Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

[Oorah]

Back for round two this year and hope that I have better success than last year.  For every forward step I took, it seemed like there were one or two backsteps made.  Progress was made, but not what I was hoping for.

2012 Successes

Approved for three credit cards, have been using them and paying on time, no lates, no over the limits

I was on an all cash diet for five years, but always kept a car loan with never late payment record.  New loan this year approved in 15 minutes

In 2012 my score went from 573, to 684, and then back down to 590, I just shook my head

2012 Regress

Denied a Best Buy in store account, which I didn't mind since I don't really shop there

Foreclosure from 2007 successfully won with Dismiss w/Prejudice in 2010 but was refiled in Sept 2012.  Hearing later this month and hopefully will be thrown out.  Atty has filed motion to dismiss, and other attorneys are co-counsel for academic purposes.  Go figure  ugh  So much for trying to pay and lender not accepting money.

2007 filing was due to note being sold and my payments being mailed all over the country.  When I received a good address, payments were sent back stating foreclosure had been started. 

2013 Goals

Get foreclosure off of my credit report, it is still reporting as if the first suit never happened, and still reporting me late every month

Challenge a Applied Bank credit card that I am sure I paid off through a collection agency back in 2006

DV letter sent to a creditor on my report that I dont recognize.

Watch a JCP account that appeared out of no where on one credit report.  Payments were timely, and states acct closed, but I have never had credit with JCP ever.

I also plan to continue working on my stock accounts and savings accounts.  Started selling on ebay, and will work on three websites that I purchased to gain extra income.  Biggest issue to clear up is the mess with the house.  Tried to pay the bank for three years, so I guess they got what they deserved, although I won't feel completely secure living here until this is resolved.

Hopefully, things will not be so discouraging this year, and I won't throw in the towel like I did last year.  In reality, things are looking up, I just felt like I had been hit with a ton of bricks last year.

[maiden_girl]

2012 was such a roller coaster for me! I'm happy 2013 is here!

In 2012, I:

- Opened 7 credit cards for a total of 9

- Paid off 3 credit cards with balances over 4k

- Lost my job

- Got into a car accident that caused a major set back credit wise

- Obtained new job (approx 3 months later after job loss)

- Obtain first auto loan (approx 1 month later after new job)

In 2013, I:

- hope to pay off 2 more credit cards with balances around 2,900 and 1,800k (still avoiding interest til 2014)

- working on a promotion

- avoid credit cards

- want to age my accounts and inquires (currently at 29 inquires)

- and garden like crazy!

[starry1]

It looks like we all have lots of work ahead of us. I just cracked open a lovely bottle of Italian pinot grigio because apparently I didn't drink enough yesterday. Anyone want some?

[Oorah]

Love your train of thought Starry 

[Anonymous]

I would like to start the New Year by raising my credit score to a 700 by the next eight or nine months. My goals are to obtain a good credit score and purchase a new home this year..

[Roarmeister]

Financial Goals for 2013:

1.   My promotion and salary increase are effective today
2.   Open a TFSA account for additional savings ($5500) and continue my RRSPs
3.   Continue to payback on my RRSP withdrawals for home loan
4.   Look at increasing my charitable contributions
5.   CLIs on credit cards
6.   Pay off credit cards and overdraft (current debt utilization of 8.9%, looking for 1%)
7.   Build up savings account for create significant down payment for...
8.   Purchase new vehicle in the fall
9.   July 30 was my last credit app(2) so the effect of hard inquires should disappear, looking to upgrade to gold and platinum spades
10.   Bring my credit score back up above 800 by year end.

I think financial goals should be balanced and tackle all aspects of fiscal health not just "pay down the debt".  They should also address short, medium and long term issues.

Lastly, I want to figure out how to put both FICO Challenge logo and Spade logo on at the same time!

[smiths38]

Hi all,

My goal is to raise my score from 553-600 because I want to apply for an FHA loan the first of July, my lease ends the end of August. I had a chapter 7 discharged  December 2009.I have an auto loan with 6-7 payments left.I have 2 cc maxed out with balances of $1050 AND $600, which I plan to pay down to 20% by February. I have an HH Gregg card with a $2500 limit and a JCP card with a $500 limit both with zero balances.I also have a Walmart card with a $500 limit and a $90 balance.The 553 score is the lowest of the three and I am fighting with equifax because they merged my file with my twin's file and he also has a chapter 7 bk along with collections and judgements which I do not have.I got all 3 scores from Equifax  complete advantage plan.

[credit_monkey]

This is my first year here on myfico.  I have had credit problems in the past, but all baddies are off my reports except for a 120 day late on student loan.  That will fall off in May. 

2012 recap

1.  My first auto loan ever.  29K.  This was really a milestone for me, actually my first loan of any kind.

2.  Since discovering this website, I have increased my credit limits and applied for some new credit.  Credit limits have gone from 16K in September to 24K now.

3.  I'm not sure what my scores were like in the beginning of this year, but myfico is 659 as of a few days ago.

Goals for 2013

1.  Garden my current crop until at least July.  CLI's with softs only.

2.  Pay down my credit cards.  Currently at about 55% utility.  Looking to get this down to under 30% by summer, hopefully sooner.

3.  Increase credit score to at least 700 by the end of the year.

4.  Get myself in a position to start thinking about a home loan for 2014.

Thank you all.  And I hope we all meet our financial goals for this year and all to come.

[Blazesian]

2012 Recap

• Acheived a 700 FICO!
• Never missed a payment
  
• Opened five CC accounts (sounds bad, but I have an AAoA plan!)
• CLI from Capital One after four months
  

2013 Goals

• I was unemployed for a month, causing me to almost max out two cards, take out a loan, and get my first app rush (where my three new cards came in) and destroyed my 700 FICO score. I'm hoping to bring that back up and achieve atleast a 720 FICO --- I'm really aiming for 750. I went from 0 credit to 700 in a year....
• Bring down my utilization rate to under 35%
  
• Have a few inquiries removed off of my report
  
• Start Gardening! <3
  

[Unique620]

2012 Achievements

• Started working on credit after filing BK in April 2011
• Got a Auto loan in April 2012
• Open 3 credit cards
• Got all accounts IIB
• Finished rehabilitation for student loan. Waiting on credit report to update
• Average of 130 points up since started rebuilding credit score

2013 Goals

• Rehabilitation loan deleted from credit score as letter stated would happen by end of January 2013(60 days post completion of rehabilitation)
• Close secured credit card (does not graduate)
• Open third unsecured credit card & maybe a store card
• garden to allow accounts to continue to grow
• Rejoin the 700 club at two years post filing BK (April 2013)

Looking forward to the new year. 2012 was the start of my long journey back to rebuilding my credit. I am thankful of all the information I have learn from the threads and look forward to even more success in 2013.