Reflect on your 2012 progress here.

[Repairerer]

We are almost at the end, and 2013 will be a new year filled with new stuff.

 

I think it would be nice if everyone shared their progress toward their credit goals for this year. In a couple of weeks, we might get an influx of new members who have made a resolution to get a handle on their credit in 2013, and topics like this are always nice for them to read. Writing a formal success story is so much pressure, after all.

 

What was your progress this year? Maybe you finally refinanced your home or auto at a lower rate. Maybe you got some of the sweet cards you had been eyeing. Maybe you made the decision to finally work on this, ordered your credit reports and started reading. Maybe you established your first positive tradelines. Congrats one and all.

[patz2009]

Opened my Citi Forward, Wal-Mart Discover, American Express Blue Sky, Sallie Mae Rewards, Citi Thank You Preferred, and US Bank Cash+ this year.

 

I'm probably not the best inspiration for people in the future. My already terrible AAOA hates me, but that's the good part about having a bad AAOA: New cards really don't hurt it much!

[visorboy1974]

6 years out of BK7...

 

Added approx $30K in credit lines (new credit and CLIs) and bought a shiny new BMW. Never thought I'd be able to achieve this level back in 2005. Next goal on the agenda is my dream home before 2013 ends. Things are looking up!

[Repairerer]

Congrats you guys!

 

Patz, imagine in ten years from now, when you will be able to open a new account without affecting your AAOA much since your file is so thick.

 

Visor, good luck with your home!

[BDK]

Definitely not the best year personally for me.

 

However, credit-wise, a lot of awesome new cards this year. CSP (10K), WM Discover (7.5K), Discover More (6.7K), Citi TY Premier (6.8K), PSECU 20/20 Combo (FINALLY!!), US Bank Cash+ (7K), and Barclay's SM 5% MC. Very, very excited to have some of the best prime CC's. Also got some incredible CLI's!!

 

But even all those PALE in comparison to my vehicle refi last summer. MUCH lower rate, and 3 years off the life of the loan, about the same payment BUT saving my family 15K CASH!!!

[New2repair]

We are almost at the end, and 2013 will be a new year filled with new stuff.

 

I think it would be nice if everyone shared their progress toward their credit goals for this year. In a couple of weeks, we might get an influx of new members who have made a resolution to get a handle on their credit in 2013, and topics like this are always nice for them to read. Writing a formal success story is so much pressure, after all.

 

What was your progress this year? Maybe you finally refinanced your home or auto at a lower rate. Maybe you got some of the sweet cards you had been eyeing. Maybe you made the decision to finally work on this, ordered your credit reports and started reading. Maybe you established your first positive tradelines. Congrats one and all.

 

I was denied for a mortgage.

 

I ordered my first credit reports.

 

I received dunning letters in the mail at least once per week from various collection agencies and attorneys, overwhelmed is an understatement.

 

I took control.

 

I learned what Debt validation, PFD, and GW were.

 

I learned that I could fight back.

 

I've had 9 collections removed, a Judgement vacated and removed, a bankruptcy removed.

 

I am no longer afraid to open the mailbox.

 

2013 will bring a mortgage for me. Not even in the realm of discussion a few months back.

[Repairerer]

Okay, now I'll go. I wanted a couple other people to go first since I had a seriously awesome year and I didn't want to just make a brag topic, I think everyone should post.

 

Q1: I get approved for an American Express BCP card, for a pretty good limit. I get an immediate FR, but pass it this time with flying colors. I am pleased.

 

Then, I had a mortgage at over 6% interest. I was over halfway to paying it off, and because of that I didn't ever think I'd be able to break even refinancing it with closing costs and all. I thought the door had shut on it. Then Penfed busted out with their HEL at 1.99% where they pay all closing costs. I didn't think I could get approved for it, but all I had to lose was an inquiry. It was approved. I used the proceeds to pay off the balance of my conventional, and now I only have this. I am overjoyed.

 

Q2: I had my eye on the Barclays Priceline Visa for a while. Needed a catchall rewards card, plus I like Shatner. Approved. Super happy.

 

I take a hard with Discover and get a CLI. All right, cool.

 

Q3: Out of the blue, Chase sends me a pretty good bonus offer with a Freedom preapproval. I grab it.

 

Citi gives me a big auto-CLI. Yay!

