Having higher CL's is nice for emergencies and padding if you want to buy something in the 0% new card arena and stay below 8.99% total util. Rebuilding should be strictly that. Rebuild, preactice AZEO and then it will blossom out in time. Now the not so good news. Did the company get rid of the 120's? If not. Your in for a rough time for the next 7 yrs. I'd do all you can to try and get those removed. Wash the CEO's car if thats what it takes. Though I havent seen a 120 day be deleted. Which really is 4 lates in a row 30,60,90 then 120. Only from being called to serve or stuck in ICU with a severe illness or injury. Just as bad as a BK but falls off 3 yrs earlier. Jump on the GW letter bandwagon or call and plead you case to try and get them remove. Even if they could go back to 30 day late that would be a tremendous help. Good Luck!
I have used the GW method in the past and will continue to do so. I've also successfully pfd'd quite a few things back in 2016 so I'm well aware of that option as well. It's just a matter of persistence. I think it will all work out and I'm happy to be in a postion to continue the build journey. Cheers!
Starting Score: 549
I have a question... still new around here, how do I add what cards I have, my scores and my goals? Thanks in advance for your assistance.
@Shaw83 wrote:
I have a question... still new around here, how do I add what cards I have, my scores and my goals? Thanks in advance for your assistance.
All of that would be in the Smorgasboard forum.
@calyx wrote:2 Collections (US Dept Edu will fall off 2021 Possible clock reset due to the events of May 2019)
^ The Dept of Ed garnishing your tax refund will not reset the clock, if that is what you are referring to (that was my best guess).
Have you contacted them with regards to rehabbing your student loans? getting them out of default would be a huge help to you in many ways, not the least of which is removing the default.
If you've already done this (and I missed it - my apologies, I'm falling asleep at my desk!), just ignore me. It caught my eye as I was going through threads.
@calyx is absolutely right.If you haven't tried rehabbing your student loans I would certainly look into it. I did it years ago and after the 9 months of payments they require my scores jumped significantly. Student loans are no longer a hamper to my scores, only credit card utilization and some collections
@calyx wrote:2 Collections (US Dept Edu will fall off 2021 Possible clock reset due to the events of May 2019)
^ The Dept of Ed garnishing your tax refund will not reset the clock, if that is what you are referring to (that was my best guess).
Have you contacted them with regards to rehabbing your student loans? getting them out of default would be a huge help to you in many ways, not the least of which is removing the default.
If you've already done this (and I missed it - my apologies, I'm falling asleep at my desk!), just ignore me. It caught my eye as I was going through threads.
My apologies for the last response. It's not in reference to the timeline, it's in reference to not paying things off as I planned. When they took the tax refund they also misplaced 67$, which I find ironic, they can't tell me what happened to it, it surely wasn't applied to either of the two loans. I've been fighting back and forth with them for awhile now, they flat out don't care. I've been told to send this and that, I sent everything they asked for and they're really desperate to the point of having FH Cann send letters to sue me. I sent out a Proof of Debt letter to them. I know it's mine lol. I really wish there was protection for minors when it comes to college.
I called last week and qualified for their 5$ a month program. The only difference between now and last year was my account was always on $0.10~$0.13. Since I had just started working again after 3 years of attempting to find a job, I didn't qualify for unemployment so once my savings ran out I was hit with 5 months of troubling debt collection. If I dealt with better lenders I would of been able to not take such a major hit on my credit. But this has proven to be a valuable lesson. I know which lenders are not worth my time and which will receive the bare minimum from me only because they're an old tradeline.
Since knocking off a few debts, now I'm capable of keeping more than change in my bank accounts. Once the default is removed I will see if I can transfer the loans into a consolidated loan through another lender with loaner interest rates. The government has some horrible interest setup for me, nearly 10% on each one. I've been planning on my next moves since the last time I logged in 
thanks for your help calyx, I wish I saw it before I thought of it too lol
**Update 9/22/2019**
Phew this is going to be a lot lol
JUL 2019
Jul 1/19 Unknowingly suspended from work and divorced. It was literally a double whammy but all is good in the neighborhood lol. Hubby didn't want to be civilized so he had to exit stage left. Didn't start looking for divorce lawyers and what not until September 2019. For what I want there is no self help clinic or free service pfft.
Jul 11/19 Work suspension known, no documentation from employer. Employer is as shady as ever 
but that's okay I have a personal record.
Jul 15/19 student loans payment offer from FH Cann, sent a Proof of Debt letter.
Jul 25/19 Island card maxed out. Maxed Capital one for bills. Not my intended, freaking out about the damage that this will do to my score T_T
Jul 28/19 filed for unemployment, waiting for their response.
Jul 29/19 Final payment to 1 DC - USCB gimme the fancy printed wall paper! Making progress oh yeah!
AUG 2019
Aug 1/19 Despite a series of unfortunate events, score still rises. So happy that my hard efforts are not in vain.
Aug 2019 - Unemployed LOL 2 months, managing off one check. Enjoying no headaches while looking for a more suitable career choice. I slept sooooooo goooood, I really needed that unwanted vacation I feel so alive and happy again. Unemployment was approved, back to living a life with pennies. Looking all around town for a company to give me what I need for my life.
Aug 15/19 school still proving to be smile. School won't give me my college diploma, time to start an uproar to have the situation corrected. Contacted the collection company, they apolgized for the misunderstanding and offered change in status. They misunderstood me, even though all the words were written out. One more payment and I'm 100% done with the diploma mill.
Aug 22/19 Self account closed, completed! Used the money wisely to help myself get by until my first real check on Sept 27th.
SEP 2019
Sep 5/19 happy and employed, first time ever I have a job I actually want. Maxed cards out because of an issue with rental service, never using Enterprise again. This is the third and the last time I put up with their mess but I really had to get to the funeral out of town.
Sep 11/19 Approved for NFCU Secured Card! 200 but almighty this was the day I was waiting for in July u____u Not all hope is lost looking forward to more progress, considering a credit builder loan but a little unsure at the moment. It's time to reevaluate.
Sep 17/19 Rehabilitation months 1 & 2 for US DEPT EDU That guy is by far the sweetest and kindest debt collector I ever had the pleasure of speaking to! Tax refund will not be garnished again and it will be much needed next year to pay down some debts or invest in myself. 8ish more months to go to be out of default and looking pretty to all the lenders in the yard xD
Sep 20/19 Fradulent charges made to my account by Enterprise for a toll in Colorado... They must think I can teleport because the toll was 19 hours away and I returned the car 3 hours after it happened... Contacted the customer service line, toll line and left a nasty review letting them know I will be pursuing legal action for their neglience. Waited 5 days for them to refund my money over the impossible.
Sep 21/19 looked into credit card offers for my next steps, nothing good from the recommended site, I know I'm tetter toddering between poor and fair. Such a tease e___e ahhh come on just give me the fair rating already lol.
All in all, this has truly be more work and a slower process than expected. I didn't account for life being a factor.
Will be updating soon