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March 2021 Check In Thread

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Kenny
Moderator Emeritus

March 2021 Check In Thread

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With all that has happened in this life-changing past year, credit can seem insignificant. That is completely understandable.  For those that have their eye to bettering their credit profile during this time, we welcome you here with open arms.  

 

3 months have passed now in 2021. Have you progressed as far as you hoped?  Were there any unforeseen 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-judgment 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!

Message 1 of 39
38 REPLIES 38
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

Believe it or not it is officially March 2021! In some areas of the country and posters on this Forum have been planting their early crops. As for myself, the Arctic Circle still prevails with temps below zero again!

 

Since we are on the cusp of spring some of you may want to consider what your course and direction are for March? Cleaning out the sock draw and using that card so a lender doesn't think you no longer love them and close it or reduce the credit line? You may want to cull the herd on credit and deliberately eliminate unused credit lines (remember to check on what that might do long term - 10 years is an estimate on how long credit may remain on your CBs)?

 

Lot's of good solid spring cleaning may be the ticket? Smiley Happy

Message 2 of 39
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

Hello March! I made some progress in February.
 
Accomplished:
- I paid off small balances on two cards so 4/8 are now reporting $0.
- My total utilization is now under 30% with all CBs!
- I have been working towards paying off a Disco balance transfer so I can do another this month, to help pay my Amex down quicker and better distribute balances. Lots of progress there. I have also been using my Disco card in hopes of trying a CLI again this month. Denied last month partially due to inactivity.
- My FICO 8s haven't been updated lately (I check them free via CCs) but my Vantage 3 scores are all officially over 700 now too! Motivating to see... hoping the FICOs shift up too, once updated. Smiley Happy
- Sent my first batch of GW letters to Citi, in hope of removing old late payments.
- Citi gave me CLI of $2k!
 
Current:
FICO 8: Exp 713 (Feb 6), Equ 725 (Jan 26), TU 708 (Feb 17)
Vantage 3: Exp 713 (+7), Equ 704 (+8), TU 702 (+7)
 
My goals for March:
- Finish paying off Disco BT
- Request CLI with Disco
- Transfer 30-50% of Disco CL from Amex in another BT
- Be patient -- waiting to see if my 8 goodwill letters to Citi last month land somewhere constructive. I'll send another batch this month also. Getting these 3 late payments removed is prio #1!
- TRY to also pay off my Cap1 and Citi cards. Slowly working towards AZEO.
- Continue building up my emergency savings. As I'm in the middle of looking for a new job (but thankfully still technically employed), I know how important this is!
- If I'm able to file my taxes in March (waiting on corrected W-2), I'll either put my refund towards a card (TBD which; not sure which would be more beneficial) or in my emergency fund. I'm still uncertain of what to do here. I'm also wondering if there's benefit to me paying an extra chunk to my car payment at this time? With $16.5k left on CCs, that feels like the smartest place to put it. I'll likely post after I file for advice. Smiley Happy
Message 3 of 39
Technician2210
Established Member

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

February wasn't too bad. I had my AZEO report properly this month, with only a $5 balance on my largest SL card. 2 old inquiries hit the one year mark, and  2 of my cards hit the 6 month mark. There seem to be DPs about increases for those milestones. 

 

I happened to notice that 2 of my baddies were eligible for early exclusions, so I contacted TranUnion and Experian and they got them off my report the same day I made the call. Well, TU was immediate, Experian was 24 hours, but I'll take that.

 

I had a few hard pulls for my mortgage. Once myFICO updated, even though most of my EQ and EXP of my scores took a slight hit, all my TU scores shot up anywhere between 3 and 18 points! My Experian and TU mortgage scores went up 10 and 11 points respectively.

 

All 3 of my FICO 8 scores finally broke the 700 barrier, which is probably the highest it's been since my late 20s. Still chipping away. Next intermediate goal is underwriting for my house this month. 





DEARLY DEPARTED:





NEXT UP:

Starting Score: 700
Current Score: 800
Goal Score: 850


Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Message 4 of 39
RA26
New Contributor

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

Beginning of March, I hoped I would be further along with my plan. I'm not, but I am completely okay with that. 

