February Check in thread

[Anonymous]

Just joined as well! Working on getting finances ready to buy a house and improving my credit scores across the board!

[Anonymous]

Done this month....

and has updated on scores/reports:

-paid down CC balance to 5-6% from 89% UTIL previously

-added 2 store cards with $250 balances (using shopping card trick to avoid any HPs)

Saw all 3 fico 8 scores increase from 21-25 points in Feb.

Saw EX and EQ fico mortgage scores increase about 30 points apiece in Feb.

and has not yet updated on scores/reports:

-paid off 1 small installment loan (I still have an auto installment that will go into 2016 so good on having 1 installment loan on CR)

-added 1 bank card (local CU unsecured Visa CL $500) which puts me up to 2 bankcards (CapOne Plat $2k limit)

-contacted a collection agency that had 7 accounts still listed on my TU as unpaid collections that were included in our Ch 7 BK (discharged 2011). They corrected error on 2/9/15 for all accounts. They stated updated on CR within 30 days. Only error I can find on all 3 CRs should be fixed then after it reports!

New goals for March:

-request a CL increase on CapOne (no HPs there) as it will have been 9 months since the late (that seems to be their guideline). 

-pull all full credit reports to get drop off dates on baddies and check up on (will do this end of March most likely).

-only carry small balance on 1 CC (CapOne most likely).

-May apply for QuicksilverOne or Barclay depending on where credit scores are at come the end of the month. I want to hit that 3 bankcard mark asap so I can sit back and garden but don't want many more inquiries as I'm working on USDA mortgage app around June/July (and oh my I have SO much to learn about the mortgage process and mortgage scoring still before then).

[Anonymous]

I just joined the 2015 challenge, but since there are only a couple of days left in the month, I figured I'd do a check in at this point.

February has been a great month so far in my credit journey.  I have secured CLIs on almost all of my cards putting them all at 2K or better with the exception of that daggone Target card.  It is the LOWEST limit card I have at $300 and it seems like my requests have fallen on deaf agent ears.

My goal for March is to maintain a credit usage in the 10-15% range.  I am currently at 4% but I have some spending needs that will bump that up (although I know the money for payment will be available to PIF).

I have been gardening on my own since December and am trying to keep my app finger still...so that is my other goal for a good while now.  I think I will be holding off until my scores can get closer to 700.  I would love to app for a card and get a 5K approval...but all good things in time!

[jai8694]

I already joined the challenge just want to give what I feel is a more accurate reflection of my scores. The scores I originally posted were scores from the CA sites directly because I am unable to obtain a myFico score currently. Long story short I had someone "attempt" to clean my credit years ago and for whatever reason they placed a fraud alert on my  Equifax file that does not expire until 2018. I have written EQ to have the alert deleted so I can purchase the myFico product. Anyway the scores I have in my sig line are Credit Karma scores. I ve read the threads regarding these scores but I am choosing to use them at the moment because they are more in sync with the scores I am receiving from creditors. I just recently opened 2 secured cc and attempted one with WF that was declined. Anyway the scores on the letters are a very close match to that of Credit Karma so these will be the scores I judge by until I can purchase myFICO.

[Anonymous]

Hi all. 

New to the forum, thought I would drop by and say hello....... 

Hello

[Dreamer13]

My goal this month was to pay off 1 out of the 3 Navient loans and I did it!  I also bought a car and financed with captive lender at 5.3%.  When I financed my last car in late 1990s I believe I paid 18%+ so this time was much better.  Once my dti and utilization improves, I plan to refi with a credit union at 2%.