Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge 2018!

[Anonymous]

New to these forums, this sounds like fun so I'll give it a go.

Goals are just to improve scores across the boards.  I'd like to become educated on the best ways to maximize the cashback / points / miles game.  I'd like to get a new car next spring and be better informed when I do in order to obtain the best financing I can.

Where are you guys coming up with the initial numbers?  I think I saw a post detailing which cards provide which scores to you in their credit reports but I can't find it now.

[expatCanuck]

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@Anonymous wrote:

New to these forums, this sounds like fun so I'll give it a go.

...

Where are you guys coming up with the initial numbers?  I think I saw a post detailing which cards provide which scores to you in their credit reports but I can't find it now.

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Amex offers the Experian FICO 8 score.

BoA, Barclay and Disco offer the Transunion FICO 8 score.

Citi and Citizens Bank offer the Equifax Bankcard FICO 8 score.

There are other cards (which I don't have) offering scores -- you can likely find them with a search of the forums.

ETA - here's a link to a thread on free Equifax score sources:

https://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Which-Cards-Give-Free-Equifax-FICO/m-p/4913471#M1434851

[Anonymous]

Hello,
I am totally knew to this site. Still learning how to use it seems like something I will enjoy. Anyway, I have made some major mistakes with with my credit which has driven my credit to a mess.

I have 9 negative items on my credit that include collection accounts and late payments. So, I began working ony credit last year. I had no recent accounts in good standing. So, I obtained a Secured VISA with 1000 credit limit to establish a positive item. Then, I requested all my credit reports and assessed the damage. I have 4 collection accounts that fall off by February 2019. I have a few that won't fall off until 2023 therefore saving money to pay them off(small amounts) within 2-3 months. I know that won't increase score but it will look better to a creditor over time if shown as paid in full. Another account falls off in 2020. After the Secured card I got approved for a Walmart card (200 CL) and a Care Credit card (800). I've had the cards for a little over a year and so far making on time payments.
Inicial credit score was about 540 and now is about 589 but that's because I have carried a high balance on my VISA card used all avail credit. However, I made a $426 payment today, also paid off Walmart and Care Credit. I will only use 25 percent of available credit from now on.

Anyway I feel great and look forward to learn from this forum.

TU. 589
EQ. 556
EX. 579
Goal 700

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Hello,
I am totally knew to this site. Still learning how to use it seems like something I will enjoy. Anyway, I have made some major mistakes with with my credit which has driven my credit to a mess.

I have 9 negative items on my credit that include collection accounts and late payments. So, I began working ony credit last year. I had no recent accounts in good standing. So, I obtained a Secured VISA with 1000 credit limit to establish a positive item. Then, I requested all my credit reports and assessed the damage. I have 4 collection accounts that fall off by February 2019. I have a few that won't fall off until 2023 therefore saving money to pay them off(small amounts) within 2-3 months. I know that won't increase score but it will look better to a creditor over time if shown as paid in full. Another account falls off in 2020. After the Secured card I got approved for a Walmart card (200 CL) and a Care Credit card (800). I've had the cards for a little over a year and so far making on time payments.
Inicial credit score was about 540 and now is about 589 but that's because I have carried a high balance on my VISA card used all avail credit. However, I made a $426 payment today, also paid off Walmart and Care Credit. I will only use 25 percent of available credit from now on.

Anyway I feel great and look forward to learn from this forum.

TU. 589
EQ. 556
EX. 579
Goal 700

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Keep up the good work and stay on top of your CR. You're on your way and Welcome Aboard!

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

New to these forums, this sounds 

Where are you guys coming up with the initial numbers?  I think I saw a post detailing which cards provide which scores to you in their credit reports but I can't find it now.

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I actually pay for the fico premium subscription and trans union. Most of my cards give me TU. 

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I have 9 negative items on my credit that include collection accounts and late payments. So, I began working ony credit last year. I had no recent accounts in good standing. So, I obtained a Secured VISA with 1000 credit limit to establish a positive item. Then, I requested all my credit reports and assessed the damage. I have 4 collection accounts that fall off by February 2019. I have a few that won't fall off until 2023 therefore saving money to pay them off(small amounts) within 2-3 months. I know that won't increase score but it will look better to a creditor over time if shown as paid in full. Another account falls off in 2020. 