I was under in some of my budgets, over in some of my others. We're still fine tuning some categories on our budget.

 

The saving goals are lining up, each little transfer adds up. 

 

My overall utilization went from 87% to 86% last month to 85%. My husband's dropped his a little as well. 

 

Hopefully, more good news by the end of the month. 

Starting Score: 633
Current Score: 638
Goal Score: 700


Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Message 5 of 39
mgood
Valued Contributor

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

New 3B report on Feb 27.
Two of my scores dropped slightly. The other twenty-six are all the highest they've been in the short time I've been tracking them.

For a point of reference, when I tried to buy a new pickup in 2004, my score (I don't know which one the dealer was quoting) was 450 so I had to put everything in my mom's name. (Embarrassing when I was 36 years old.)

 

            11/28/20 12/28/20 01/28/21 02/27/21

FICO 8 Eq     680      696      713      730
FICO 8 TU     727      713      729      748
FICO 8 Ex     701      718      731      738

 

FICO 9 Eq     700      709      745      764
FICO 9 TU     726      714      733      759
FICO 9 Ex     724      704      738      747

 

FICO 5 Eq     691      702      706      721
FICO 4 TU     725      735      736      741
FICO 2 Ex     694      728      726      725

 

FICO 5A Eq    681      689      692      706
FICO 4A TU    733      743      744      748
FICO 2A Ex    694      725      724      731

 

FICO 8A Eq    666Smiley Surprised    678      701      723
FICO 8A TU    709      697      712      733
FICO 8A Ex    699      709      723      731

 

FICO 9A Eq    685      690      727      754
FICO 9A TU    712      700      719      748
FICO 9A Ex    722      694      729      738

 

FICO 8B Eq    663      679      695      717
FICO 8B TU    728      712      739      763
FICO 8B Ex    698      716      738      748

 

FICO 5B Eq    703      713      722      742
FICO 4B TU    729      732      730      735
FICO 2B Ex    699      727      722      718

 

FICO 3B Ex    694      705      725      732

 

FICO 9B Eq    698      706      749      772
FICO 9B TU    728      716      737      771
FICO 9B Ex    719      703      741      754

 



Starting Score: EQ8 680, TU8 713, EX8 701
Current Score: EQ8 771, TU8 766, EX8 775 as of March 29
Goal Score: EQ8 780, TU8 780, EX8 780

Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
AZE5 - 2% Utl - New Accts: 2/6, 4/12, 6/24
Message 6 of 39
Jjhart36
Established Member

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

Not sure if I joined the challenge right or not 

Message 7 of 39
mgood
Valued Contributor

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread


@Jjhart36 wrote:

Not sure if I joined the challenge right or not 


Not sure you can do it wrong.
I'm new here but since no one else has answered. You set goals. You work towards those goals. You check in and report on your progress if you want to.



Starting Score: EQ8 680, TU8 713, EX8 701
Current Score: EQ8 771, TU8 766, EX8 775 as of March 29
Goal Score: EQ8 780, TU8 780, EX8 780

Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
AZE5 - 2% Utl - New Accts: 2/6, 4/12, 6/24
Message 8 of 39
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread

@mgood May I ask what you've done between Jan and Feb? Do you have any marks on your CR? I'm currently at your Jan level and aiming for your current Feb level! Amazing job building those scores up!

Message 9 of 39
mgood
Valued Contributor

Re: March 2021 Check In Thread


@Anonymous wrote:

@mgood May I ask what you've done between Jan and Feb? Do you have any marks on your CR? I'm currently at your Jan level and aiming for your current Feb level! Amazing job building those scores up!


Mostly just paying down balances. My one baddie was a 30 day late that fell off back around December, so high balances was what was holding me back and I've been pounding them down.



Starting Score: EQ8 680, TU8 713, EX8 701
Current Score: EQ8 771, TU8 766, EX8 775 as of March 29
Goal Score: EQ8 780, TU8 780, EX8 780

Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
AZE5 - 2% Utl - New Accts: 2/6, 4/12, 6/24
Message 10 of 39
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