Itching to app? Trouble staying in garden? READ!!!

[Kostya1992]

Hey everyone! This is more for people new to credit and rebuilders, but feel free to read!

Just wanted to share my gardening experience with you all. I'm sure most people on this forum have one thing in common: we all want that sweet card, whatever it may be.

However, the most agonizing part of our credit journey is gardening - the painful wait! How do we deal with this wait? It's so boring!

Here's my perspective of gardening and why I won't leave the garden until I achieve my goal:

Say you ding your report with an inquiry today. You decide "man, time to garden for a year." Don't do that. Baby steps! Consider this scenario:

1) You reach a month in the garden. Easy right? You get your bronze spade! Now think to yourself - is that card that you're itching to apply for really worth a whole month of your time? What are the odds of even being approved for it? You have too many recent inquiries! Stay in the garden!

2) You reach month three. Silver spade yay! Your chances of getting approved are a little better. However, you still have recent inquiries. Do you really want a toy limit and high APR? But more importantly, are you willing to give up 3 months of your time for that? Hell no! Continue gardening!

3) You reach month six! Golden spade!!! Not many of those around! Wow it's been a while in the garden, no? You no longer have "recent" inquiries. You are probably getting CLIs from creditors at this point as well since they see that you're responsible and not desperate for credit! But here comes the big question - apply for that card now, which you may get OR wait a little longer and solidify your chances? How much is 6 months of your time worth?

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4) A whole year of gardening! Your score just got a nice boost because the inquiries are no longer affecting it! APP SPREEEE!!!

TL;DR: The most difficult part about gardening is the first month or so. The longer you stay, the more you have to lose by leaving! Stay in the garden!

Hope this helps someone! Good luck!

[dursty87]

I had a hard time staying in the garden in the beginning.  I was getting approved, why stop?   Then the denial letters started coming in and the inquiries started racking up.  After not having anything other than a measely $500 Credit One card for a year+ it was hard to stop getting approved for $2-10k limits.  

The first month IS the hardest...  I have been in the garden almost 3 months now and have only requested SP CLI's.  I know my ultimate goal and what I need to do to get there.

Thanks for the reminder!

[Anonymous]

Great post. I am 'itching' bad and glad its so common that it warrants a thread for us Credit Fiends currently trying to stay clean. I just started to take ownership and just waiting for my 6 mo mark to hit.

You are right though, if I want to apply without the fear of being rejected it is best to just wait. I think checking this thread is not helping though, especially when you see so many "Insert CC Approved" threads. I will stay strong and lean on you all. Great thread again!

[Anonymous]

Wonderful Thread !!! Thank you so much for sharing. I am in the beginning stages of rebuilding and it is tempting. Also very hard to stay in the garden in the Fall, everything is dying. 

[Anonymous]

I'm itching. Watching my Fico grow into the 7's (Finally!) is such a great feeling, but it also makes my think "I bet I could get THAT card now"

Luckily I can tame that itch with an even bigger picture... determined to become a home buyer. I've got Amex, Discover, Visa Sig with Chase United, and Mastercards, all rewards. Accomplished enough there. 

Thanks for the post! Good read and reminder even for me. About to hit 2 month Gardener

[Anonymous]

Thanks for that sobering reminder! I needed that!

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@ssondubs wrote:

Then the denial letters started coming in and the inquiries started racking up.

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