TU. 589
EQ. 556
EX. 579
Goal 700

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You may not have to wait until 2023 for the negatives to fall off. I would suggest after you pay trying goodwill letters. It defintely works as I had success with it. Try searching saturation method and goodwill/gw letters. It works best for an early deletion if you have paid for the account in full already. 

[Anonymous]

Good morning everyone, 
I am new to this site as of October & enrolled in monthly reports. I've been rebuilding my credit on my own since 2016. I finally realized it's been to long & I'm still not where I want to be. I found this site & began reading post after post. This place is one heck of a resource! I LOVE IT!

Any who...

I will taking on the myFICO Fitness Challenge as of November 2018! (Last month I got a car, I'm hoping that doesn't disqualify me.) I want to get to an 800 credit score to purchase a house down in Texas. I will be moving down there January. It's a large leap to leave where I grew up but a voice in my head repeats to me, "change is good!". Right now I'm near the 700's. I wont be applying for anymore card per some valuable advice given on here! 

Good Luck Everyone!

[Anonymous]

I've been reading the forums for a while now, so I decided to sign up and post. I've been working on my credit for a while now and hope to get the scores up more before the end of the year. 

[800andabove]

Getting on here at the tail of 2018. Generally, 2018 has been really good score wise. Having no need for additional credit has made it a good time to garden. Planning on reducing utilization to get back into the 800s. The plan for 2019 is to cruise through with solid 800s, purchase a home without losing points on all scores.

Current Scores EQ:762, TU:754, EX:756
Goal Scores EQ:830, TU:824, EX 830

[Anonymous]

Just wanted to pass on the data and thank this board for all the help I have received.  I went from 530 FICO 8 to 700ish in about 3 months.  Here is my journey so far.  

I had 3 baddies: 1 capOne and 1 ceditOne in collection with PRA and MCM.  I also had creditOne reporting the CO and updating its status monthly...  I also had 20 late payments on Texas Child Support. I had no cards or loans

I was able to settle for 60% of my debt to both PRA and MCM after a bit of back and forth.  MCM countered my 30% offer with 60% and a delete trade line offer.  I locked that in ASAP.  PRA was a nightmare, but after a month we worked out 60% settlement as well.  The news that PRA is now deleting paid/settled trade lines is welcome news, although I am yet to see that change.   

After settling with MCM I wrote a Goodwill letter creditOne.  I sent out round one to 13 addresses I found on the forum and by scouring the web.  I received 10 letters back stating that they no longer owned my account so I shouldn't contact them any further... Tonight the 11th letter back had a different message;  "Thanks for contacting us, sorry to hear about your troubles, let us delete that for you..."  Sweet!

I handled my credit rebuild piece by App'ing as many cards as I could.  I do not recommend this as I killed my AAOA and inquires  (11EX/8TU/7EQ), but it was for a reason... 20+ late pays more about that later.  The goal was to increase my on time percentage by increasing the amount of accounts reporting positive payments.  That meant buying gas, coffee, mints, etc. on all the cards and paying everything on time.  My percentage steadily moved into good and I am sitting at 97/98%.  I ended up successfully adding these cards and actively manage them all: Citi Diamond (Secured), Capital One Platinum, TD Bank Nordstrom Discover, IT Cash Back, DSRM Nat Bank Valero Gas, Citi Exxon\Mobile, Sunrise Bank Self Lender, WebBank Fingerhut, TD Bank Target, Credit First Firestone, Capital One Kohls, Comenity Express, Citi AAdvantage (AU), AMEX Everyday (AU).  I'm in the garden now and will look to get a Chase trifecta in 2 years.

The Texas child support late pays were a 2 year journey of fighting a monolith.  For the past 10 years I have paid Child Support every 2 weeks via a wage garnishment.  When I started my rebuild I found a mess on my payment history and ultimately figured out that paying every 2 weeks is never going to satisfy the CRAs. Texas reports balance shortfalls and excesses in a way that kills your history.  I literally have no option to pay late, but the system doesn’t care...  I ultimately got the lates down to one 30 day and one 120 day and got Texas OAG entirely removed from EX as a reporter.  Still trying to get those last 2 removed.  Oh well.  Keeps me focused.

So that's it.  My score has really rebounded after a bunch of work.  If I can do it so can you.  Peace