Credit Scores

**Meya** · September 13th, 2007, 05:13 PM

Well I will store my 2 cents in first. What I done was pulled my credit report in 2003 and had it mailed to me. The mailman had to knock on my door because the manilla envelope was too thick. I saw all of those co's and lates and just fell to the floor. Well, I hate to say this but, I did not pay anyone, I just began disputing old accounts and watched the rest fall off as thier time limit was up. I went from scores 400's-600's within a matter of 4 years. I have two medicals left from 2002, one tax lein from 1999 which is going off in Jan 08 due to the fact that the release is nearly 7 years old, and one credit card derog from 2002. I should be clean around Oct 09 and that is about the time all my inquiries will fall off. Then I will be ready for the 700 club.

**Finance Globe** · September 14th, 2007, 01:56 PM

Keep your head up and move forward Meya! I know that you'll get there, as determined as you are.

**StephNY** · September 14th, 2007, 09:17 PM

Ive been in the 400 club. My credit mess started back in 1995 when I was in college and applying for credit, during my last year in college I was in school, interning, hardly no money, living off my cards, but when it was time to pay them back I went from card to card. Which after a while catches up to you. Once I moved to the city and secured a job my bills were piled so high, I said you know what F it, whoever dont get paid Oh well!!! I lived that mentality for years until my car died completely and I had to finance a new car and when they pulled my credit report I wanted to hide. It was a whopping 420. I couldnt get my car and anything else that required my credit to be pulled. It even kept me from getting jobs and apartments, that I really wanted. I was ashamed but it was my fault.
I knew I had to do better,once I finally secured a stable job 3 years ago, I started working with one creditor at a time. I pulled my report some time later and I managed to make it to a score of 510. I needed to reestablish credit and I started with Orchard Bank. I still have 2 collection accounts and a judgement in dispute, I managed to maintain scores in the 680's. Im trying for those 7's too girl. Almost there. We'll get there soon!!!

**Meya** · September 17th, 2007, 11:29 PM

Hey StephNY, you are on the right track, AMTRACK....lol. I was just rereading your posting and I had to laugh at some of the things you were saying. Girl it looks like Orchard really understand how individuals like us feels when we are begging for trust again. But they dont understand how to give a sister good limits when she asks for it. I am tired of asking orchard for a limit increase and they only offer $100 minus $25 because you requested it. Then $200 if they decide to give it to you. Four years and $1300 is what makes an individual say "Sock Drawer, or Close It."

**luckylique** · September 19th, 2007, 07:58 AM

I am right there with both of you ladies. I am putting it on being young and "don't understand much babe" I just would not paying anything. When I started cleaning up my credit 4 years ago, I actually have 7 items under an hundred dollars. Now if that was not sad. Anyway I have definitely wised up and have been on the road to recovery for sometime now. Once we all hit the 700 club....which at this point seems pretty definite. I think the test will be can we stay in the club.

**StephNY** · September 19th, 2007, 09:02 AM

I tell you ladies when our mothers had the "talk" with us they did not include "KEEP YOUR CREDIT CLEAN".

**Defonte** · September 19th, 2007, 09:29 AM

StephNY that is sooooooooo true about credit education from our parents. I am almost 30 and really didn't understand the responsibilities of credit up until about 2 years ago. I think money, finances, and using credit responsibly is another one of the major talks that parents should have with thier children. I know I will have this talk with my boys. I think this will give them a headstart in the real world on their way out of the door. I sure wish my mom had told me!!!!

**Meya** · September 19th, 2007, 11:00 AM

Luckylique, StephNY, and Defonte, I believe that our mothes were so busy making sure we finsished school so that they know we would be prepared for the real world to "Move out of thier house into our own" but they failed to say credit is the key to a new apartment.....lol. Defoante, you are on the right track about talking to your boys about credit. I am doing the same with my 10 year old. We mastered the "value of a dollar" routine, he knows that he will not receive one penny unless he work for it. As far as his playstation games goes, he know that he will not receive a game unless his room has been clean everyday for a month straight (weekends not included due to company and free time). Now I have to break him out of being tooooo stingy. When he turns 13 he is going to get his first teen card which will be linked to my Bank Account with a set limit. This will teach him how to use credit wisely because he is going to have to pay on his own bill by mail even thought he bank is a few blocks away. I think this is a great idea for a kid to realize the importance of credit. Not like the old days when we wanted money, I used to go , "Momma, I want some money", her reply,"Girl, get out of my face talking about money, money don't grow on trees!" Then I would pout, stomp around on the floor with my thumb in my mourth and say, "Man, we dont neva have no money in dis house, all my udder friends momma give dem money." Then there goes that flying shoe headed straight for your skull....lmao. My granny always picked up the slack for me, I was a granny's baby..

