Hello everyone!
I am new to MyFico and these forums. Started working on my credit around February of this year.
In my 20's I started getting credit and really messed things up! Got rid of (or they were closed) all credit cards and have been paying cash for everything for the past 30 years! (I'm in my 50's now) Who needs credit cards anyway?
Well, come to find out paying cash for everything is a BAD thing! Paying cash for a house seemed like the smart thing to do. Until you want to do renovations that you can't cover with cash... Or you want to do ANYTHING that requires credit!
So I thought OK let's go back to this credit situation, I'm older now, wiser now (I hope!) Let's see if I can remedy this!
I was in a car accident in Feb of 2014 with no insurance. A couple of bills went to collections. (I though, No big deal, I never use credit anyway.)
Then I started finding all these tools online for checking your credit and reading about what it all means! (Wish this kind of stuff was available when I was younger!) Checked my credit in February of this year... High 500's to mid 600's.
So, I made it a challenge to improve my credit score and manage credit cards again to my benefit instead of the cc companies benefit!
I have improved my Equifax and TransUnion scores to the low 700's (Experian - mid 600's. Still has medical collection account reporting. ).
I am here to try and learn all I can about improving my situation!
I have many hard inquiries and 6 credit cards and a personal loan right now. Own 2 houses, but have no mortgage. Own 4 vehicles, but have no car payments.
I think I need to chill out for a while to let things come off my reports and learn!
Thanks for reading this long drawn out post!
Starting Score Jan 2020: EQ: 743 TU: 694 EX: 666
@Journey2019 wrote:(I'm in my 50's now) Who needs credit cards anyway?
Welcome to the forums! So glad you're building now. I started in Oct. 2018 at 52, we CAN learn new tricks, hahahaha! And you're right, we do need credit and good credit at that. Like you, cash, cash, cash...so tiring and like you said, kinda meaningless for your credit. You're gonna have fun building, it's extremly addicting and very rewarding. Hope your scores jump by leaps and bounds!
After 3 new apps my scores dipped down but I'm still excited as now several cards will age together and I can slowly catch up from my late start to the credit game. Current average age of credit is 1 year 2 months not including my student loan from 8 years ago. A rent HP inquiry will fall off in November so I should see a boost as these cards age and old inquiries disappear. Holding strong in the garden till then at the very least! For now I plan on focusing on bouncing back emergency fund and catching up on retirement savings post wedding/honeymoon. Both savings and retirement savings need some aggressive love but I've made a spreadsheet for the rest of the year to at least max out my roth ira. I would definitely like a 2% or 1.5% cash back card in the future for non category purchases but my cards (two with rotating categories and then the savorone and csp) really do a great job capturing most purchases with at least some cash back bonus so I just need to stay strong and keep pulling weeds and watering those seedlings. I am also excitedly waiting for the 3 month mark to push the Disco love button for the first time! I'm starting fresh with Disco at $2,700 CL so hopefully they love me back as much as I have enjoyed using the 5% at restaurants this category (was great timing for honeymoon travel and eating out)!
Hi. My name is Lucifer. I like gardening, tractors and corn for miles...and healthy country girls.
Wait... what site is this? Oh gawd I thought I was on farmers.com
Umm...yea so nevermind all that.
We're nearing the end of September. Looks like I am in the 790's for the month.
Is it Octobahhhhhh yet? I want BEEEEEEER.
My scores came back up! Woo! Can’t wait until everything reports - hopefully it will go even higher 
EX: 619
TU: 617
EQ: 606
EX: 619
TU: 617
EQ: 606
@Lucifer wrote:I want BEEEEEEER.
Me too!
September was so-so. I kept my word, did not app (personally)- does that count? Picked up some tl's for the bizness so took care of the Itch-factor. Got tempted to bite the Amex apple, took the forbidden fruit, stuck it in my pocket. Annoyed Comenity again, they annoyed me right back!
Hopped on the Disco caboose, they disengaged it and left me.....so I'm kicking rocks down the track ready to throw my apple at the engineer when he comes back by.
Well, it looks like I'll be ending September with a new (and last for a while) credit card.
Applied and received the Discover It card. Want to try and get some of that 5% back offer and the first year match!
Now, it's time to chill and let things age.
Really enjoying this forum! Learning a lot here! Thanks all!
@Journey2019 wrote:Well, it looks like I'll be ending September with a new (and last for a while) credit card.
Applied and receiver the Discover It card. Want to try and get some of that 5% back offer and the first year match!
Now, it's time to chill and let things age.
Really enjoying this forum! Learning a lot here! Thanks all!
Enjoy and Congrats, it's a fun card! Keep posting back too, love hearing about progress
I gotta add, forgot about my Care Credit, easy to do I guess...got it beginning of September. Then I realized I got two hp's for the Amex biz cards so I sorta crapped-out as far as saving those hp's for a rainy day.
Did someone mention forbidden fruit?????
Oh please take a bite - you deserve it, it will taste so good.
And..
My F9 just updated. 825 baby !!! Oh yea.....