Credit Card Application Rehab Thread

[Anonymous]

All,

I have not seen a thread yet on here to help hot fingered appers (like me), so I decided to start one. The goal is to share our apping stories and help excessive appers rehab. Thanks to Yes-its-me, Theman and others who helped me realize the errors of my ways.

So with that said, How many inquires and apps have you done in the last 6 months? How many for the last year? How many new accounts?  Had any accounts closed due to risky behavior? Maybe by gathering some other metrics and by other people sharing their experiences, this could help other people like myself.

[Anonymous]

Great idea! I paid off some large cards in November and closed all but 2 cards. I started realizing that I should start getting rewards cards and use them wisely, pay off each month and reap the benefits. From January of this year my inquiries are like this: EQ: 6; TU: 8; EX: 8. Of those, 12 total hits were in April. I'm up to 13 cards and a total of $82,500 CL. I know I really need to cool it and sit back. I have no need for all these cards really. It's just an obsession to see who will approve me I guess. I'm officially in the garden for a few months.

[msbia]

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@Anonymous wrote:

All,

I have not seen a thread yet on here to help hot fingered appers (like me), so I decided to start one. The goal is to share our apping stories and help excessive appers rehab. Thanks to Yes-its-me, Theman and others who helped me realize the errors of my ways.

So with that said, How many inquires and apps have you done in the last 6 months? How many for the last year? How many new accounts?  Had any accounts closed due to risky behavior? Maybe by gathering some other metrics and by other people sharing their experiences, this could help other people like myself.

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I am a counselor. And yes, I need therapy. In the last 6 months I have probably 8 apps and a slew of inquires. I won't even get into the last year. Probably 20 new accounts or so (many closed now). To my credit (no pun intended) I've never used the shopping cart thing, and I've thankfully never had AA against me. However, in order to try NOT to app, I have resorted to ordering replacement cards instead lol. This week I got a replacement BOA, the new sparkly red one, I got my AAviator Red, and I ordered the pretty pink Discover lol. Next week it will be a new CSP, I think. 

Good thread OP. 

[Anonymous]

I really need help myself, I have opened 11 new accounts in the last 4 months, 21 Inq's in the last 3 months on Ex, 7 on EQ and 4 on TU. I really need to stop and I figured a thread like this could help. I have learned it can quickly become an addiction and maybe this will help call attention to it. Support and advice are the best tools to a recovery and given credit can majorly help or hurt your financial future, keeping the app finger in check can definitely help.

This is a really great community and with the more support, maybe this can keep others from falling in the same pattern as me.

[msbia]

I think knowing what you "need" versus "want" or versus what's trendy/popular/easy will really put things into perspective. I had Home Depot and Lowe's. Originally got Home Depot for an "in" with Citibank, but I really only shop at Lowe's for home improvement items, so I closed HD. I closed Cap1 because I detest their customer service. I closed Walmart, Gap, two USAA credit cards and some other because I didn't need them. I did fall for the BBVA hype because I love D. Wade and wanted to rep my squad. Did I need that card? An emphatic SMH NO! And I rarely follow the "popularity" cards. The big thing with me now is "do I need it?" And if so, for what? And if I can answer those, I weigh that against what I already have as a deciding factor. I am not a "rewards" chaser so that helps also. 

[Anonymous]

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@msbia wrote:

I think knowing what you "need" versus "want" or versus what's trendy/popular/easy will really put things into perspective. I had Home Depot and Lowe's. Originally got Home Depot for an "in" with Citibank, but I really only shop at Lowe's for home improvement items, so I closed HD. I closed Cap1 because I detest their customer service. I closed Walmart, Gap, two USAA credit cards and some other because I didn't need them. I did fall for the BBVA hype because I love D. Wade and wanted to rep my squad. Did I need that card? An emphatic SMH NO! And I rarely follow the "popularity" cards. The big thing with me now is "do I need it?" And if so, for what? And if I can answer those, I weigh that against what I already have as a deciding factor. I am not a "rewards" chaser so that helps also. 

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Good Point. I know I have some cards that I should prune off and some I should have never applied for. It is amazing how apping is so easy and you don't realize how quickly you can ruin a fresh start or get over your head until someone calls you out on it. God knows I didn't. I felt the "acceptance" after getting the approvals when most of my life thru irresponsible behavior, I got mostly denials. Here I was starting down that same path. Had The and a few others not intervened, I would definitely be looking at closed account (which could still happen due to my recent behavior). Frankly I wouldn't blame them. I hope that I can keep them open, garden responsibly and be happy where I am now.

[Anonymous]

Very good idea!  When next week rolls around, it will be just one.  Yep, almost made it 6 months but had a lapse with the Venture card!  In Nov. I got 10 new cc's of which I probably needed 4/5.  I cancelled 2 crappy ones & on the way to cancel 2 more.  But I do have a "want" list for maybe Dec. or if possible, wait until June/July of 2016.  It is most definitely a high when you're waiting on that spinning wheel! 

[msbia]

It also helps to have a person, whether friend or family member, who is not an enabler and can prod you back into reality. That person for me was my 23 year old daughter. I taught HER about credit last year when I got myself together, and now she is the one who looks over my spreadsheet and advises me on what I need, and/or should close. I can tell when she's right because just like an addict, I get angry at the truth lol. She's advising me to close my Macy's...and we're in a standoff lol. But I took her advice on the Walmart, HD, Care Credit, United Mileage and USAA cards. 

[Anonymous]

I am a recovering credit addict myself. My name is jaylau and I have been inquiry free since February 7, 2015. I have opened 6 credit card accounts within the last year (not too bad, but I applied for even more.) 

If you're like me, it's so difficult to avoid apping, but the Garden Club thread (under Credit Cards) is a great place to find support for people who are resisting the urge to app.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I am a recovering credit addict myself. My name is jaylau and I have been inquiry free since February 7, 2015. I have opened 6 credit card accounts within the last year (not too bad, but I applied for even more.) 

If you're like me, it's so difficult to avoid apping, but the Garden Club thread (under Credit Cards) is a great place to find support for people who are resisting the urge to app.

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Jay,

    I understand your plight. I am supposed to be in the garden myself. I have strayed... horribly. I figured that starting this thread might help inform and be that reminder for app addicts not to stray from the garden. I am happy you that you are resisting the urge to app and I congratulate you. I think once I get past the 1 month the rest will be easier. I am going to try to focus on the goal of getting the Bronze Spade. I am hoping that setting that goal will help me focus on that goal and keep from apping.