Well it's no secret that I am out to learn the 850 formula too.
I'm doing it purely for the personal challenge. You did amazing in your credit quest. I know how hard it is to get where you are and "stay there". WOW. To stay at that score is something not even I am willing to do. No one shoots for 850 for credit reasons. I think it's ok to goal for 800's for buffer zone but 850 is purely for entertainment.
I did however go on an apping spree and play with accounts I normally would never have gotten to help my score. But that was all part of the entertainment aspect of playing the game. For just a small amount of paid interest (less than I'd spend going out with friends for 2 nights) I got to play the FICO game for a year. That's cheap entertainment! And when I needed to use credit I used it. Didn't worry about UTL. I always knew that if I spent X amount it affect my score X amount so I knew where my peak score was all the time. I don't always carry 1% UTL. I jump all over the place. I found no evidence that staying at a low UTL had any affect on scores except for that moment you pulled your scores. Activity yes, but a specific UTL no. I maxed out my credit for purchases, carried balances and got dinged for doing it too long. When you PIF it rebounds. (BTY never gained points for that activity either) So I don't even worry about UTL most of the time. When it comes to know for sure what my score is I PIF everything to 1% and pull my scores.
I love playing the game. Some time ago I think I forget it was even a credit score and turned in to a computer game for me researching and web searching, reading and helping other people. The game for me is learning ways to increase scores not keeping a high score. I love analyzing and learning. Some people play crossword puzzles I play FICO. But my way includes driving places for new accounts, opening new accounts, closing accounts then coming back to find out if I won a prize for it. I get the same satisfaction of seeing a 740 score jump to 743 as I do 830 jump to 833. Im not in it for the high score just ways to increase scores. The 850 is proof I understand all aspects. Every once and a while when UTL is low enough I pull a score. My highest was around where yours is. But I never try to keep my score up there! Credit is for using not looking at. That's why I give predictions not actual scores becasue I don't worry about where my scores are as long as I know why their not there. That's the whole game part of it. Understanding the algarighom.
Maybe you would like to paly it my way. So much more fun and you get to use credit while palying. If you already know your score is 840 than that is your base. If you apply for a new card and your score dropped -10. Ok keep a record of it. Then if UTL drops -30, keep a record of it. So now if your score jumps +5 WAIT. Something unusual just happened. WHY? Now you found a new way to raise scores. Knowing if you paid your UTL back down and waited 12 months you now have a score of 845. See how it works. Knowing is all you need. Actually keeping your score there all the time, wow totally unneccassary. What would be the point? That doesn't sound like fun at all. You can play the game no matter where your score is by looking for ways to imporve whether it's 500 up to 520 or 700 up to 710 ect. If you are at 740 you should know by now most of the changes that can happen so you don't even need the score up there.
If you were stressing over just having a high score all the time then that is no game. I don't see the point. What would it prove? Credit is not a trophy anymore than a perfect looking pizza is art. I eat my pizza and don't have trohpys on the wall. But I love pizza and enjoying the taste. I also love playing sports just to play. Never cared who won. Just like playing. So use your credit and just keep score. As long as you know you did it that's what counts. As far as the second or third home that is the real prize, again no prize in having anything. Just being happy is all that counts. It's not a competition or showing off what you have. Just enjoying something while you do it. You don't seem happy about chasing a perfect score. They why do it? I think you were chasing it for the wrong reason. But if you did enjoy it you can still play like I do. Forget the trophy. Maybe I don't understand. I had bought collectors items because I wanted them. My friends and family said wow how did you get that. Where are you going to store it? I said what? I ripped open the manufactures packaging and use it. What good is having something if you can't use it. Yea it won't ever be worth anything years later but I wanted it. I bought a few since they were never going to be sold again. This way when I used it up and had another to use. I am so much happier enjoying my toys rather than keeping them perfect in the attic somewhere. Another thing that I have is my base ball cards. They give me grief. I can't open the boxes because it will devalue them. So I have to carry them when I move and keep them perfect. Can you see how unhappy they make me. I wan't to sell them but it a pain to go throug them to list them for sale. So I don't look at them or sell them. This is kinda like your perfect credit score. Hope this helps.
I'm doing it purely for the personal challenge. You did amazing in your credit quest. I know how hard it is to get where you are and "stay there". WOW. To stay at that score is something not even I am willing to do. No one shoots for 850 for credit reasons. I think it's ok to goal for 800's for buffer zone but 850 is purely for entertainment.
