January 2022 Check-In Thread

[Kenny]

A new year is often a time that people reflect on past events and is also a great time to renew something in your life. Maybe that renewal or renovation is on your financial body or physical, now is a great of a time as any to shed those extra things holding you down from being the best you possible.

Most people sit down and write out New Year's resolutions.  Credit wise, what is on your list?  

As a reminder, participation in these monthly check-ins is optional & encouraged. The goal is to help keep you on track, so feel free to post your progress updates here. This is a no-judgment zone; feel free to say what's keeping you up at night or give yourself kudos for having it all together.

If you're a continuing myFICO fitness challenger: 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! Now that 2021 is behind us, may 2022 be ever more fruitful going forward.

Remember now is the time annual to update your signatures!

[sznthescore]

My goal is to build from my suppressed scores and pay off some ignored debt aka charge-offs and collections.

I'd like to get all my student loans (I have four of them) utilizations down to or below 30% with no hard inquiries in 2022.

Discipline, discipline, discipline.

[VanderSnoot]

Happy 2022! I wish you all a happy, healthy, and safe year.

My goals for 2022 are to 1) garden and 2) streamline my lineup. Although I don't have any junk cards, there are two sock drawer accounts I will close this weekend, and by the end of January I'll have decided whether to forego AmEx for Chase or wait another year.

[GApeachy]

Happy New Year!!!  @Kenny 

Happy New Year to every Challenger....hope y'all don't have the knotty head this fine morning

[Kenny]

Happy New Year to you, as well!

[Junejer]

Happy New Year all!

My plan, as it currently stands, is to garden until about April. Then, I will cold app for CSP (although been looking at CSR lately), as I never get any preapproved offers from Chase. After I get the CSP, I'll go back into the garden until October or November and then app for the SW Business Card. I hope they have a nice SUB (currently getting offers for 80K bonus points).

I didn't hit any potholes or speedbumps, but I did hit a milestone. I got my first business cards in December (Chase Ink and Amex BBC).

Scorewise, I lost my last baddie in December from TU and my score went up 47 points. Still not in the 800 club, but close. EX and EQ are 813 and 809 respectively.

I just took advantage of an Amex offer to reduce my APR to 1.99% on new purchases until October. Might consider carrying a balance for a month or two, as I need to pay property taxes, quarterly estimated taxes and maintenance fees of about $15K. I haven't paid revolving interest in a long time, so not sure I'm going to do this or not.

[GApeachy]

@Junejer ...mighty fine deal.

[Jannelo]

I haven't been so concerned about leaving balances on my accounts.  I was doing the AZEO method.  But as of right now I have five balances on credit cards, but still under 8.9.  I've paid off three, though, but the statements won't cut for a while.  My QuicksilverOne had a $1,800 CL.  Past requests were minimal or no due to low usage.  I asked for a CLI right before Christmas, and I received a $1,500 CLI.  So I now have a CL of $3,300.  My Experian now has zero inquiries on it.  I'm still on target to pay off my car loan taken out in 4/2019  two years early, instead of the six-year loan.

I have two paid charge-offs still on my credit report.  And one is now officially six years old.  And the other is six years three months old.  So I can see the finish line for those dropping off.  Whew!

I also have two CCs that are closed accounts (no balance),  but had late pays on them.  One just had all of the lates fall off and now shows exceptional payment history.  The other one should have them fall off in a month or two, which will be nice, as it even has a 120-day late on it.

No plans to apply for new credit.  I'm just focusing on my savings goals right now.

So that's my January 2022 update.  

Happy New Year to all!!!!!

[CramEiko]

Still here. But I think my garden died and I have to start all over again.....

[Junejer]

What did you get to cause your garden to die?