MyFico score of 643, couple of questions

[JMills]

Ok Thanks I will, I dont want to wait seven years. Thank You so much for teh information.

[jamie123]

I must have been writing my last response before I saw your report.

Wow! I mean WOW!!!

You need to start paying your bills on time!  OR EARLY!!!

Now you tell me....If that was my report and you were looking at it to see if you would lend me money, would you?

Cap1 are good starter cards but you need to move on from them. Unfortunately you won't be able to move anywhere until you get this mess straightened up.

1. You have a 120 day late with CAP1 that is KILLING your score! I have never seen someone with a 120 day late and the account was still open. You dodged a bullet there.

2. You have a 90 day late that is KILLING your score!

Whatever you have to do you need to have those 2 items removed from your report! NOW!!!

Cap1 can be a real PITA when trying to GW them but you need to do it and often. Have persistance.

You need to open a savings account at a credit union. You need to put a little money away for emergencies. It doesn't have to be much but you really need to do it. If I have learned one thing in life it is that S^%$ Happens! You cannot make any more late payments in like....forever!

I'm sorry for the rant...A little bit of tough love is all!

Your plan of action needs to be:

1. Pay all your bills on time or early!

2. Open a savings account so you have a little bit of money to at least make minimum payments when S#$% Happens. If you are human and living on the planet Earth, beleive me when I say S^*& will happen to cause you to not have the money to pay bills at some point...Unless you are prepared.

3. Start writing GW letters to have the 120 and 90 day late removed. Your scores will be in the gutter until those are gone. Then you can start working on the other lates.

[JMills]

I paid four cards off this month, yes I begin to set an emergency fund for 3 months. I paid off four cards this month with my tax return. They are now a zero balance. I have two cards that I have great history with CFNA(Firestone) and Fingerhut. I know they maynot be prime but it does show on my report that I pay it on time.

[Anonymous]

Just popped in to say:

@Scrne011: Welcome to the forum! Great questions, and glad to hear you are seeking wise counsel on a plan. Sorry the thread was hijacked.

And, I wanted to say that reading that others have reached the 800 Club with little to no cards is inspiring. I am going to post regarding credit card management because 800+ is my goal.

It is also inspiring to read this thread, to see willing seasoned members helping the newbies.