I did however go on an apping spree and play with accounts I normally would never have gotten to help my score. But that was all part of the entertainment aspect of playing the game. For just a small amount of paid interest (less than I'd spend going out with friends for 2 nights) I got to play the FICO game for a year. That's cheap entertainment! And when I needed to use credit I used it. Didn't worry about UTL. I always knew that if I spent X amount it affect my score X amount so I knew where my peak score was all the time. I don't always carry 1% UTL. I jump all over the place. I found no evidence that staying at a low UTL had any affect on scores except for that moment you pulled your scores. Activity yes, but a specific UTL no. I maxed out my credit for purchases, carried balances and got dinged for doing it too long. When you PIF it rebounds. (BTY never gained points for that activity either) So I don't even worry about UTL most of the time. When it comes to know for sure what my score is I PIF everything to 1% and pull my scores.
I love playing the game. Some time ago I think I forget it was even a credit score and turned in to a computer game for me researching and web searching, reading and helping other people. The game for me is learning ways to increase scores not keeping a high score. I love analyzing and learning. Some people play crossword puzzles I play FICO. But my way includes driving places for new accounts, opening new accounts, closing accounts then coming back to find out if I won a prize for it. I get the same satisfaction of seeing a 740 score jump to 743 as I do 830 jump to 833. Im not in it for the high score just ways to increase scores. The 850 is proof I understand all aspects. Every once and a while when UTL is low enough I pull a score. My highest was around where yours is. But I never try to keep my score up there! Credit is for using not looking at. That's why I give predictions not actual scores becasue I don't worry about where my scores are as long as I know why their not there. That's the whole game part of it. Understanding the algarighom.
Maybe you would like to paly it my way. So much more fun and you get to use credit while palying. If you already know your score is 840 than that is your base. If you apply for a new card and your score dropped -10. Ok keep a record of it. Then if UTL drops -30, keep a record of it. So now if your score jumps +5 WAIT. Something unusual just happened. WHY? Now you found a new way to raise scores. Knowing if you paid your UTL back down and waited 12 months you now have a score of 845. See how it works. Knowing is all you need. Actually keeping your score there all the time, wow totally unneccassary. What would be the point? That doesn't sound like fun at all. You can play the game no matter where your score is by looking for ways to imporve whether it's 500 up to 520 or 700 up to 710 ect. If you are at 740 you should know by now most of the changes that can happen so you don't even need the score up there.If you were stressing over just having a high score all the time then that is no game. I don't see the point. What would it prove? Credit is not a trophy anymore than a perfect looking pizza is art. I eat my pizza and don't have trohpys on the wall. But I love pizza and enjoying the taste. I also love playing sports just to play. Never cared who won. Just like playing. So use your credit and just keep score. As long as you know you did it that's what counts. As far as the second or third home that is the real prize, again no prize in having anything. Just being happy is all that counts. It's not a competition or showing off what you have. Just enjoying something while you do it. You don't seem happy about chasing a perfect score. They why do it? I think you were chasing it for the wrong reason. But if you did enjoy it you can still play like I do. Forget the trophy. Maybe I don't understand. I had bought collectors items because I wanted them. My friends and family said wow how did you get that. Where are you going to store it? I said what? I ripped open the manufactures packaging and use it. What good is having something if you can't use it. Yea it won't ever be worth anything years later but I wanted it. I bought a few since they were never going to be sold again. This way when I used it up and had another to use. I am so much happier enjoying my toys rather than keeping them perfect in the attic somewhere. Another thing that I have is my base ball cards. They give me grief. I can't open the boxes because it will devalue them. So I have to carry them when I move and keep them perfect. Can you see how unhappy they make me. I wan't to sell them but it a pain to go throug them to list them for sale. So I don't look at them or sell them. This is kinda like your perfect credit score. Hope this helps.
Prior to all this a few years ago, my credit scores were all very close to 800. It's not something I specifically attempted to achieve, but rather, a result of my financial habits. Right now, I'm at 650, only because of my excellent past and current good accounts, and after a recent settlement to the only CO, and low balances on my other cards, I'm sure I'll be in the 700's again very soon. Quite frankly, at this point, I have all the credit cards I want, have some nice vehicles, etc., and do not really need much...yet, want some higher credit card limits. Personally, give me mid to upper 700's (which is sure to happen with the way I handle my finances), and I am an extremely happy person. Although something very neat and nice to accomplish, I'm convinced folks can get anything they can have at 850 with a score in the 700's. I think one should just be happy with a score in the mid-upper 700's and lower the stress caused by trying to master this crazy FICO system
