@Anonymous wrote:@Revelate Thank you for checking out my post and providing some advice. I may be in the market for another card in a year or so, which would bring me to three total cards. For the installment loan, I know that it would help boost my credit, but without a need for the loan wouldn't it be silly to apply for one simply for the credit boost?
Sounds like CK does not have a good reputation on this site - good to know! I will definitely keep this in mind and hope to spend more time on these boards moving forward.
CK is actually pure gold for report access: it just should be ignored for most other things (unless you care about VS 3.0 which I do as far as scores go).
Regarding the loan, sure getting an expensive unnecessary loan is a bad idea, but one for pennies if done correctly? Nah, anyone that's been willing to spend $20 on checking their credit, should be willing to spend the same yuppie food stamp on improving their credit. Really can do it even more cheaply by just paying it down even further but not off, simple interest loans FTW.
Method:
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Adding-an-installment-loan-the-Share-Secure-technique/m-p/4506756#U4506756
Gory Theory:
http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Understanding-FICO-Scoring/Installment-tradeline-utilization-thread/m-p/4055989#U4055989
@BadKarma718 I don't yet have a Discover It card, but it will probably be my next card unless something better comes around. I am not sure it is worth it for me at the moment to know my FICO score, since I am not planning to open any major lines of credit for at least a few years. I might save my cash and pony up later 
Although you make a good point, it would be nice to know exactly where I am and to use a simulator. Is that simulator on myFICO? I'll have to check it out, since I am not a huge fan of the CK simulator.
One question: If I have the cards I need, but I only have two, do you think they will increase my limits? Would it be silly for lenders to give someone with only two cards high limits?
@Revelate Yeah, I have enjoyed seeing my reports and keeping track of the AAoA and inquiries on there. Why do you feel VS 3.0 is valuable? Perhaps I should too? Hmm for pennies you say? I am going to check out those links you posted right now...
@Ironbull Thanks, I feel like I would get approved too. I will be checking out that shared secure loan information momentarily, and appreciate you seconding the opinion of others above.
This is what the myFICO simulator looks like:
It allows you to make "what if" choices and see how those choices will presumably affect your FICO scores down the road, especially when it comes to auto and mortgage financing or paying off debt.
As far as limit increases, you can either ask for those yourself(with verification of income to boot) using the provided backdoor numbers in the forums or they'll increase your lines as you age.
@BadKarma718 Thank you for posting the screenshot! Looks very useful - I might have to invest in the myFICO check eventually and play around on that simulator I wonder how high my credit cards will increase my credit, given a $40,000 income and a Visa student card with 3k and Quicksilver with 10k?
Don't sweat CLI's, you can always manage reported balances to FICO strategize that portion of the algorithm. CLI's don't really help one's credit score unless you happen to carry non-trivial balances.
Re VS 3.0: I've actually had a product underwritten on it (Chase) therefor I consider it relevant. Many people here haven't and as such they don't care and there are other reasons for that too, the primary being the score is very different from FICO 8 and earlier, might be more comparable with FICO 9.
Could admittedly also be that VS 3 actually likes my credit report unlike virtually every FICO algorithm not named EQ FICO 9... everyone likes being praised at some level 
@Anonymous wrote:@Revelate Hmm. So many I should not apply for a CLI then? I thought it would be odd anyway for cards to give limits over 3k and 10k given my income. Cool - I will continue to track it then. Thank you for all of the wisdom you have offered on this site - I just finished reading through the SS loan information you inspired and will definitely keep that in the back of my mind as I continue this journey. Would love to get my FICO scores through myFICO as well but cannot justify the cost right now as I dump every penny into an attempt to max out my new Roth IRA for the first time. Seems pricey to get those scores!
It can be, the FICO licensing fees aren't cheap and unfortunately FICO Consumer has to pay the bureau (which in turn pays FICO Business) as I understand it. I don't think the pricing power will be maintained longer term, but these days with how steady my files are I pretty much just monitor with free services and then pull a 1B or 3B report here when I need it (which admittedly I do somewhat often within the last year) and I really like and want the additional scores option.
Limits are easy to obtain, but there's a maximum exposure line for most lenders for every consumer: if I were on limited income (which most of us at some level) I'd focus on diversifying the credit cards I had rather than worrying about CLI's. Also a large CL on something like a Chase Freedom or Amex BCP or Sallie Mae (formerly) with rewards cap doesn't make much sense, whereas a large CL on a default spender or balance carrying card (low APR) is absolutely clutch.