 

Q4: For the first time ever, Penfed likes me enough to show me the yellow box. There are cards in there and I take one. White whale captured.

 

Citi agrees to PC me to a card I now want more, and that goes through.

 

Chase gives me a big auto-CLI out of the blue.

 

I had figured this was impossible, but I apply for and receive the US Bank Cash+ card. This is going to save me like $35 a month right off the bat, as soon as my utilities catch up and start billing it.

 

It has been an epic, huge year. I could never have done it without CB.

[Repairerer]

BDK, I am sorry for whatever else has been troubling you. But congrats on your approvals and refi! That is a bananas list!

 

New2repair: how do you feel? I think that what you have accomplished is probably more life changing than getting a list of sought after cards or something like that. Just knowing you can address the issues and not hide is so much of the battle.

[patz2009]

Patz, imagine in ten years from now, when you will be able to open a new account without affecting your AAOA much since your file is so thick.

That's part of the goal, yeah. It was just pretty cool that I could get a great spread of rewards along the way as icing on the cake. Also with the AmEx... Will be quite fun to open a card when I'm 60 years old and be able to add 40 years of credit history overnight.

 

 

However, credit-wise, a lot of awesome new cards this year. CSP (10K), WM Discover (7.5K), Discover More (6.7K), Citi TY Premier (6.8K), PSECU 20/20 Combo (FINALLY!!), US Bank Cash+ (7K), and Barclay's SM 5% MC. Very, very excited to have some of the best prime CC's. Also got some incredible CLI's!!

 

 

Nice choices

 

 

Edited December 12, 2012 by patz2009

[up&climbing]

Well I will chime in as well.

 

The second half of this year resulted in the completion and discharge of a 5 year chapter 13 bk. Due to some technical crap in the beginning of my case in 2007 and the same crap at the end, it wound up being a 66 month case. Thank GOD that is all over now.

 

Okay so since I started cleaning my reports a few years ago while still in bk, by the time I was discharged all of my scores were over 700. Once most everything was reporting correctly it was time to start building.

 

First card was the infamous and notorious Credit One for $400 bucks of which they gave me a whopping $100 increase the very next month! .

 

Then using the old shopping cart trick I was able to get The Avenue, Victoria's Secret and Woman Within for a total of $1,650 in CL's.

 

So then it was time for some real apps. So I got approved for 3 major CC's from DCU, Barclays, and Elan Card Services through a local CU for a total CL of $10,400. I was very careful to select CC's that used different CRA's by way of the credit pulls database to minimize the inquiries.

 

I then went for some more store CC's. I got Macy's, Walmart, JCP and the Amazon store for a total CL of $4,600. I used the creditpulls database as well to decide which cards I had a good chance to get as well as spread them out amongst the CRA's to keep those inquiries down.

 

The last notch in my belt was a zero down 36 month auto lease from GM last month for around $15K.

 

So in 6 months I went from bk and zero new credit to a total of $32k in credit. Not bad now that I am writing this down.

 

Of course I've taken a ding on my scores from all of these accounts but it will spring back up in the next few months. I've learned a lot here and put a lot in action as well.

 

There is no way that I would be where I am without the help of CB. So I'd like to say thanks to everyone here and continued success to all.

Edited December 12, 2012 by up&climbing

[Repairerer]

Up, congrats on your successful discharge of your 13, and on everything you have been able to achieve since!

 

There are mighty impressive stories in here already. Keep them coming!

[gogogophers]

Well it wasn't exactly rockets and fireworks, but I'm happy to report:

 

* Cleaned up credit reports but didn't B* or try to get public record deleted. Everything I've done, I've done with a big fat Ch 7 BK sitting right there on my reports.

 

* FICO avg went from 616 to 654. Plenty of room for improvement

 

* More than doubled the limit on my signature visa that miraculously survived a BK by using the executive-office CLI request

 

* Opened one new visa and two new store cards, then got an auto CLI on the visa.

 

* Total credit went from a pathetic $900 to a slightly less pathetic $6300 in the 12-18mo post BK timeframe

 

* Learned about NFCU, was fortunate enough to have a way to join, and made it happen

 

* Poised to get a nice big NFCU card in Jan or Feb.

