I'm trying to set goals as to which cards I may want to apply for after my credit is back up to a respectable number. Maybe there are some great ones out there I haven't heard of yet...
What cards are in your dream wallet and why?
Creditaddict: Capital One secured is a done deal @ $200. Should be in hand on/before 12/16 according to the agent I spoke with on Wed. I have some derogs with HSBC at the moment that will be coming off in the near future so until then I don't think they'll give me another Best Buy card. 
I'm really looking for any suggestions/card ideas for all steps along the way. Good cards to look for as I grow and what cards I should be shooting for by the time I have excellent credit. Thanks for the feedback.
I currently have 12-15 derogatory items on my credit history depending on which burea is reporting. I was at ~720 in 2008 prior to separating from my ex-wife after having rebuilt my credit for 2 years. I should have learned something after all that hard work but it seems I didn't. I was going through depression post separation and simply didn't care about paying bills for a few months. This was compounded by the fact that my vehicle was reposessed and all lines of credit were reduced/closed.
I've got a good outlook although it's a big poo sandwich I've made for myself and I'm going to have to eat most of it to get things back in order. Total debt is approx $32,000.00. I'm hoping to make some settlements and would be gladly willing to take a hit on my income tax return if it means reducing the total payment. Then it's only a matter of waiting for the nasties to get old and making a nice pretty picture going forward.
The point of all this being that I'm certain I won't be approved for an AmEx at the moment, lol.
@dytch2220 wrote:@Creditaddict: Capital One secured is a done deal @ $200. Should be in hand on/before 12/16 according to the agent I spoke with on Wed. I have some derogs with HSBC at the moment that will be coming off in the near future so until then I don't think they'll give me another Best Buy card.
I'm really looking for any suggestions/card ideas for all steps along the way. Good cards to look for as I grow and what cards I should be shooting for by the time I have excellent credit. Thanks for the feedback.
I would add to that secured card on a regular basis until you have a large limit, before you apply for anything else. I add some to mine every month. IMO, A few high limit cards is far better than a bunch of low limit cards.
StevenH90: Some cards do convert into unsecured after time. I'm certain that the money would be sent back if you ever closed the account. Even if the card doesn't convert into a regular one, it has the same effect on building your credit score as an unsecured card. If you can't get a regular card, this one will be the way to go. I'm going to hang on to my secured card(s) forever to keep a good AAoA and length of credit history as life goes on...