What Should I Do? For New Credit?

[theNavigator]

What would be best to help my score go up now? I'm very confused. I keep reading and reading and I don't want to make the wrong moves...

I'm a little unsure of how to make my score go up. If I should apply for another normal CC and do everything perfect with it. Or If I would be better off leaving everything alone for now. 668 doesn't seem as good as I want it to. I want a 700 or more. Now I am 30 or so points from there. Maybe within a year I can get to 700. The short length of credit history isn't helping I suppose. Just reaching the 3 year mark, but then again I guess it's just a ride we all take and not much can be done about that except letting time go by.

(edited to remove Kudos button that somehow got into post)

Message Edited by Scamp on 01-03-2009 07:13 AM

[theNavigator]

I got my other scores today. I just felt I should have all three to know if they were about the same, and they are. I'm kind of in the mode where I want to be above 700 no matter what! haha, and this stuff does get addicting. But it's cool.

The final outcome...

Equifax - 668. Transunion - 657. Experian - 659.

Apparently Transunion is Bi Polar with their system, because with their faco I was at good credit. Now it says not good. And Experian is the same. Those two say my credit is "not good".. And two of their reasons is because I don't carry a balance on my cards. I put a little bit of a balance on my cards over the holidays but it hasn't been reported yet. No big deal. It was under 30% of the limit.

Now my question is, how do i get these higher. Secured Card with BOA? Apply for a unsecured card, as with applying with a secured card it sometimes raises eyebrows or looks a certain way. Or do I let it all ride out, since I just finally got down to $0 balances within the last few months... And just get the newer car within a few months and say forget about it for awhile. I'd like to be above 700. But the short credit history isn't helping, and apparently having my bills paid in full aren't either with a couple of these fico scores. Advice now? My scores have gone up, but what can I do now for them to get higher?

Message Edited by theNavigator on 01-03-2009 09:06 AM

[haulingthescoreup]

Can you list the positives (EQ and TU) and the negatives (all three) that you see on screen2?

Not the "good", "not good" stuff on screen 1; that doesn't tell you anything useful.

[theNavigator]

Basically...

This paid off collection keeps on showing up. I am going to call monday to see if they can remove it for me since it's affecting my score so much. As well as

I put slight balances under 30% on a couple of my CC over christmas but will pay them before the end of the month once I get the new statement. When I got all my reports they are all stating everything at a $0 balance. So experian and transunion are frowning on me, due to not using any credit basically.

I was never late ever... On anything. I had an unsecured card I got rid of and cancelled. And I had a secured loan for 7,000 around 2 years ago. I've only had credit since i was 18 and now I'm 21. SO it also states the history isn't good, as it's shy of 3 years. I just want to get my score at least at 700 and have everything look nice on my report. I'm hoping this call to the credit agency will help. I should've fought it to begin with, but instead paid it to get it over with. Ugh now it's basically being thrown in my face 2 times over on each report. It's like one of them nagging things..

Message Edited by theNavigator on 01-03-2009 01:34 PM