 

* Got student loans discharged

 

 

Goals for 2013 include: getting that NFCU card and growing it, growing the limits on 2 visas (not too worried about the store cards, but they might grow a bit, too), cleaning up that terrifying Lexisnexis report, and tweaking monthly card usage & payments to give the FICO a bit of a goosing. Maybe applying for DCU and getting settled in for a while before eventually applying for one of their cards.

 

Thanks CB... before coming here I didn't plan to ever try to re-establish credit after my BK. I didn't even intend to clean up my credit reports. I assumed it was hopeless and unfixable. I was going to be a cash-only girl from that point on. I wasted a whole year after my BK but once I started reading and learning about ways to rebuild it almost became an obsession. A fun one. Kinda. Now I feel much smarter about my own financial plan and it couldn't have happened without the information and experiences that are shared here every day.

[Repairerer]

Congrats gogo! You have got a lot done. When I first joined CB, my available credit was $124 and I didn't have the card for it anymore.

[shannonsto]

OK, here goes...

 

I had always been pretty irresponsible financially, but in 2008 a medical crisis pushed me over the edge and I quickly got buried in debt. I was overwelmed and completely gave up. Didn't make a single payment again to a single creditor. Fast forward to 2012, my children and I are living with family, and I realize I've got to do something about my credit so that we can get a home of our own. In March, I found MyFICO and pulled my Equifax score. 566. Well, not as bad I thought, but still bad. I decided again to ignore it.

 

Then July came, and I finally got busy. I paid off all of my collections except one. Then I got online and learned about PFDs . Ugh. I've learned so much over these months. I started in July with high 500s and am now high 600s. I had zero open credit, and now I have 5 cards and an auto loan. My baddies have gone from EX 10, EQ 11, TU 11 to EX 2, EQ 3 and TU 2. I'm confident that when I pay down my utilization (hopefully next month), I can get to the 700 club.

 

My goals for January are to decrease utilization and bump a few inquiries.

 

My goal for 2013 is to finally get that house for my girls and me. I would love for them to have their own rooms.

 

I can't thank the folks here enough for all of the help and guidance

[Repairerer]

Shannon, congrats on your success so far! I'd like your girls to have their own rooms too. You're almost there!

[doyler]

I had an awesome year credit wise, I'll start with 12/2011 since that's when I joined here/really started with credit and learning about it

 

 

 

12/2011

--------

• Cap1 ($39 AF) $750
• Target $1,000
• Forward $4,500

 

 

 

12/2012

--------

• Target $1,000
• Citi Forward $4,500 -> $5,700 -> $10,000
• State CU (not PSECU) (EQ only) $4,500
• Discover More $3,000 -> $3,250 -> $4,250
• AMEX BCE $2,000 -> $6,000
• Penfed Rewards $2,000
• Walmart Discover $3,000 -> $5,000
• USAA World MC $8,700 -> $12,000
• Priceline 2% $2,500 -> $5,000
• Sallie Mae 2% (now Rewards MC) $4,000 -> $7,000
• NFCU cashRewards $15,000
• Citi TYP $6,500

 

Signing Bonuses

-------------------------

BCE $150

Penfed $250

Priceline $50

Sallie Mae $100 or $150, I forget

TYP $400 (haven't earned yet)

[birdinglauren]

Filed BK 7 in January, d/c in April... Have 3 credit cards now, all with toy limits but using them responsibily and making payments and by the end of the year, I want to open a secured card with a 1500 limit. I've been attacking my CO's. I've gotten EQ and TU down from 8 CO's to only 1 on each. EX is its own beast and leaving that one alone. Hoping 2013 gets me better limits!

[CTSoxFan]

Hmm 2012 was a pretty busy year for me and DW credit wise, I will see if I can remember everything:

Approved for Sallie Mae Visa Sig card with 20k CL

Approved for chase Hyatt card (DW) 13k CL

Got a CLI on my NFCU card to 50k

Re-fi a car loan from 3.99 to 1.99 (BMW fin to Penfed)

Got a CLI on Penfed platinum (only from 15 to 17k, but better than nothing)

Approved for 30 yr fixed mortgage at 3.75%

Approved for US bank cash plus for me and DW (15.5k and 10k respectively)

Got my chase freedom credit line restored to 2008 pre-thefted limit

Approved for new Chase slate card with 10k CL

Approved for Amex BCE for 13k (DW)

 

Goal for 2013 - BK7 falls off last two reports...test what BLs I am still on.

