Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge 2016

[Anonymous]

This is totally new to me and I am extremely excited! I have a pretty decent score but dream of an 800+. I bought my first house last year, got out of an upside down financed vehicle and leased my first luxury car (which I never thought I could do), so working to create some new and exciting goals for myself. Looking to finance multi-family properties in the near future.

[Anonymous]

Hey there,

So my goals are to repair my credit. I effed it up badly with student loans that went into default (currently in their first month of rehabilitation) and late car payments (currently up to date).

I am getting more education on the whole credit business and how to get better fico scores.  As of today, I applied and was approved for 2 Capital One cards (Platinum MC, Quicksilver One) with $300 credit limits. They both have credit steps with on time payment history for 5 months they will both get credit limit increases. So another goal is to see bigger credit lines by end of year. I have also recently applied for a secured card with Merrick Bank as I hear they are good with credit limit increases. I just sent in my deposit today via Western Union and we have Presidents day coming up so I am not sure that I will have a decision anytime before Friday.

Ultimately, I want to continue to make on time payments on my auto loan (also with Capital One). In fact I am beginning an aggressive repayment plan starting next month in hopes to pay it down in less than 2.5 years. 

Finally, I am hoping that I will be able to get a personal loan for moving expenses by end of Summer-- although right now I just see that as high hopes with my awful credit scores... I guess I have to start somewhere. If anyone has suggestions, input, or experience in how I can obtain those goals, I am open to hearing them...

I wish you all the best in your goals this  year!!

[Anonymous]

I am new here and out of lurking. I started with a score between 490-510 in April 2015 when I finally decided to start paying attention to my credit. I started with a capital one secured and after on time payments my scores starting going up 10 points at a time after several months. Using some of the information on this forum I apped for a few store cards via softpull and got them a total of 4. That increased my scores. I then prequalified for quicksilver one and platinum capital one unsecure and got them in December 2015 now my scores range from 593-600 in less than a year. I was able to get a judgment deleted and that helped as well. Currently my utilization is 50% I want that to come down.

My goal is to decrease utilization on my new cards. To increase my credit score. To get a few baddies pfd within the next few months, I have a total of 5- I need to verify this. My ultimate goal is home ownership and a car purchase with low interest rate within the next two years. I am on my way and moving in the right direction. I appreciate this forum and all of the knowledge shared.

[Anonymous]

My goal is to clean up and rebuild my credit, attempting to address some serious issues lingering from a time of underemployment. I am earning more money than I ever have and hope to be able to purchase a home in about two years.

In the past year: I acquired a secured credit card last March and the limit was increased at the beginning of this year - I pay off the balance in full each month. This week I acquired a second secured card. I paid off my car loan last year and my only other debt is student loans, which I am repaying under the requirements of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

[Anonymous]

Hi!  This is my first time participating in the challenge.  I went through a period of unemployment due to illness back in 2013-2014, and it did a number on my credit.  I'm now in the process of rebuilding after being back at work for almost two years.  My goals are to purchase a home this year and begin paying my student loans.  My credit score goal is 725 for all.  Once I make it there, I'll set a higher goal.  I just paid off my credit cards and received a pretty good credit line increase, so I'm anxious to see how that will affect my scores.  Currently, my FICO 8 scores are as follows:  EQ-593, TU-630, and EX-623.  As you can see, I have a long way to go! 

[Oorah]

I haven't posted this year but I am still working on paying down debt in the garden

Starting the year at 704, and hope to be up to at least 750 by the end of 2016

Right now I have no lates, collections, or charge offs

Car balance is at $5002, and pay off date is scheduled for May 2017

Credit card debt is $+/- 8700, and I just transferred some of that debt to a 0% interest card for one year

I have made an accelerated debt pay off plan that should have my credit cards paid off by Oct 2017,

 but I hope to have them paid off by the end of 2016.  I am going to take extra work and use ebay to

help me reach my end of 2016 goal.

1900  Citi

1040  Citi

1346  Chase

1398  Barclay

1414  Walmart

1612  Capital One

5002  Car Loan

[Washin17]

Do you have to be at a certain status to do this?  I get an error message everytime I try

[Washin17]

Should I start with paying off credit cards, or paying off collections?

[Anonymous]

I've been reading this site for many years.  I've finally decided to join.  After many years of living pay check to pay check, I am finally in a position to save, pay down debts, and hopefully buy my first house at 32 years old.  Since checking my starting score, I've paid down 3500 in credit cards and had a few derogs removed from my credit reports including a judgement and seen my TU score go from 624 to 641 in less than 30 days.  I filed bk7  in 12/2009 discharged 4/2010. Since I've had 4 cars, I have 2 currently, amassed 8 credit cards for a total of 15,650 in limits.  In January 2014 I used my taxes to pay off all of my credit cards, later that year I lost my job and managed even on 1300 a month unemployment, and over 3000 in expenses to never pay any card, car, rent, etc. late. But I did manage to max out every card.   I did have a few small collections pop up from medical items and a ruthless apartment complex who turned me over to collections 6 days after moving out for 400 dollar carpet damage upon move out, finally the bill showed up 3 days later.  Paid immediately and still reporting.  Sorry every time i think about them I get angry, I now check my reports regliously and look forward to having no credit card debt (no balance carrying)

My 2016 goals are:

1.) Increase revolving credit limits from $15,650 to $25,000

2.) Pay down remaining $9,600balance on 10k NFCU nrewards to 2k or less by year end

3.) Pay off remaining $1,432 on $2,400 Barclay card by July

4.) Refinance 11% Acura Finance Car loan to 6% or less ( I have 6% on another vehicle, with spotless car credit) current balance 46k

4.5) Pay off $5100 left on car I bought for my mother to become my nanny :-)

5.) Start paying on 93k student loan debt (always been in deferment and/or forebearance)

6.) Finally see 700 credit score for the first time in my adult life (that I know of, didn't start checking until after college).

7.) Create a savings account with at least 5k balance by December

8.) Start a new savings for DS, that I will never have to empty again

All of these goals may not be hit and I'm okay with that.  If i can at least get 50% done, I will feel accomplished.

Cards I have are:

Barclay Rewards MC 1432/2400

Navy Federal Visa Signature Go Rewards 9600/10000

Navy Federal Visa Go Rewards 0/1000

Navy Federal Visa nRewards Secured 0/500 (oldest card, scared to close/convert)

Navy Federal NavCheck 0/2000 (not calculated in credit card balances according to TU but listed with revolving accounts)

CitiBank BestBuy MC 0/500

Cap 1 Platinum MC 0/500 (I hate this card and Cap 1....i've had it for 5 years 8months with no increase...denied every time, and 39 annual fee)

Cap 1 QS Visa Platinum 0/750 (want to combine the Platinum MC to this one for no fee, and better perks but it's my second oldest card??)

Sorry if this was too long winded. Just finally being able to breathe feels really good.

[Anonymous]

I understand your situation with the cap 1 cards.  If both QS card has a zero balance and the platnium card has a balance you can request to combine both cards.  Cap 1 will only due this if one of the cards has a zero balance, and they will combine the credit limits.  I just completed this with the 2 platnium cards that I have one had a $600 limit the other $1100.  I combined the 2 so now 1 plat card with a $1700 CL.  Hope this helps, and based on what you have said you can keep the oldest card open.  The only problem may arise from closing a line of credit.  I took a small it of 12 points when cap 1 reported the card closed.