What to expect with gardening?

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2015

So I have about 11 HP inquires falling off in the next 6 months across all 3 reports. After Sept the highest number on one report will be 6 inquires within the last 12 months.

I have frozen my reports and am focusing on my scores and letting my accounts age.

My scores dipped due to the new cards. 5 total new accounts in the last month. It's hard to pass up "free" money due to sign up bonuses and points.

If I PIF every month and continue do keep utilization less than 10% what might I expect in terms of my scores? Up 10 pts of 50 pts or what?

AAOA took a hit as well

oldest TL is like 4.5 years old. I'm only 22.

Thanks!!!

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2015

What are you trying to get out of it? Mortgage? Auto loans?

kdm31091 · ‎03-08-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
So I have about 11 HP inquires falling off in the next 6 months across all 3 reports. After Sept the highest number on one report will be 6 inquires within the last 12 months.

I have frozen my reports and am focusing on my scores and letting my accounts age.

My scores dipped due to the new cards. 5 total new accounts in the last month. It's hard to pass up "free" money due to sign up bonuses and points.

If I PIF every month and continue do keep utilization less than 10% what might I expect in terms of my scores? Up 10 pts of 50 pts or what?

AAOA took a hit as well oldest TL is like 4.5 years old. I'm only 22.

Thanks!!!

Yes, but the fact remains the AAOA impact takes time to recover from, as do the inqs, and the accounts stay on your report for 10 years, so you do have to pass some offers up (IMO) if you want a decent AAOA and all that, assuming you do not have a backdated Amex or anything. Nothing in life is truly free, you are "paying" for it with a HP/AAOA ding. Over time, the damage to your score may or may not be worth every "free" bonus out there . It's hard to resist temptation but the garden thread can help you feel at least "part of a group" so it's easier to garden.

Anyway, gardening is kind of a YMMV thing. Your score might not budge for awhile, or it may go up quickly. You have to just wait and see -- there are many factors going into it. In general though, your inqs aging will help you, and eventually (2 yrs) they will fall off, but no one can say what the impact will be at a certain point for sure. AAOA will recover month by month.

gdale6 · ‎03-08-2015

@kdm31091 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
So I have about 11 HP inquires falling off in the next 6 months across all 3 reports. After Sept the highest number on one report will be 6 inquires within the last 12 months.

I have frozen my reports and am focusing on my scores and letting my accounts age.

My scores dipped due to the new cards. 5 total new accounts in the last month. It's hard to pass up "free" money due to sign up bonuses and points.

If I PIF every month and continue do keep utilization less than 10% what might I expect in terms of my scores? Up 10 pts of 50 pts or what?

AAOA took a hit as well oldest TL is like 4.5 years old. I'm only 22.

Thanks!!!
Yes, but the fact remains the AAOA impact takes time to recover from, as do the inqs, and the accounts stay on your report for 10 years, so you do have to pass some offers up (IMO) if you want a decent AAOA and all that, assuming you do not have a backdated Amex or anything. Nothing in life is truly free, you are "paying" for it with a HP/AAOA ding. Over time, the damage to your score may or may not be worth every "free" bonus out there . It's hard to resist temptation but the garden thread can help you feel at least "part of a group" so it's easier to garden.

Anyway, gardening is kind of a YMMV thing. Your score might not budge for awhile, or it may go up quickly. You have to just wait and see -- there are many factors going into it. In general though, your inqs aging will help you, and eventually (2 yrs) they will fall off, but no one can say what the impact will be at a certain point for sure. AAOA will recover month by month.

Open accounts remain on file indefinitely, closed positive accounts remain on file for up to 10 years post close.

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
If I PIF every month and continue do keep utilization less than 10% what might I expect in terms of my scores? Up 10 pts of 50 pts or what?

Might be some, Might be none.

kdm31091 · ‎03-08-2015

Sorry, I should have clarified. Yes, an open account remains indefinitely.

If closed, it still remains for a decade.

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2015

I guess we shall see with time then lol

Anonymous · ‎03-08-2015

@kdm31091 wrote:
Sorry, I should have clarified. Yes, an open account remains indefinitely.

If closed, it still remains for a decade.

As long as it remains open.

kdm31091 · ‎03-08-2015

Well yes, indefinitely meaning as long as you have it open, once you close it, it will be 10 years from then. Anyway, OP, yes you have to just wait and see what happens. I am still curious as to how AAOA effects your score with gardening, as far as, do six months going by, and therefore 6 months of AAOA, help? Or does it take longer? There's no clear answer for these things, it's just YMMV

wacdenney · ‎03-08-2015

What to expect with gardening?

I have NO idea...