Thanks to everyone on this site, I have improved my score from high 500's to high 600's in just over a year. Currently my utilization is at 20%. When it dropped from 34 to 20 my scores went up 15, 21, and 38 points, so I am paying them down under ten when my statements cut at the beginning of March. I'm at 674 EQ, 677 TU (CK vantage 3.0) and 687 EX straight from EX's credit tracker. My immediate goal is to refinance my car loan. I am at 6.99 currently and neighborhood CU has 2.99 if I canget above 680 EX. Since I am not sure which FICO they use, I figure I'll wait the 2 weeks to be safe. After that I plan to try for a decent (chase/discover/barclay) BT card (to xfer some of wife's cc debt to lower rate). I also want to get a playstation card from capitol one, for the 5,000 bonus points (saving for a better tv), get a blue nile card for some earrings for my wife, and raising the cc limit on my Best Buy card from citi. It was one of the first cards I got when I started rebuilding my credit and it's still stuck on a 300 CL. The rewards points are nice though, and I run $12k a year through it due to my daughter's daycare. It's a pain making a payment EVERY week though.
My question is: I am looking at 5+ inquiries on this little app spree as well as a decrease in AAoA. I am at 2 yrs 10 mos on TU, 3 yrs 11 months at EQ and 7 years (I know?) at EX. I am thinking a one day app spree is the way to go, but wanted to see what you guys think first. (I am at 10-15 inq's on each bureau, none in last 6 months though)
Also: do i prioritize the apps to the ones I care about the most, or do I go in order of which lender has the toughest standards first? The car refinance is definitely going first, since I know I need to score 680 on EX.
I was preapproved from cap one for quiksilver, which i already have, venture card, and platinum something (prestige maybe?) the credit card match tool at cc dot com showed those 3, plus the garbage 1st premier and credit one, and also 3 amex cards, which i am skeptical of. I believe when i get to 690 or so i should be good for cards like chase freedom, barclay, or discover it - correct?
