Auto CLI's and Other Gardening Tools

[SoCalifornia]

Before I get ready to head off into the garden, I wanted to fish around for credit growth tips. Specifically, what have some of you found as the best course to CLI's, auto or requested?

Recently, I've given my debit card a rest and focused on actual frequent use of my two main points cards. Tag teaming them with each of their strong attributes. My idea has been to use them, get points and immediately pay back the debt within a day or two. Is this helpful, harmful, neither?

And this question isn't exclusive to CLI's. Any tips are welcome.

What are some recommendations from some of you long-term gardeners and anyone else wise enough to chime in?

[pinkandgrey]

Most people would agree that the best way to get good CLIs is to use the card HEAVILY and pay frequently. 

[xaximus]

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@pinkandgrey wrote:

Most people would agree that the best way to get good CLIs is to use the card HEAVILY and pay frequently. 

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+1. Also, there have been some DPs on using a card heavily and then PIF at the end of the month, letting the charges build and then PIF all at once. Oddly enough, that's worked for me on Discover (once so far). In the end, use em and pay em. Keep your UTI low. Set up a schedule for CLIs. Never use your debit card. Keep it as a safety net if anything but always use credit cards wherever possible. Watch your charges and set up security so that your accounts are as safe as possible. Set triggers/alerts if you know what your charges are. 

There's probably more that you can do while gardening but I havn't had my coffee yet.. 

[SoCalifornia]

Are there any direct relationships between heavy usage and re-paying as-you-go or heavy usage and paying one sum prior to closing dates? Or are they mutually inclusive, so long as you keep purchase activity up?

Also, what's honestly better when it comes to the debate of PIF or 1% revolving?

[Revelate]

I am hardcore in the pay once a month camp after the statement cuts with the exception of when prettying up for an application.

I also am a proponent of running as much of one’s financial life as possible through one’s credit cards.

1) Heavy use begets CLI’s from current lenders.
2) Heavy use and reported balances make you look more profitable to new lenders.
3) Lastly and perhaps most importantly, this is what the typical consumer does: we color outside the lines here when it comes to credit acquisition so it behooves everyone to look as normal as possible in other respects.

[wasCB14]

Sometimes it can be hard to know whether a CLI is the result of spending patterns, a longer history/lower debt, a gimmick to make the customer happy, or an income increase.

I say use the cards that are useful and simply welcome CLIs if and when they arrive.

[ridgebackpilot]

Is the conventional wisdom that asking for a CLI means you're out of the garden?

I've been gardening to allow my AAoA and AoYA to grow. However, recently I asked for and received several CLIs, all the result of only Soft Pulls. It doesn't feel as though I've departed the garden. But not sure what the rules are!

[Anonymous]

Actually, the rules for gardening are rather quite simple: https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Personal-Finance/Garden-Club-March-2019/td-p/5521204

"What is gardening?  Quite simply, it involves refraining from applying for new credit or seeking CLIs that require hard pulls. Soft pull CLIs, however, are not only acceptable, but are encouraged. The idea is to allow one's current trade lines to grow and mature, waiting for inquiries to age or fall off, and possibly waiting for "baddies" to be removed/age off. During this time, one tends to one's current accounts and watches their AAoA (average age of accounts) grow and the new credit ding fade."

[wasCB14]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Actually, the rules for gardening are rather quite simple: https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Personal-Finance/Garden-Club-March-2019/td-p/5521204

"What is gardening?  Quite simply, it involves refraining from applying for new credit or seeking CLIs that require hard pulls. Soft pull CLIs, however, are not only acceptable, but are encouraged. The idea is to allow one's current trade lines to grow and mature, waiting for inquiries to age or fall off, and possibly waiting for "baddies" to be removed/age off. During this time, one tends to one's current accounts and watches their AAoA (average age of accounts) grow and the new credit ding fade."

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I think Amex still does HPs on business cards, but if they didn't, it might present a quandary:

Would it still be gardening if you got a card with no HP that didn't report personally (so long as it was paid as agreed)?

I could ask in the garden thread, but I'd be too lazy to search for the relatively few replies amongst all the unrelated posts.

[CreditInspired]

I think this answers your question:

No new tradelines of any type on one's accounts (this includes any backdated accounts, as they are STILL new "seedlings").