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I know you are all hard at work with your credit goals. Have you progressed as far as you hoped? Were there any unforseen expenses that popped up and may have thrown you off schedule?
As a reminder, participation in these monthly checkins is optional, but encouraged. The goal is to help keep you on track, so feel free to post your progress updates here. This is a judgement free zone; feel free to say what's keeping you up at night or give yourself a kudo for having it all together.
Did you hit any potholes or speedbumps? Achieve some milestones, either small or mighty? Change your goals or add new ones?
Let us know how you're doing!
Doing OK...I stepped out of the garden for 5 minutes in July to snag a NFCU Flagship and get a CLI on my existing Platinum. Now back in the garden until time to app for a mortgage in May 2020. I've moved several old rebuilder card balances to a zero percent BT card. Now 4/12 cards are zero balance. My goal before May is to have AZEO on my cards. I will ask for EE for my last baddie (a charge off) from TU in October and EX in November. The same baddie will be allowed to fall off naturally from EQ in Feb. Hopefully by Mortgage time I will have 3 clean reports and mortgage scores that are a little better than decent. So right now I am doing my best to practice patience and tick the months off the calendar.
Happy August everyone!
Still holding steady. In the Garden until the end of the year, and so far it's not a problem (my goal card is with Comenity and I know they spook with too many new accounts/INQs). Recently spending ~$1500 on the dogs only helps me stick to that goal. I want my 3% back (at least I'm getting 2% now).
This month, my Secured USBank Visa turns 1 year (today, actually). So sometime during this month or the next, I will call about graduation.
My financial goal of having a positive net worth (barring my auto loan and retirement/investment/nonliquid accounts) is on track. My goal to shave 10k off of my student loan principle is... challenging, but I think I'll get it.
When a bunch of things report, I will check my scores. After my derogs fall off of EQ, I'm looking forward to only getting the scores I get for free since keeping a strict eye on scores won't have as much meaning - that'll be nice
Finished July by closing one credit card and talking Chase into not lowering my Chase Ink Business Cash credit access line. Shocked me, Chase wanted to lower the credit access line to $3,000 (minimum for this account) due to under use. In reality, they are right. In reading around the forum it seems inactivity or lack of utilization finds the cards closed. Chase did stay their reduction for now.
In the rest of my world Fico 08 remains at 850 for ten months now. I do have a credit card that will hit the ten year limit today 'ouch' from 2001 closed 2009! The next closest card is from 2006 and closed 2009. As reported last month, this could alter my credit scores through AAoA and, cast me back into the sea of lower credit scores? The dangers of closing accounts?!
No plans for any new accounts, loans or other credit related activities. Am considering selling the residential dwelling unit and relocating to another area where I would lease/rent and have been making updates to the property with this in mind.
Enjoy the next month with fun Summer Activities and warmth from the Sun
I am doing well for the most part. I paid all my collections, just waiting for deletions (all were Midland and Portfolio). Progress is progress. My current scores are TR 635, EX 609, EQ 567. No love from EQ, but I'm being patient. I've also paid all my current accounts down, so UTIL is 3%. I definitely say that's progress
Welp, looks like us Challengers are still putt-puttin' along. Hang in there @XtraCredit....hope you'll get your $ soon. @Dinosaur, I'll trade you my scores for yours (cards too!)
August plans: I'm putting my reports on ice. I'm hoping I keep what I have and don't freak out any creditors, been way too active (shame for shame). So August is my Chill month, not gonna sweat the Dog days of summer. My scores have been all over the place like monkeys jumping on the bed. Peace!
Happy August, Gardeners!
No news is good news, right? My credit scores have not updated, but I have no reason to expect a big change this month. AOYA hits three months today and one account should fall off my EX report with minimal reduction in AAoA. In July I closed my one store card and froze my small bureau reports - ARS, Innovis, LexisNexis, and SageStream (awaiting confirmation).
I have not frozen my big three reports and am unsure whether I am being lazy or judicious. I filed a claim against Equifax (reimbursement for the cost of freezing credit reports and a commensurate amount of my time) and am staying on top of it. I have credit monitoring from a prior data breach and have not seen any fraudulent activity.
I have a trail of delinquencies that should fall off beginning this fall. I'm not expecting big changes until the last one falls off between April and June (different dates reported to different CRAs), but I'm still a wee giddy with the thought of seeing these delinquencies start to disappear. Ten more months of gardening and I'll have completely clean reports with no derogs, no scoreable inquiries, and 0/12.
Garden on, dudes!
August - Here we go fellow Challengers !
by the end of the month I hope to be knocking in the door of 800. Officially - I am tracking my F8. It's looking like my F9 and my Vantage FAKO may cross 800 this month.
Good luck to all you this month.
No matter where any of you are - remember - good decisions and and time are always our friend.