was and I never applied for the subpar credit cards. I waited until my scores climbed and new payment history showed before I applied for anything else. I finally went on an app frenzy and was approved for all the big cards at the same time. Chase and Citi gave me the lowest apr available while Discover and Amex were still leary. All the inquiries will be gone by August. We also bought a beautiful house. I have been gardening since, only asking for cli's along the way. Gardening was really the hardest part. I was so excited that I was being approved that I wanted EVERYTHING. I had to really use self discipline to stick with the plan.

I learned the hard way that building credit isn't a sprint. It is a marathon. While one may be successful for a quick fix with one lender, other lenders give tough love. The bright side is no matter how bad your credit is, it can only haunt you for 7 years (unless it is a bankruptcy) lol. When I started, I thought ugghhhh 3 years for all this to finally be gone will take FOREVER! It was so worth the wait. I just want to do the snoopy dance every time I see my new scores lol Hang in there and have patience, this too shall end!!

Before: TU: 598; EQ: 602; EX: 612

NOW: TU: 779; EQ: 772; EX: 751

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 11:47:22 GMT

I'm early in the game right now. I find the hardest part for me is not applying on every site and running up inquiries. I'm doing good so far.
Congrats to you. Takes discipline to keep the marathon going at a steady pace. Hope I'm in the same place you are in 3yrs.

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 11:51:08 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
It has been a tough journey but a great learning experience. I never kept up with my credit and rarely used credit until we wanted to buy a house. I got my credit reports in November 2014 and it wasn't a pretty site. I was successful in getting some items removed with letters. Not everyone was so generous. Ironically, I had to wait out a small medical collection that wasn't mine. TU removed it on dispute but EQ and EX wouldn't budge. Last month it aged off EQ and yesterday EX removed it!!

In Nov 2014, I didn't have anything but old ugly credit. I didn't have any credit cards so I started reading everything I could on this forum. I checked prequalifying sites and they laughed at me as expected. All except for good ole capital one. I started with them and went on a 3 month schedule. 3 months later, an overstock card. 3 months later total rewards visa. I used them and paid them off building history for several months. I didn't get caught up applying for every useless store card there was and I never applied for the subpar credit cards. I waited until my scores climbed and new payment history showed before I applied for anything else. I finally went on an app frenzy and was approved for all the big cards at the same time. Chase and Citi gave me the lowest apr available while Discover and Amex were still leary. All the inquiries will be gone by August. We also bought a beautiful house. I have been gardening since, only asking for cli's along the way. Gardening was really the hardest part. I was so excited that I was being approved that I wanted EVERYTHING. I had to really use self discipline to stick with the plan.

I learned the hard way that building credit isn't a sprint. It is a marathon. While one may be successful for a quick fix with one lender, other lenders give tough love. The bright side is no matter how bad your credit is, it can only haunt you for 7 years (unless it is a bankruptcy) lol. When I started, I thought ugghhhh 3 years for all this to finally be gone will take FOREVER! It was so worth the wait. I just want to do the snoopy dance every time I see my new scores lol Hang in there and have patience, this too shall end!!

Before: TU: 598; EQ: 602; EX: 612

NOW: TU: 779; EQ: 772; EX: 751

Great Work!! Congrats...keep the pace...

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

EW800 — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 12:30:06 GMT

Great work! Congratulations!

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 13:48:09 GMT

Happy for you!! Congrats!!

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

gdale6 — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 15:23:37 GMT

Excellent, a great feeling isnt it!

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 15:34:03 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I'm early in the game right now. I find the hardest part for me is not applying on every site and running up inquiries. I'm doing good so far.
Congrats to you. Takes discipline to keep the marathon going at a steady pace. Hope I'm in the same place you are in 3yrs.

While the inquiries do ding your report for 12 months, that isn't the reason I waited. There are 2 sides to this coin. On one side, if you are completely rebuilding, if you apply in sprees, they age off at the same time. On the other side, if you wait until you establish payment history and scores climb, you will get much better starting limits and apr.

