I'm on my way to the garden - my profile and need advice:

[Anonymous]

Hi Guys!!!

Love this forum so much, and I'm starting to be obsessed with everything credit score related.... how interesting it all is and the fact there is a system to it...

So, I started my journey in September 2018 when I couldn't even get a car loan, even with $6000 or so down. Nope. They wouldn't do it. My score was 444. Never had a BK

Now as of April 15th here are my scores, as well as the current CC and the CL with each. All have been aquired in the past 5 months or so. 

EX: 695

EQ: 636

TU: 647

My current credit cards:

Bank of American Cash Rewards: $2000 my newest baby! Only a week old. (unsecured)

Credit One Bank: $450 CL (unsecured)

Capital One Quicksilver One: $400 (unsecured)

Discover it: $300  (secured)

OpenSky: $200 (secured)

Nordstrom Rewards: $300 (unsecured)

I don't have a mortgage. My car payment (old car) is finally being paid on time. I have 2 personal loans now in my reports. Everything is being paid on time. Each of m CC have a low balance. I plan to pay them AZEO within the next 2 weeks. And only use my BofA to get the $200 bonus for spending $1000 in the first 90 days. 

My goals: First and foremost I want my BofA to grow into 35k. I will use this card religiously and this is my main focus. All other cards in the meantime will most likely be zero, because I've been using them already for the past few months and my goal too is to get all of the unsecured ones to a higher CL asap! 

Does everything look ok? Am i missing something? How long should I garden for? My next card goal is an AMEX. For now. Until then, before I will apply again, whenever that is, is getting my CL with BofA hiiiiiighhhhh. 

In the meantime, I will have to get all those addresses and weird names on my reports fixed/removed. Way too many address (old) on there and old names. 

My Experian is currently locked. Is this a good idea?

[sarge12]

OP...there is no magic to obtaining high scores, or keeping them high. Pay all bills on time, and it is best to pay in full. 3 credit cards and 1 traditional installment loan are needed. Keeping your utilization low is a good practice, but as long as it is low when there is a credit pull, you will get the most points available for utilization as utilization carries no history. Other than credit mix, payment history, and low utilization, only time is required for very high scores...be warned though, any late payments, collections, or other derogetory info will hurt a score badly. Good luck on your credit journey, but in fact no luck is really needed. Anyone can acheive 800+ scores, it just requires good credit habits and time.

[Anonymous]

Thank you for your reply and you are so correct!

My boyfriend and his mother both have scores in the high 800's. Like 815 and above. They don't even try. They had NO IDEA what their scores are or what that even means. They are French, but live here, work here and have mortgages. They have literally zero IDEA about how the credit system works. It has to be so easy then right? They have credit, they pay in full every month, every account is always and always paid on time, they don't apply for many credit cards, although they both have CC in the 30k and 50k limits. I just made them pull their credit scores to my amusement and i was shocked and they were like, and? what does that mean? LOL. 

[DollyLama]

Awesome job! I understand the obsession on credit. 

Getting a large CLI is good, but it may take awhile, and really don't neglect others. Discover can really bounce up your CLI soft pulls in about 6 months. Usage and pay in full. Some creditors, I have 2 that if I have not used the credit card with no balance, they report ND, no data, as if I opened the card and have not proved a credit history with them, Cap One is one of them. So charge a tank of gas monthly or use your fico subscription, or netflix, and pay before the statement date, so they at least report monthly. They are fair on cli, in my experience, not as giving as Discover, or as soon, but it does climb the longer you have it, and use it. You don't want these cards going 4-6 months with no charges, for fear of it being considered inactive and they can close your account. With what you have, and they remain open, you will have a good thick file down the road. 

So happy of the huge stride in short months! Congrats!

[Anonymous]

So...I've been bad, but not anymore!

After I was approved for the $2000 by BofA, I got an email saying that I could qualify for the Travel Rewards by BofA next! I said oh nooo, heck, why not! I totally forgot that my Experian report is LOCKED. (I pay for the experian membership, so I was able to only lock that one.) I applied, and got approved in seconds for $3500! HOW? Immediatley got an alert saying that BofA pulled my Transunion, when one week prior they pulled Experian when I hadn't locked it yet. Is this normal to go to a different report by them if they see one is locked? At this day, my experian was 636 and my TU was 647! So i am very happy that I accidently left my EX locked and the pulled the higher score. Heck, my EQ is 695, i wish they pulled that one.