Score with CL increase

[Mn_Vikes]

My Credit Union CC has been awesome, and i'm not too worried about them getting "antsy".  I have decided when it's time, i will get a 2nd card that has cashback instead of points. My top choice today would be the AMEX Blue Cash. With 11 accounts aging now, adding a new acct now would not effect my average age of accounts in 3 months, but i would have one new credit inq.  Since we will be applying for a mortage near the jumbo rate, i will more than likely hold off on new cc until after the house.  I don't want to do anything that will hurt the rate we get on our mortgage.

BTW, do most of you find the FICO simulator almost worthless?  You can't enter two items at once and it shows a -25 to +5 points no matter if the mortgage is 50k or 5mil.  What is the point of adding the mortgage amount to this simulator?

Now i have to get the WTB (wife to be?) to sign up and see where she is at.  :-)

[haulingthescoreup]

The sims can be pretty maddening for the reason that you say--they only look at one change at a time, and if you make two changes, the resulting score will probably be different from just the sum of the individual changes.

Try the score estimator. Its ranges are pretty broad, but you can enter your current history now and see what it says, and then go back and enter where you plan to be, mortgage and new card and all, and compare. If you have any inqs, only list the number that are on one report, not the total from all three. Here's the sim:

http://www.myfico.com/FICOCreditScoreEstimator/Estimator.aspx

I like to use it as my time machine. I enter my current report without my lates, and see where I would be if only. *sigh *

[Mn_Vikes]

How long does it typically takes for CC's to post to CRA?  I checked online today and my last CC statement balance has changed.  I know that is the value they report and i'm curious since i was able to get the posting amount down to <$200 on a $6,000 CL.  Obveously i'm curious what the low UTIL does to my score.  My trial membership ends March 4th so i want to pull before that to decide if i want to continue or cancel.  Since i'm currently at EQ 781,  will it actually be possible to get over 800 with only one CC?

Thanks all and it's been very imformative / entertaining reading postings and learning more about "The FICO Game"

[Anonymous]

Most CC's report soon after your statement is cut-

Yes it is posible to break 800 with 1 CC- (I am not close to 800 or close to having 1 card)

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Mn_Vikes wrote:

How long does it typically takes for CC's to post to CRA?  I checked online today and my last CC statement balance has changed.  I know that is the value they report and i'm curious since i was able to get the posting amount down to <$200 on a $6,000 CL.  Obveously i'm curious what the low UTIL does to my score.  My trial membership ends March 4th so i want to pull before that to decide if i want to continue or cancel.  Since i'm currently at EQ 781,  will it actually be possible to get over 800 with only one CC?

Thanks all and it's been very imformative / entertaining reading postings and learning more about "The FICO Game"

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[Mn_Vikes]

Well,

case in point for having two credit cards,  went to use my one card i have today and it was declined.  Called them up and I had a charge from Mexico for $475.  Needless to say, I didn't make any charges in Mexico so the card was deactivated and now i have to wait 7-10 days for a new card.  The good news is my CU caught this and put a hold and the charges never hit.

I'm hoping issuing a new card does not change the date on the account.

[Mn_Vikes]

Update on Score

pulled my 2nd report, only difference from last month to this is one month is older accounts and i paid my credit card balance down to 3% UTIL from 35%.  My Credit Score went from 781 to 813,  YES    

I think i'm going to apply for a 2nd credit card since my issue above.  Which would you choose?  AMEX Blue Cash or Chase Freedom.

[Anonymous]

Do you already have an Amex?

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Mn_Vikes wrote:

Update on Score

pulled my 2nd report, only difference from last month to this is one month is older accounts and i paid my credit card balance down to 3% UTIL from 35%.  My Credit Score went from 781 to 813,  YES    

I think i'm going to apply for a 2nd credit card since my issue above.  Which would you choose?  AMEX Blue Cash or Chase Freedom.

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[Mn_Vikes]

No i do not have an AMEX already.  My one and only CC is my CU Visa which just got deactivated yesterday due to some charges showing up in Mexico.  This is the 4th time in the 12 years of this card that they have called me about activity.  Two were my own spending but this is the 2nd time i've have illegal charges on my account.

[haulingthescoreup]

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@Mn_Vikes wrote:

Update on Score

pulled my 2nd report, only difference from last month to this is one month is older accounts and i paid my credit card balance down to 3% UTIL from 35%. My Credit Score went from 781 to 813, YES

I think i'm going to apply for a 2nd credit card since my issue above. Which would you choose? AMEX Blue Cash or Chase Freedom.

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Dang! I am DEEPLY impressed! Congratulations!

We need to get some members with high scores in on this thread. Since you like to keep your count card really low, I imagine that you'll want a keeper. Some of the cards that you would get in a heartbeat can be a pain in terms of how they report.

Trying to think of names off the top of my head: psychic, Dawn, JayToo, MidnightVoice... my brain has frozen on other names.

[Mn_Vikes]

Thanks hauling,

A month ago i was worried about where I was due to my BK 12 years ago.  Now i know where i'm at, i want to stay there.  I figure if i open up a new card in the next month, it will be over 3 months old when i go for the new mortgage.  And yes you are quite right, I don't switch cards often and want a good card that gives cash back, no annual fee and has good service. 

One quick question,   are all cars good at flagging questionable spending?  I have been very impressed with the monitoring that my CU does on my current CC.

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haulingthescoreup wrote:

Dang! I am DEEPLY impressed! Congratulations!

We need to get some members with high scores in on this thread. Since you like to keep your count card really low, I imagine that you'll want a keeper. Some of the cards that you would get in a heartbeat can be a pain in terms of how they report.

Trying to think of names off the top of my head: psychic, Dawn, JayToo, MidnightVoice... my brain has frozen on other names.

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