@Curious_George2 wrote:How did everyone do?
Thanks for reopening this thread for a year-end lookback, @Curious_George2. That's a nice way to end it as 2021 comes to a close. 
I keep a Word file on my computer with card changes and realized I had some missing updates from the past year, so this was an excellent time for me to review/update it! In hindsight, it's been a great year even though I spend the majority of it gardening!
I found myself gardening for much longer than I had expected, but it's probably going to help me in the long run for adding some selective new cards in the next year or two. Like many, my plans for the year had to evolve and adapt to changing circumstances which included the end of the Wells Fargo Propel card (which I planned to app in Oct), the end of Navy FCU allowing CL consolidations (which I had considered for a high CL on Flagship Rewards), NFCU's slow return to higher SUB on Flagship Rewards, and denial of a SUB on an AMEX Hilton Surpass with led me to withdraw my app. In the interest of these changes and considerations of mortgage refi, I continued to garden longer than I originally planned. I also deferred application for the Elan MCP or USB Cash Plus along with a few other targeted cards. And I evaluated and considered new cards introduced during the year such as the Wells Fargo Active Cash, Citi Custom Cash, and Capital One Venture X.
Gardened for 14.5 months from 08/15/2020 to 11/03/2021. As of 11/19/2021, I will be:
- EQ: 2 (scorable 0)
- EX: 4 (scorable 0)
- TU: 1 (scorable 0)
- New Accounts: 1/6; 1/12; 5/24
Reached EX FICO Score 8 during gardening of *850* which may be first time I've had that one up to perfect 850. And my FICO Bankcard Score 8 (scale of 250 to 900) reached a new high of 884 recently! 
Reached a new highest CL when reallocating limits between my Bank of America cards (01/11/21.)
- $85K CL now on my Premium Rewards
- $14.9K CL on my Customized Cash Rewards
- Note: BofA "approved" several CLIs during the year but they only reallocated back and forth between cards. :smileyfrustrated:
Added one new account which has been a long-term target card: AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant with the unusually-high 150K Bonvoy point Sign-up bonus.
Grew my total credit limits with soft pulls (including SP on new AMEX Marriott):
- New revolving TCL $586K and if including AMEX pay-over-time, I joined the $600K club with $604K
- Total New credit limits of $32K
- CITI Costco - (2) SP CLIs of $1.5K each on 01/04/21 and 07/11/21.
- NFCU Platinum SP CLI of $4K on 06/13/21.
- GS Apple SP CLI of $10K on 04/27/21.
- AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant SP approval of $15K on 11/03/21.
Removed myself as AU on DW's Discover IT MILES card we opened in November 2019. (I never included that card in my siggy or added to my TCLs on My Fico.)
For the remainder of 2020, my only other changes may be two additional SP CLIs. I plan to request my six-month CLI on my Navy FCU Platinum card in mid-December. If I'm approved for the typical $8K, that would bring my new credit limit increases for 2020 to $40K (all with soft pulls) and my new TCL to $612K. And I may have sufficient total spending to request an additional CLI on my GS Apple card by the end of December, hopefully increasing it another $10K to $40K. If that one is also approved, that could bring my SP CLIs to $50K for 2021! Incredible to get that all with soft pulls and my thanks to the community for the data points and guidance along the way!
@Gunnerboy wrote:
I am now at 2/24, and for 2021 looking at two cards I have been eyeing for the whole year:
- Fidelity Rewards Visa (because of my investments)
- REI Co-op WEM (because I am an avid hiker, and shop for gear year-round)
Finally, my 2021 resolutions:
- Put enough spend on my Apple Card to get a CLI, even a tiny one!
- Use some of these Alaska Airlines Miles that I have been accumulating for three years.
Snagged the Fidelity card, but denied a CLI after six statements. No HP pulled, so no biggie.
Not sure if I still want the REI card. I feel like I don't put enough spend on a few of my other cards.
Approved for a tiny $500 CLI on my Apple Card! Win!