Edited December 12, 2012 by CTSoxFan

[Gaby10]

Not good. After three years of not applying for anything, I opened four new cards, piled on the inquiries (crapload of CU memberships, new cards, CLI request, rental) and watched my scores tumble by a lot as a result.

 

Found out I wasn't on the AmEx blacklist anymore, but didn't get the backdating (to 1990!) because my original account was closed negatively. That caveat didn't apply to anyone else here, but I'm usually the "lucky" one where these things are concerned. So I ended up with basically an AF debit card that lowered my score and AAOA--plus the card was discontinued soon after. Go me.

 

On the plus side, joined Navy and was instantly approved for a $25,000 CashRewards siggy Visa.

[Chupacabras]

Started the year with one collection, a Citi Silver Mastercard (the graduated secured card) and a Discover card with a total limit of $3,000. And one auto loan.

 

Ending the year with no collections, the same auto loan, PC'd to a Citi Forward and recieved: a Priceline, BCE, USAA MC, Penfed Platinum Rewards, PSECU combo, for a total reported limit of $80,000. Also, a new 3.25% 30 year mortgage.

 

Been a very good credit year.

[hrguy]

Got through 5 month wait for a BK7 discharge (Feb filed, July d/c)

 

Got quite a few IIB removals right off the bat across all 3.

 

Opened up some secured lines to help rebuild.

 

Got all my Fico scores back over 600 in less than 3 months post-bk, despite being told they would still be in the high 500's by a year post-discharge

 

3 months post-discharge got approved for a 0% loan from Toyota for a brand new car as a new customer to Toyota

 

Happy with my progress so far.

Edited December 12, 2012 by hrguy

[SnowdIn]

I started off 2012 debt free, credit card free, loan free, etc.

 

Then I started thinking about buying a house down the road and realized a good credit score would be rather beneficial and would save me a lot of money if I could get a lower interest rate.

 

When I first checked my scores they were in the low 600s and I had been denied for almost anything I previously applied for (VS store cards and similar) and I had zero credit available.

 

Now my FICO (Walmart) score is 677 and I have $3,350 credit available to me.

 

I'm moving slower than others on this site but I've been making steady improvements, and that's all that matters to me for now

[chugs102]

I BK7 in 2004 and had accepted my fate in credit hell for the following 10 years. I had various credit cards with low limits in the interim. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the importance of AAOA so I kept closing my old cards as I got new ones.

 

I started 2012 with 5 cards, total limit of 39K.

 

I bought a condo earlier this year and had trouble getting a mortgage despite a good salary. My thin credit file, BK and (2) 30-day lates from 5 years ago continue haunt me.

 

Then I remember having come across creditboards once before so I decided to come back and check it out.

 

Learned from others here. Managed to get rid of the BK on my EQ file. Then I targeted EQ-pullers and applied for 6 new cards. Got 73K in new credit the past 2 months. Now I'm at 113K in total credit.

 

If somehow I can get off Amex and Chase's blacklist (IIB), that would be great. =)

[Repairerer]

doyler - Epic! I like that you posted your bonuses, I got some of the same ones as you too!

 

birding - Nice work! Good luck on your next goals.

 

CT - Wow, mighty impressive! Congrats on the home!

 

Gaby - Congrats on Navy! Better luck with others next year.

 

Chupa - Great job, nice set of accounts you got this year. Congrats on the home as well!

 

hr - Congrats! That progress deserves being proud of!

 

Snowd - Amazing what some open revolving accounts can do. Slow and steady wins the race, nice job!

 

chugs - Bananas! Congrats on your home too!

[chugs102]

Repairer, thanks!

 

2012 is not over yet.

 

I've been obsessed with improving my credit and have been visiting CB alot lately.

 

Anyway, I just applied for a Citi Forward card and I could barely managed to keep my eyes open while the application was processed.

 

Approved for 7K limit =) I thought Experian was going to be pulled for sure but it pulled Equifax!

 

 

3 more cards on my wanted list. Now I think I'll wait for a while before applying for US Bank Cash+. Someday, I'd love to get back in with Amex and Chase Sapphire if somehow I can get off their blacklists.

Edited December 13, 2012 by chugs102