December Check In Thread

09Lexie · ‎11-30-2014

As we approach the holidays, the stress of over-spending can be tremendous. What steps are you taking so that you ring in the New Year drowning in debt? What new ideas or plans do you have so that 0% promos don't sway you away from your goals? If you have a plan or strategy that you would like to share, please do!

I know you are all hard at work with your credit goals. Have we progressed as far as we hoped? Were there any unforseen expenses that cropped up and may have thrown you off schedule?

As a reminder, participation in these monthly check-ins 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 no-judge 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! What have been your biggest accomplishments and obstacles so far in the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2014

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Frequently Requested Threads

kathol39 · ‎12-01-2014

Hello. Just checking in. Any increase is a good thing I figure. Slow but steady! Starting Scores: Equifax 642 Transunion 614 Experian 632 Current Scores: Equifax 642 Transunion 628 Experian 643

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Good luck to all of our myFICO Fitness Challengers!

Anonymous · ‎12-01-2014

Happy December! Love this forum & I'm getting so much great info! My score was in the excellent category until I decided to go cc shopping. Now all down around the 720 mark. All paid in full except for a couple which I cannot pay until the hit my bill. Since reading this forum almost every night, I have learned a great lesson from everyone here. Credit is not to charge & have fun but to show how responsible you can be. So my December is looking so much better than I could have every imagined. Just want to say thanks to all who post & help us out. I will be in the garden until my score gets as close to 850 as possible.

Anonymous · ‎12-02-2014

Checking in. A little late to the party, but better late than never. Just actually came across this board a few weeks back, and am now taking a more serious approach to my credit. Currently working on getting my Star Card down to a zero balance, sitting at $1,211. I'm blessed to be in a situation where I am able to use my credit card as a debit card, and pay it off in full each month, after the statement posts. So as of now, just in the garden indefinality, and letting my 4 cards mature. Only thing I plan on doing is applying for a 20k car loan once I get 5k cash to go along with my 25k budget. Good luck to everyone, and thanks for all the info on this board. I plan on sticking around for a long time.

Anonymous · ‎12-02-2014

I was in the Garden but got a Victoria's Secret card. I'm still doing well in a short amount of time.

Back gardening again and my goal is to not charge what I can't immediately pay down to 40% util.

I'm happy because I just found out that I got my credit high enough to prequalify for better mortgage loans. I was house hunting but had given up. This good news may have me hunting again.

MarineVietVet · ‎12-03-2014

@Anonymous wrote:
I was in the Garden but got a Victoria's Secret card. I'm still doing well in a short amount of time.

Back gardening again and my goal is to not charge what I can't immediately pay down to 40% util.

I'm happy because I just found out that I got my credit high enough to prequalify for better mortgage loans. I was house hunting but had given up. This good news may have me hunting again.

That is good news. Good luck in your hunting!!

Anonymous · ‎12-05-2014

I just discovered these forums and I really would like to get involved in the discussion. I am just now starting the credit rebuilding process. I made some terrible decisions in the past and now it's time to try to buy a home. Getting a mortgage is difficult with bad credit(As you all know) so I am taking steps to get my credit corrected. I pulled my credit from experian last week and posted the scores in my signature. Any advise or encouragement is definitely welcome and appreciated.

MarineVietVet · ‎12-05-2014

@Anonymous wrote:
I just discovered these forums and I really would like to get involved in the discussion. I am just now starting the credit rebuilding process. I made some terrible decisions in the past and now it's time to try to buy a home. Getting a mortgage is difficult with bad credit(As you all know) so I am taking steps to get my credit corrected. I pulled my credit from experian last week and posted the scores in my signature. Any advise or encouragement is definitely welcome and appreciated.

Hello and welcome!

There is lots of information available here so take your time and don't get overwhelmed. I suggest you visit the Rebuilding Your Credit board.

You won't find better advice anywhere as to ways to repair/rebuild your credit situation.

Please stick around and let us get to know you.

Anonymous · ‎12-06-2014

I am new to this site but have been trying to repair my credit for a while. I came across this forum during my research. So I started out with collections all over my credit. I was able to clean that up but my credit suffered alot. So, I worked on builiding it and making payments on loans I had, I opened a few credit cards, and was able to pull my credit up to at least a 612. I know it's still poor but I was happened I at least got it there.

Then life happened and a few months ago I couldn't make my necessary payments on my student loans and I was charging everything I could to my credit card. Needless to say that I that again effected my credit badly. My credit dropped 49 points. That hurt. I had a credit card debt of over 860 dollars that I was struggling to pay. But now I have gotten it all the way down to 84 dollars and my student loans are back to a current status. I am happy I was able to do that. I am hoping that the progress I have made raises my credit a little. I am now just trying to stay on budget and not make any mistakes. My next goal is paying off one of my student loans.

I am so tempted to charge Christmas presents to my credit cards, but I have locked them away so I do not have them with me. I like them being out of reach so I can't use them.

MarineVietVet · ‎12-06-2014

@Anonymous wrote:
I am new to this site but have been trying to repair my credit for a while. I came across this forum during my research. So I started out with collections all over my credit. I was able to clean that up but my credit suffered alot. So, I worked on builiding it and making payments on loans I had, I opened a few credit cards, and was able to pull my credit up to at least a 612. I know it's still poor but I was happened I at least got it there.

Then life happened and a few months ago I couldn't make my necessary payments on my student loans and I was charging everything I could to my credit card. Needless to say that I that again effected my credit badly. My credit dropped 49 points. That hurt. I had a credit card debt of over 860 dollars that I was struggling to pay. But now I have gotten it all the way down to 84 dollars and my student loans are back to a current status. I am happy I was able to do that. I am hoping that the progress I have made raises my credit a little. I am now just trying to stay on budget and not make any mistakes. My next goal is paying off one of my student loans.

I am so tempted to charge Christmas presents to my credit cards, but I have locked them away so I do not have them with me. I like them being out of reach so I can't use them.

Hello and welcome!!

Many of us here, if not all of us, have been in your same situation. This is a perfect place to learn how to move forward in your credit repair/ rebuilding journey.

May I suggest you visit the Rebuilding Your Credit board. No one there will judge you and you can receive excellent advice and suggestions on how to proceed.

And of course please look around all the boards and see if any of them might be able to help you. Take your time and learn at your own pace.

About Christmas and credit cards. I absolutely know the temptation to use them during the holidays but I believe you understand that could severely set you back.

Please stick around and let us get to know you.