Here is my experience. First card was cap 1 with a $1k starting limit and 23% interest. I then established payment history and showed responsibility for 10 months. My scores climbed to around 675. Chase approved me for $10k and 13% interest. NFCU approved me with a nice limit. Discover wasn't as forgiving. They started me at $2.8k but after a few months, the cli's kept coming. After 10 months, I was at $22k. I had other $5-10k approvals. 15 months after I started, I had over $100k in credit. I will never need nor use that much but patience paid off. Had I continued to apply, I would have held my scores down, possibly raised red flags for apping and continued to get low limits. 9 months made a huge difference!

Keep up the good work! If you feel the app urge, message me and I will talk you out of it until the time is right lol

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sat, 15 Apr 2017 15:38:03 GMT

@gdale6 wrote:
Excellent, a great feeling isnt it!

gdale, you were here when I first started. I asked plenty of questions that made the regulars groan lol if it weren't for the patience of those, like you, who have been around a while, I wouldn't have made it. Thank you for your advice along the way!! I hope to pay it forward.

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

WayUpto850 — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 08:50:39 GMT

Congrats!! I wish you well!!

@Anonymous wrote:
It has been a tough journey but a great learning experience. I never kept up with my credit and rarely used credit until we wanted to buy a house. I got my credit reports in November 2014 and it wasn't a pretty site. I was successful in getting some items removed with letters. Not everyone was so generous. Ironically, I had to wait out a small medical collection that wasn't mine. TU removed it on dispute but EQ and EX wouldn't budge. Last month it aged off EQ and yesterday EX removed it!!

In Nov 2014, I didn't have anything but old ugly credit. I didn't have any credit cards so I started reading everything I could on this forum. I checked prequalifying sites and they laughed at me as expected. All except for good ole capital one. I started with them and went on a 3 month schedule. 3 months later, an overstock card. 3 months later total rewards visa. I used them and paid them off building history for several months. I didn't get caught up applying for every useless store card there was and I never applied for the subpar credit cards. I waited until my scores climbed and new payment history showed before I applied for anything else. I finally went on an app frenzy and was approved for all the big cards at the same time. Chase and Citi gave me the lowest apr available while Discover and Amex were still leary. All the inquiries will be gone by August. We also bought a beautiful house. I have been gardening since, only asking for cli's along the way. Gardening was really the hardest part. I was so excited that I was being approved that I wanted EVERYTHING. I had to really use self discipline to stick with the plan.

I learned the hard way that building credit isn't a sprint. It is a marathon. While one may be successful for a quick fix with one lender, other lenders give tough love. The bright side is no matter how bad your credit is, it can only haunt you for 7 years (unless it is a bankruptcy) lol. When I started, I thought ugghhhh 3 years for all this to finally be gone will take FOREVER! It was so worth the wait. I just want to do the snoopy dance every time I see my new scores lol Hang in there and have patience, this too shall end!!

Before: TU: 598; EQ: 602; EX: 612

NOW: TU: 779; EQ: 772; EX: 751

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 14:42:45 GMT

Congratulations on your progress! I love when people share their success stories. Thank you.

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 19:32:06 GMT

@Anonymous.

Congratulations.

I'm anxiously awaiting my day to come. It is such a relief to know that whateverfuture credit decisions you make won't be hindered by past mistakes.

Re: I finally have a clean credit report!!

Anonymous — Sun, 16 Apr 2017 22:02:54 GMT

I like the idea of 3 month intervals for new credit. Once my last baddie is off my record, I might try something similar. Although, your situation was much different in that it was 3 years since your last baddy once you started applying, whereas mine will be 1 month since my last baddy, sigh.

Very inspiring though. There is an end in sight for use rebuilders out there. Seeing stories like your remind me that it's better to get started on the rebuild sooner rather than later.

Thanks for sharing.