topic Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid in Rebuilding Your Credit

Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

scratchpad — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 19:14:11 GMT

I've finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel and can start thinking about future goals instead of past mistakes.

My FICO8 scores are now 674 (TU), 687 (EQ) and 680 (EQ).

I went from 632 to 646 when I paid off my second to last charge off, leaving a charge off balance of 4500 remaining. At this time I also didn't bother with utilization (I did pay off my balance in full to avoid interest, I just didn't bother to pay it early to let it report AZEO) so it was maybe closer to 35% or 40%.

Then I did AZEO to see how it would affect me. I reported a 3% balance on just one card. Went from 646 to 656.

Just this week, the last charge off finally got updated to closed. 4500 in debt wiped off. Score went from 656 to 687!

Before this update I was thinking maybe 670 would be my upper limit. I just wanted a "good" credit score but now maybe it's even possible to get to 740 for "very good"? I don't want to aim too high and get disappointed but 700 should be a good number.

I have money waiting in a PenFed account to start a SSL as soon as the 30 day countdown is up in a couple of weeks.

Unfortunatrly Discover once again rejected a CLI. I'll find out why in the mail. Probably not enough paid as agreed. That's always one of the reasons it gives but I was hoping the closed charge offs would help.

I think my goal now is to open 1 more credit card with a generic 2% cashback and then wait for the charge offs to drop in 2029. Hopefully the PenFed SSL will bring me up to 700.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

Thomas_Thumb — Wed, 29 Oct 2025 22:05:01 GMT

Nice work!

The payoffs likely boosted your Fico 9 scores even more than the Fico 8s.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

1lifeisworthit — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 01:26:36 GMT

I had general goals, OP. When I was in the 600s, I wanted to be all in the 700s, and I didn't really care if it was a FICO score or a Vantage.

When I was in the 700s, I wanted to be in the 800s but I wanted it to all be in the FICO 8s All 3 FICO 8s I want to be in the 800s.

I'll get there, I know. Just know that when we pay attention to how we use credit and use credit on purpose, for specific reasons, my score will end up trending upwards. Not that there will be no dips at all, just that I'll reach my upward goals if I keep doing what I need to be doing.

So, if I dip because i have to carry a balance, or I dip because I need to get a hard pull for a new application, well, that's what has to happen. But I'll rise again because I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

JoeRockhead — Thu, 30 Oct 2025 13:11:12 GMT

Nicely done, keep up the great work!

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

Jessie — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 01:33:38 GMT

Congratulations! Now, you need to focus on building your emergency fund and paying your bills on time moving forward.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

scratchpad — Wed, 05 Nov 2025 17:22:34 GMT

Got the CLI denial letter from Discover and the FICO score listed was from before my scores updated. So it seems like they don't pull FICO scores when requested, they just take whatever is shown to me in the Discover app which is updated once a month. Will try again next month.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

DeeBee78 — Thu, 13 Nov 2025 02:57:17 GMT

@scratchpad wrote:
I think my goal now is to open 1 more credit card with a generic 2% cashback and then wait for the charge offs to drop in 2029. Hopefully the PenFed SSL will bring me up to 700.

FYI, you can prequalify for several 2% cards without a HP. Citi Doublecash, NFCU CashRewards Plus and Synchrony Premier Mastercard all offer 2% and have prequalifications.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

scratchpad — Tue, 02 Dec 2025 18:19:02 GMT

Discover finally gave me a CLI from $500 to $2000. I can finally use this card.

PenFed reported my SSL and received modest FICO8 bumps: Ex +19, Eq + 16. FICO8 700 score achieved. The new Discover limit isn't reflected in this score yet.

Re: Feels like I can finally breathe... all charge offs paid

1lifeisworthit — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 17:38:28 GMT

Credit limits aren't a scoring metric. It affects utilization, but it isn't a scoring metric all on itself.

@scratchpad wrote:
The new Discover limit isn't reflected in this score yet.