Boy, I can relate to a lot of what is being discussed here! 
If I could, I would have over a dozen cards by now. But this forum has really helped reign me in and educated me. I still get the "itch," though, and occasionally waste a hard pull when I should have KNOWN BETTER!
But I tell myself that it's still not that bad, and it's not. And time heals it!
I just want the shiny pretty cards. I want them now but I know that I can't just yet. I know better than to overspend; that hasn't been the problem lately. (Thanks to this forum, I am educated and am channeling my compulsive behavior into checking my balances and paying them down.) I just want the cards. They're so pretty. 
Eventually, I will have my shiny pretty cards and will always keep their balances down and will get their pretty shiny rewards... it will take time, but I will have them! 
Congrats to you guys for your shiny cards and enjoy the garden!
@Meanmchine wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@CreditInspired wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Wow, you are at 20/24! I thought I was bad at gardening at 12/24!
We need a garden with very high fence and a heavy duty lock!
Or maybe the electric fences—like surrounding Jurrasic Park 😂🤣😆
Hahaha! That’s awesome!
Didnt the fence go down and the everyone escaped? Probably gonna need a fence like in the movie "Escape From New York"
Oh yeah, the power did go out at Jurrasic Park, didnt it? 😆😆
@Anonymous wrote:Boy, I can relate to a lot of what is being discussed here!
If I could, I would have over a dozen cards by now. But this forum has really helped reign me in and educated me. I still get the "itch," though, and occasionally waste a hard pull when I should have KNOWN BETTER!
But I tell myself that it's still not that bad, and it's not. And time heals it!
I just want the shiny pretty cards. I want them now but I know that I can't just yet. I know better than to overspend; that hasn't been the problem lately. (Thanks to this forum, I am educated and am channeling my compulsive behavior into checking my balances and paying them down.) I just want the cards. They're so pretty.
Eventually, I will have my shiny pretty cards and will always keep their balances down and will get their pretty shiny rewards... it will take time, but I will have them!
Congrats to you guys for your shiny cards and enjoy the garden!
You’re doing things the right way. I still don’t get how I managed to spiral out from 3 cards in March 2018 with $9250 TCL to what I have now. It’s been one heck of a crazy ride for sure but I have finally hit the wall where my FICO score is going to be taking a hit because I reduced my AAoA so far. I am going to be in forced garden mode and once I hit the $100K with CLIs, I am going to have to start pruning some cards.
@CreditInspired wrote:
@Medic981 wrote:Gardening is never pleasant for a myFICOer!
All I have to look forward to is 180 day CLI intervals when I get to put my hands out and say, "Please Sir, may I have some more?" I can't wait for December 21st to get here.
Dec 21st is the exact date I earn my Platinum spade. It will be the first time I’ve gone that far and I honestly hope nothing deters me from my goal.
You don’t have long to go, you’ll make it! 
@Anonymous wrote:
@Medic981 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Medic981 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Medic981 wrote:Gardening is never pleasant for a myFICOer!
All I have to look forward to is 180 day CLI intervals when I get to put my hands out and say, "Please Sir, may I have some more?" I can't wait for December 21st to get here.
I never noticed your garden history before. Mine never made it past bronze 😂
I am bracing for the carnage although it looks like Apple Card still won’t report yet so I will get a tiny AAoA hit reprieve for now at least.
I just added my gardening history a few days ago. I kinda feel like a credit addict and need a reminder that no matter how many times I might find myself out of the garden, I can always return and try again. My goal is to get my Diamond before I leave again.
That’s a pretty awesome goal.
I don’t have any expectation that I can control my impulses that long, especially since my BK will start falling in February when I ask TU for EE.
I suppose it is like any addiction, you have to want to have control over your life and want to stop. As a registered nurse, I educate individuals with "disuse disorders" such as alcohol, marijuana, tobacco, drugs. I tell them that if they want to quit, then they have to WANT to quit. There is no magic pill or program to get them where they needed to be, they have to WANT it. There is no magic wand or forum that can get me where I need to be unless I WANT to be there. I am tired of the self-destructive credit behaviors I have had in the past and WANT to have better credit.
I am 54 years old and it is time to have the credit I want and deserve. The myFICO forums and its wonderful members have given me the tools to get to where I need to be, however, only I can get there if I WANT it.
Truth be told, I used to have serious problems coping with the world when sober and I decided to quit drinking in 2017. I stopped smoking cigarettes in 2016 and I stopped vaping nicotine beginning of December last year. I am also on a very long taper of my Valium that I was on for panic attacks. The only real rush that I get anymore is from applying for credit.
I do not really want to stop collecting cards but I also don’t want to crush my scores. I guess time will tell what happens as my rapid cycling bipolar comes and goes. It’s far better to apply for credit than use it though and so far I have been really good about not digging myself into a big hole of debt I can’t get out of and considering how easy that really is to do at $18K income I think I would still much rather go on credit seeking sprees than spend haha.
That is also why I don’t have a wallet full of lenders that don’t like that behavior though. If I get a Chase card next year, I may just have to start behaving.
All I can say to that is to tackle one addiction (problem) at a time. I usually suggest starting with the addiction (problem) that will most likely kill you first. I think you are doing a fine job, giving your history. All you can do is keep trying and seek help if you think you need it.
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:Boy, I can relate to a lot of what is being discussed here!
If I could, I would have over a dozen cards by now. But this forum has really helped reign me in and educated me. I still get the "itch," though, and occasionally waste a hard pull when I should have KNOWN BETTER!
But I tell myself that it's still not that bad, and it's not. And time heals it!
I just want the shiny pretty cards. I want them now but I know that I can't just yet. I know better than to overspend; that hasn't been the problem lately. (Thanks to this forum, I am educated and am channeling my compulsive behavior into checking my balances and paying them down.) I just want the cards. They're so pretty.
Eventually, I will have my shiny pretty cards and will always keep their balances down and will get their pretty shiny rewards... it will take time, but I will have them!
Congrats to you guys for your shiny cards and enjoy the garden!
You’re doing things the right way. I still don’t get how I managed to spiral out from 3 cards in March 2018 with $9250 TCL to what I have now. It’s been one heck of a crazy ride for sure but I have finally hit the wall where my FICO score is going to be taking a hit because I reduced my AAoA so far. I am going to be in forced garden mode and once I hit the $100K with CLIs, I am going to have to start pruning some cards.
Yeah, I remember two years ago when all I had was two cards and $1150 in revolving credit. Look at me now?!?
@Anonymous wrote:
@CreditInspired wrote:
@Medic981 wrote:Gardening is never pleasant for a myFICOer!
All I have to look forward to is 180 day CLI intervals when I get to put my hands out and say, "Please Sir, may I have some more?" I can't wait for December 21st to get here.
Dec 21st is the exact date I earn my Platinum spade. It will be the first time I’ve gone that far and I honestly hope nothing deters me from my goal.
You don’t have long to go, you’ll make it!
You can do it!!!