But all in all, I never knew about credit until one of my older friends was telling me during my early adult life, how to receive credit. Cards started flying in my door in the 80's and 90's. I was trying to handle them, and my mom + granny was helping, but they didnt tell me anything about what will happen if I don't pay it.......wait, I take that back, they did tell me, I just did not care. Now I wish that I never seen plastic until my late 30's....lol. Now it seems like while I am trying to get myself on the right track, I have to deal with issues from my husband credit being jacked up, I can't win from loosing. He is in a situation where seven years of waiting for an item to drop does not exist for him. Child support is tearing mens heads off these days, I hate to tell this but he has child support judgements for over $200,000 on his report, with over $100,00 in arrears. Good Lord, that is the value of a house. The only thing that we (I mean HE) could do was make payment arrangements, but here is one good thing, his credit report does say, "Payment arrangments made." This is the main reason why I want to stay close with my baby's. I do not want them to go out and make the mistakes that they're step dad did, becuase they may go out and brag about thier first little sexual experiences,

but when those little baby's pop up and child support come running through, your credit will be doomed at a young age........

how did I get on this subject? Bored I guess....lol

**Paula** · September 24th, 2007, 09:42 AM

I found this link on MSN Money and thought is was very interesting. The title is "Weird stuff that hurts your credit". Some of this stuff you may already be familiar.

[Link removed by FG]

**Meya** · September 24th, 2007, 02:00 PM

Hi Paula, we would love to take a look at it. Sorry your link had to be removed, but you could place it in the "Resources" which is the link over to your left. The good part about it is that the link would belong to you and all you have to do is refer readers over to YOUR link resources. It will be easier for us (and you) to find. I will wait til I see it over there so I could take a look at it. Thanks!

**Finance Globe** · September 25th, 2007, 05:08 PM

Hi Paula,

We all definitelly appreciate you sharing information with us. Unfortunatelly spammers have tried to take over the internet

and this is one way to help fight it. I hope that you understand.

Everyone more than welcome to post financial related links in the resources section (always located in the left menu). It's a user contributed financial directory organized by category. The resource link can be bookmarked by other users, which is a big plus.

Limited use of links is now allowed on the board to either official news sources or bank websites.

**Meya** · October 2nd, 2007, 08:17 PM

Waaahhhhooooo! Guess what everybody, "MY EQUIFAX IS CLEAR OF PUBLIC RECORDS." They were due to be clear as of January 08' but when i pulled my credit files today, one was gone. Here is what I have left:

Trans-----1 judgement (released in 1999 for $1306), 1 credit card charge off $1200 since 2001

EXP------- 1 judgement (released in 1999 for $1306), 1 credit card charge off $1200 since 2001, 2 medicals $336 & $117 from 2002

EQFX------, 1 Credit card charge off $1200 from 2001, 2 medicals $336 & $117 from 2002

I think it is weird that Trans dropped the medical last year. It was not due to fall off until 2008 or 2009. EXP and EQFX is gripping it like they are going to come and knock on my door. I could have disputed this because it was my sons medical that was paid for by his dads insurance, when his dad and I split up, it was too hard to deal with disputing.

I should be in the clear around 2008 or 2009 for everything. I will try hard to never go down this road agian. I am so happy you guys because the judgements seems to last forever. I have watched at least over 50 items drop from my credit report while the judgements hung around like grease monkeys.

**BrentO** · October 13th, 2007, 09:04 PM

Intresting, got an email alert from myfico.com said my Equifax score went up 4 points to 640, OK thats good. Checked all three of my scores at truecredit.com and the equifax is at 587 (lowest of the 3) TU being 590 and experian being 592. Wonder why the difference of 53 points on equifax.

**Meya** · November 29th, 2007, 08:35 PM

Another exciting message! Experian has released my judgement. Now it is all about TU, they keep holding on to it like they is married. My scores went up 7 points only fromt he removal, but it beats nothing. I moved my scale on my profile from 597 to 604. I am basically stuck with 2 medicals, and one credit card that was from Cross County Bank. Is anyone familiar with them. I remember when my highest limit was about $700. When they was through with me, it was nearly $1300 or $1400, geesh. But, that was the old days, I am not going out like that anymore.

Now for the question! Why do my scores take so long to go up? I am down to paying off 3 cards with 50% utilization on all. The other 11 is paid off except for ICON because that is an installment plan. When I went on a credit benge, I used 70%, left it there for about 2 months and then paid them in full. My scores only went like 3 points after paying them in full. What is up with that? After I pay my last 3 cards off, I do not plan on using them agian. I am just happy to be back in the credit game again, but I am so used to using cash becuase I was away from the credit world for so long. I think that those new low limit cards are hurting me. I hate I got those cards, the limits were like 500 and below, except for Hooters, they showed me some love.

Answers anyone?