Looking for reccomendations

[Anonymous]

I am new to Gardening ( I hope thats right )

I currently have the following cards/credit and I wanted to know what my best next steps would be .

Discover It Secured (2500)1yr 7mos | 6% Utilization

Credit One Bank (650)1 yr 5 mos | 20% Utilization

Surge Card AKA Cont Finance (625) 2yrs 11mos | 0% Utiliziation

Cap 1 (500) 8 mos | 30% Utiliziation

Gettington (1100)2yrs | 43% Utilization

Fingerhut (3000)3 yrs 1 mo | 53% Utiliziation <--- Just zeroed out but adding whats currently on CK 

The next listings were only used to help increase my overall CL but if deemed neccasarry to remove I can. Yes I know they hurt my account age by accepting but didnt realize until after. AUTHORIZED USER ACCTS BELOW

Discover it AU (200)3 mos | 7% Utilization 

Navy Federal FCU AU (2100) 3mos | 92% Utilization <---- Being 0'd this month 

My current 3B scores are"

Equifax | 748

Transunion | 646

Experian | 636

Background :

I had 2 First Premier Bankcards both aged at about 2 years. They screwed up my bank account payments and had me PO'd . Instead of thinking about the age I instantly 0'd and closed both because of their foolishness. 

2200 Collection from a trashy apartment I lived in KC for about 6mos before moving back to east coast. The collection is 3 years old . Should I pay ?

1 Negative showing on experian from an another company that had me PO'd about trying to charge a debit card that had been lost but never called me on failed payments and wanted me to pay for them trying debit card transactions . Yes I know I should control my temper . This shows as charged off but yet to see any collection agency come after me . Im open to all suggestions . 

Another terrible part of my story is I have 26 inquiries . Most from shotgunning at car lots when I initially looked for a vehicle and backed out but 6mos later I found what I wanted. According to my profile , In Dec would be a year without inquires on my report period but Dec of 2019 I should show none except a recent NFCU in 3/18 that I was feeling lucky about .

I also have a vehicle loan through carmax for 27K @ 15% , This loan is at 6mos and I plan to refinance @ 1 year. Any thoughts? 

I also have a business that I plan to PG in the future after my recovery/building process. I have a friend who helped me with all of this and recommending I wait to Dec 18 or Jan 19 before applying for my next tier of cards. The plans are for him to add me to his Amex as an AU that has a 17k limit and we read I should pick up his history as well? He is debating on adding me to his cap1 as well which has a 8k limit . The plan is that my overall CL will be boosted and once I start to apply I should get higer limits. I apologize in advance if this is jumbled but I appreciate all input .

About the above 748 Equifax.  Out of nowhere I logged into the app and it reported a new address change and increase on one of my cards and sent my score to 748 only with Equifax . I will not know if this is true until my free 3B report but I did not want to pay mid month because of one score jumping . I think its a glitch but open to suggestions .

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Bump

[Thaitea007]

I’m surprised your Discover card is still secured at 1yr 7 months, most people graduate to unsecured about 7-12 months?

Also about Amex you don’t get the past payment history with them when you get added as a AU for them. I just did it, they report you as a new AU account on your file.

In my opinion you have enough credit reporting, I would read up on AZERO method. All cards zero balance except one with a very small balance you should be in this position before apping for the higher tier cards. But your scores are decent you might get approvals still. But 26 inquiries you should dispute them since they are for one auto loan.

[tufa4311]

My opinion - you are too high on your UTIL and you are carrying balances on too many cards - both large FICO no-no's. I would:

1. request Discover to move you out of a secured card status and then use those funds to pay other CC debt down.

2. work to pay off your balances - start with the lowest balance, pay that to $0, then move on the next, each time adding the additional free funds to the next CC until you are only at one CC with a low balance

3. try to only carry a balance one one CC

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the information. During the last post I have 0’d everything out and currently just using my discover . I’m at 1-9% Utilization but on MYFAKO it’s 20% due to counting AU accounts . In December according to MyFICO I will not have inquiries on my report that count .

Will it be ok for a mini app spree and I am thinking 3 cards

Navy Rewards
Amex?
Amex (Attempting 1 pull)

It sounds like I should not bother with being added as an AU on his accounts ? Based on your recommendation I will be using my Discover only and paying down to carrying 50$ each month or should just PIF?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

I called Discover and they stated I could not reuqest it and that I have been evaluated at each statement cut , The rep stated I had one happening tomorrow . My utililizaiton is currently a lot betther , I will also be looking into the method you stated . I called Cap1 and upgraded to quiksilver but did not request a CLI. Should I have requested one ?

Thanks for all the insight

[Anonymous]

More exciting news . I apped for Amex Gold Rewards charge card and was...........Approved , I am so happy and my work is starting to pay off , I am unsure if I should go for another for the 1HP but I dont know how that works

[Thaitea007]

I would go for it, since their gold is a charge card, you can get a regular card on the same pull. Just look at their other offers. Did they preapproval you for any other card? If so I would go for that one if it’s something you like. Congrats on the approval though!

[Anonymous]

Offical update,

I tried for revolving and was denied . I did apply for charge and approved first , instant card number and access to app and account . I did call in to recon ( I think I am using the term right) , I was transferred to a gentleman who put in the request for manual review and said within 3-5 business days I would have an answer.

So far Charge Card approved and current spending power of 4500$

I was still feeling good ahead of my actual mini app spree planned for Jan19 , I decided to try for Navy FCU Amex and was amazed to be approved for 5k . I was totally not expecting that to happen but account was approved.

I then applied for a Wells Fargo propel and currently awaiting a decision but got an email stating 5-7 days but I will call in Monday just to inquire . 

I am hoping for an approval from them and today would have been awesome for me .

1.Discover gave me the usual we check every statement line (1 YR 8 Mos) 2.5K (100 balance lol)

2. Cap 1 upgraded me to Quiksilver

3.Spent 1 HP(Experian) on Amex (Approved for Gold 25kSignup , Denied for BCE but reconned ASAP waiting for results)

4. Spent 1 HP(Transunion) on NFCU Amex (Approved) SL 5K

5.Spent 1 HP(Experian) on Wells Fargo Propel  (Awaiting Decision)

I want to tap out at 5 inquiries but I do not want to press my luck, Current scores 

Fico 8

Equifax 627

Transunion 654

Experian 639

Yes , I know . I guess I was lucky to get as far as I did but I am on a great path and currently planning to stay at 6% UTI and gardening until late 2019 . I suppose my income and car loan helped me with the above decisions . Navy just denied me in 3/18 when I opened my account . I guess my income played a factor , direct deposit and having an account where I must have a min of 1500 . IDK just happy and all over the place . Me and a friend who own small smart home automation businesses just started to PG his business cards and has gotten amazing SL .  I plan to PG my business cards way farther down the line but sorry for the long read .

[joltdude]

Hmm whens your next Discover statement?

That TU is looking pretty good by Discover standards...

ALso have you tried logging into your account and just look at CL box.....

Not trying to keep hopes up but things have occasionally happened after CSR conversations like that if the pieces are in place...

If i had to guess possibly 4-7 days after, or on your next statement... but of course Disco is ditzy so YCMV

-J