drnriordan

My husband and I are going on an Alaskan cruistour with princess cruises in June. I'm getting ready to book our flights, which out of Boston, for 2 coach fares will run us about $1400. I'm a member of a cruise discussion forum and someone told me about the Alaska Airlines card rewards. It's a BOA product. Upon sign-up and first purchase you get 25,000 miles and a $99 companion ticket reward code. Unlike other airlines, the companion code can be used to match any level of purchased fare, so I could purchase a first class ticket and use the companion code to get the second first class ticket for $99. There are also no restictions on the companion code being used for travel in the lower 48 only, like with most airlines. They also give another companion code on the anniversary date every year and triple miles earned per dollar of net purchase. It sounds like a nice program. With this rewards program, I could get 2 first class tickets for our trip for about $1700 by using the compainion code, which is only slightly more than full purcahse price for 2 coach tickets and it would mean being able to fly cross country and up to Alaska in first class as opposed to coach. So here's the issue. I live on the east coast and likely will not go to Alaska again. Outside of Alaska, all of the airline's operations are on the west coast and Seattle is their hub. I will likely cancel the card before the anniversary date, since the AF is $75. Do you think it's worh it? I would take a hit on the hard, but I only have 2 hards within the last 12 months (one on equifax one on transunion). I'd also tak a hit on average age, but the last time I looked, my average age was a little over 16 years. The last time I checked, my FICO was 789.

Additionally, you're going to need to start on the other half of credit repair, which is to obtain positive tradlines. You indicate you are a stay at home Mom, but you should work with your husband/partner to ensure that you are on auto loans, mortgages, installment loans, etc. as well as an AU on any positive CCs. You should consider getting a secured card in your own name as well. You've received lots of good advise about dealing with the baddies, I just didn't want you to miss this part of credit repair. Good luck!

Yes, a data furnisher can correct information that they previously placed on your reports with the CRAs for their tradeline.

If you want to get a small personal loan, don't shy away from applying simply because you are a new member. I expressly joined a great little local CU in August for the purpose of taking an auto loan. On the same day I opened a checking account and deposited into a savings account, I finalized a 16K auto loan at 3.99%, which is way better than any of the banks were offering on a used, private sale auto loan (which some wouldn't even quote at all). I enjoy my credit union now. Every month I actually go in to make my payment and I deposit some extra $ in my savings account at the same time. They are really friendly and I may use them as my primary checking at some point. They've also offered me a cc with no AF at a fixed 3.90% rate. I say, take advantage of the benefits, it's what you joined for.

+1, with long-term unemployment common these days, the EF should aim to cover 12 months of bills/grocery expenses, including mtg/rent pmt +1 especially if you are the sole or main breadwinner or the mtg that was taken out cannot be paid on one income group LTD/life policies can be pretty cheap and also group UW means no medical exam, the downside is you can't take the life policy with you when you change jobs, but if you have dependents/you are a dual-income childless couple but your income is needed for bill pmts, it's definitely a good idea to get disability and term life Sometimes you can port or convert your group life and disability insurance from your employer when employerment ends, it depends on how the plan was set up as well as for what reason employment is ending (i.e. if you are going out of work due to disability and receiving benefits, you can't convert disability coverage). This works out well if you don't want to be subject to evidence of insurability on an individual product, since you may be able to port or convert without it, again depending on how the group policy is set up.

As dot indicated, credit protection (in the event of disability or death) is usually offered at the time you take the loan and is built into your monthly payment. It is typically expensive. Credit card issuers will typically offer programs that will cover loss of income protection in the event of unemployment, disability or death, which are also quite pricey. A more cost-effective option is to ask your employer if they have either group or voluntary disability and life insurance plans in which you could enroll. The premiums will vary based on a number of factors including the size of the comany, whether your employer pays a portion of premium, etc. In my case I carry 400k of life insurance and a 70% disability plan through my employer's group plans for under $40.00 per month The last choice is to contact your independent or affiliated insurance agent to see if they have individual disability or life insurance plans that you could purchase. This can be trickey, as they will sometimes try to sell you things that are expensive and that you don't need, such as complicated whole life insurance plans, which they try to market as an investment tool in addition to life insurance. Also, you will typically have to complete evidence of insurability, and depending on your age, health and other risk factors, you may be declined for coverage or premiums may be cost-prohibitive. Regardless, if you have a mortgage and other bills that you don't have savings to cover in the event of loss of income, it definitely makes sense to have insurance that will give you and your loved ones assistance in a time of loss. Good luck.

