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This forum has been so helpful in giving advice to my new college grad as he starts building credit, and to me as I rebuilt from a 14-month unemployment disaster and 585 FICO score. So I wanted to post this update after I saw a 120 point jump in my score yesterday! I had to let a few things just age off but also started the build back with a small Capital One secured card, from there a couple of merchant cards, paying on time, and generally being patient. The all-zero-but-one approach helped my score creep up, to where Cap One at long last increased my limit from $500 to $4500, and I was even able to cosign on a private student loan for my daughter. But I could not get it past 700 - even after getting an early exlusion on my last 2 Portfolio Recovery accounts it only jumped 3 lousy pts. This increase appears to be due to a small Target collection account FINALLY aging off this month to where I now have 0 negative items. I really hate this credit score game but unfortunately, learning to play it can make life a little easier if you are not financially independent or don't have a safety net. Posting this to give hope to anyone who may have been where I was. Don't give up!
Wow, you completely blasted past 700! Congratulations! Great discipline, patience, and dilligence pays off!
Thank you!
@Anonymous wrote:This forum has been so helpful in giving advice to my new college grad as he starts building credit, and to me as I rebuilt from a 14-month unemployment disaster and 585 FICO score. So I wanted to post this update after I saw a 120 point jump in my score yesterday! I had to let a few things just age off but also started the build back with a small Capital One secured card, from there a couple of merchant cards, paying on time, and generally being patient. The all-zero-but-one approach helped my score creep up, to where Cap One at long last increased my limit from $500 to $4500, and I was even able to cosign on a private student loan for my daughter. But I could not get it past 700 - even after getting an early exlusion on my last 2 Portfolio Recovery accounts it only jumped 3 lousy pts. This increase appears to be due to a small Target collection account FINALLY aging off this month to where I now have 0 negative items. I really hate this credit score game but unfortunately, learning to play it can make life a little easier if you are not financially independent or don't have a safety net. Posting this to give hope to anyone who may have been where I was. Don't give up!
Congrats ..what a great feeling?... mine went from 489 to 741
🎉🥳🍾
Congratulations!! I can't believe one collection was holding your score back that much!!
Nice. Congrats on the new tier! Way to go!
@collics wrote:Congratulations!! I can't believe one collection was holding your score back that much!!
Same! Can't be sure that's what it was but it just came off after 7 long years. Target/TD bank was pretty stubborn and would never work with me. I also had my oldest account age by a year but can't imagine that would trigger such a big jump. Utilization would have gone down some with the target exclusion too but not all that much given it was a small amount. Thinking the new student loan may have helped as I only had revolvers until that. 🤷♀️
Congrats!! Keep up the good work!