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 cropped 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 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!
well this month myfico equifax went up 12 point whoop whoop 
every thing else the same. except transunion keeps going up and down by 46 points on myfico. its done this 3 times now in the last month and a half. its as if its going from a vantage 3 score and back to fico because its the high value is the same a credit karma. also my credit report from equifax's site took a 6 point dump for no apparent reason. all balances are lower, nothing dropped off and no inquiries. All is good in the garden. Truly miss the big credit score leaps of early credit building though.
Well, one of my goals for April was to set up payment plans with both Verizon and Citibank/Cavalry. Verizon was easy and set up with a couple of short phone calls. Cavalry, on the other hand, has been a thorn in my side. As I noted in my mid-month update some complications have arose preventing me from setting up a payment plan.
New goals for May:
- contact law firm again in a week to set up a payment plan. If a payment plan has not been set up after two weeks, I plan to visit the county courthouse to apply for an installment order. I really just want this over with.
- Pay open credit cards (obvs) and do a better job of paying attention to utilization.
Entered the garden in April. CK indicates FICO is up by 10-12 points as of May 4🙂 Goal is to lower overall utilization, with a minimum year long stay in the garden—in paydown mode, currently at 60%. Down by 1% since April.
I started my journey April 2018. So here is the update from last month
1) Get all unpaid collections paid by 5/1/18. April I had 5/8 paid. I currently still have 1 that is left on my own account and we have one on my husbands account. So I didnt get all of them paid but I am almost there.
2) Get old paid collections removed with GW letters. There are three accounts I am focused on. I send out GW letters to student loan servicer to get late payments on three accounts removed. One letter to Get It Now to have a volentary repo removed. One to a paid creditor to remove collection account. I was not able to get adjustments made on these accounts via regular GW letters to the companies so I just sent out GW requests to CEOs today. fingers crossed it works.
3) Get two accounts that are past SOL removed. (April) I sent letters to both collection agencies. Waiting to hear back. Requested debt validation and proof the accounts were not past SOL. I know both are so waiting for them to make a decision to remove the accounts. May: I didn't get anywhere after sending out 2 letters so I contacted the Credit Bureaus and submitted a dispute. I got a letter last week that the accounts were removed. YAY!
4) Maintain less than 10% utilization on Rev accounts. I am at 28% which is down from 53% last month. Hoping by next statement date Utilization will be >10% Last month I app spreed a few cards I have been wanting and will use for sure. I currently have Capital One Plat ($400), Captial One QS ($300), Credit One ($600), Children's Place ($500), Justice ($500), Victoria Secret ($500), Wayfair ($500), and New York and Co. ($500) and I am waiting to get a Menards card in a few months simply because we do lots of projects. Of all the cards I am using $1300 of the total CL. I will be paying that down to >10% in the next 2 weeks before statements drop. Current Utilization is 34% as I was paid down to all at zero and one reporting $55 until Amazon Prime ran down the list of cards on my account until one cleared and it happened to be my CC right before statement drop so it nailed me 50% utilization on that one card. 
SO we will see if we can make it work again for May drop.
5) Get mortgage scores up to 640. When May Scores Drop beginning of June I'd like to see at least a 15pt increase across my scores. Work in progress. Mortgage scores went up from April Not there yet but getting better.
April Mortgage Scores: Ex 537 TU 592 EQ 578 May Mortgage Scores EX 558 (+21) TU 589 (-3) EQ 601 (+23)
*New Goal 6) See 10pt increase in Fico 8 Scores across the board for next report drop on 6/2/18.
April Scores EX 599 TU 602 EQ 609 May EX 611(+12) TU 613 (+11) EQ 608 (-1) June Goals EX 621 TU 623 EQ 618
May 2018 Check In:
Goals and updates:
1a). Continue saving 12% of income. Check
1b). Look at depositing part of what I've already saved into a higher yield CD, maybe NFCU's Special 15-month at 2.25% Yup, $3000 in high-yield CD.
2a). Continue paying that extra $100 per month on my highest student loan balance. Discontinued. Goal of loan being above water is accomplished
2b). Pay off my lowest student loan balance, which is less than $350 now. Stricken from plan.
3). No credit apps. Looking to get a ruby spade in December 2018 Failed. Scores holding strong.
4). Pay down utilization. Making good progress. All balances but one went down in March, and should again this month. Cards kept at status quo in May. Scores holding strong. Fingers crossed!
88 degrees and counting here. Hope everyone gets out and enjoys the Spring/Summer outdoors, there's nothing better than enjoying the awesomeness! 