Thanks Hegemony, I appreciate the props! I am considering my next steps in terms of adding new TLs. I'm considering an amex product since I currently have a number of Visa and MC products through BOA and Cap One. I think there is a Fidelity Amex card that I recently recived a pre-approval notice for. I also may sit tight for a while. My situation is that my husband has advanced stage cancer and I may need to get a solo mortgage at some point in the future. Hopefully not, but need to be planful. Again, thanks for all the info you share.

I started lurking then joined CB this summer. Given some very difficult circumstances in my life I needed to work on having clean reports and high FICO scores. Before CB, I didn't know that I could do anything but wait for baddies to age off. With what I learned, I GW'd my baddies which resulted in a CA deleting an old paid medical collection, Macy's removing 3 old lates and Sears removing several old lates (and they also left the closed TL which maintained about 10 years of age). I just did a backdoor pull and all are gone (no negatives reporting at all)! I will have all of my CC balances paid off in Decmber and will join the PIF club at that point. I will probably feed the beast to see my FICO once I'm at zero util. I know it probably seems like nothing to some, since it was only 3 baddies, but it feels like a major victory to me. Thank you all so much!

This is just rude. I suspect they are no more or less educated than call center staffers here is the United States. It's an entry-level job no matter where it is based. I find this offensive and unnessary to get your point across in the post. Couldn't you just say that you didn't want to call the Hooters call center because you haven't found it helpful, rather than being so derisive? JMO There's always at least one person with ZERO experience in the area that has to add their liberal "peace and love" multicultural two cents. Guess it was you this time. EDIT: And your "suspicion" as to their education level is way off. Most have a college degree that we would only recognize as a grade-school education. The ultra-intelligent from India are working IT jobs...here. Well, your assessmement that I have zero experience would be as incorrect as your previous statement. I actually work in the insurance industry and have quite a bit of experience with call centers and I would tell you that, although I am very proud of some of our call center associates, some, in certain parts of the country, are not well educated, do not have a college degree and have marginal command of both the spoken and written word. All I'm saying is let's try to keep the bashing out of it. Also, I'm not a liberal "peace and love" multicultural as as you state, just your everyday average person who tries not to make broad generalities based on where a person resides . . . Just sayin'

This is just rude. I suspect they are no more or less educated than call center staffers here is the United States. It's an entry-level job no matter where it is based. I find this offensive and unnessary to get your point across in the post. Couldn't you just say that you didn't want to call the Hooters call center because you haven't found it helpful, rather than being so derisive? JMO

Are you looking for BubbaG? I haven't seen him around in awhile.

The nice thing about most credit unions, especially those in your area where you can go in and talk with a representative, is that they consider more than just your scores. They will take income into account and will generally just work with you to get you what you need. I opened savings and checking accounts on the same day that I fianlized my auto loan with my local CU (Town & Country). I got a fantastic rate on a used, private sale sports car that no other lender would consider writing a loan on. Good luck with your loan.

If she's so committed to doing this for you, then could you fax her a simple letter that spells out the terms of the PFD and have her sign it (bit odd that they supposedly don't have such a letter), which she could sign and fax back, at which time you could send payment? If not I would not go for it.

Congrats! Sounds like you're addressing both parts of credit repair . . . tackling derogs and adding new positive TLs. Good luck with your continued journey!

Gotta ask . . . your siggy shows going from low 500s to low 700s in 5 months. How'd you do it?