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Hey, credit nerd here. Scores are heavily weighted on payment history (35%) and utilization (30%). Collections hit payment history, but utilization you can fix faster. Paying that $800 balance down to under $80 would give you the biggest immediate boost. New accounts (10%) hurt more than they...

Yep, it’s literally just optics. Think of it like showing up to a job interview in pajamas. You might still be qualified, but they judge you on the presentation. High utilization = messy presentation, even if you’re responsible with payments. Credit scores are about risk modeling, not fairness.

You’re not totally powerless. Keep utility bills, rent, cell phone bills, all paid on time. Some lenders now look at those alternative tradelines. And Experian Boost lets you add them to your file. It’s not magic, but it’s something.

Don’t forget about Discover sometimes running 5% back on utilities in rotating categories. If you’ve got it, that’s an easy slam dunk. Just time your autopay switch during the quarter.

Your score might not have tanked because repossession doesn’t always hit as hard as, say, bankruptcy. But lenders see it as a big red flag regardless. You’ll probably still qualify, but at a high APR. If you can tough it out with Uber/Metro for 12-18 months while you rebuild, you’ll be in a...

Tbh, I don’t think mailing a cancellation letter is necessary anymore unless you’re dealing with some shady lender. For big banks, their systems are pretty airtight. I’ve closed 2 cards through online chat and got confirmations in my secure inbox within minutes. The score hit was like 5–10...

I’ve read a ton of manuals (bought, borrowed, pirated, lol). The best one for starting out imo is Stephen Snyder’s Credit Repair Kit. Practical, no fluff, explains credit laws and gives templates. Might be a little dated in terms of online tools, but principles are solid.

One card. That’s it. The fewer moving parts, the fewer things that can go wrong. I learned this the hard way when I had five cards and missed a $20 payment. Guess what? That one late payment dragged my business credit down for almost a year. Keep it simple, especially if you’re not super organized.

Have you pulled your mortgage scores (FICO 2/4/5)? Those are what lenders actually use, not FICO 8 or Vantage. My Experian app said I was 690, but my mortgage mid-score was 660. Huge difference. It’s worth checking before you get serious about buying.

Yes, they do a hard pull when you first apply for PayPal Credit. I applied last year, and my Experian report clearly showed the inquiry. It only dropped my score by like 4 points though, so unless you’re on the edge of a big credit milestone, it might not be a huge deal.

One is enough. I started with one Capital One secured card, $200 limit. After 8 months, they graduated me to unsecured, and my score had jumped 80 points. Focus more on paying down your current debt and keeping your utilization low. Multiple cards don’t help much if you’re still carrying balances.

If you’ve been a customer for a long time and have multiple products with them, your odds are slightly better. They like retaining multi-account customers. But if this is your only card with them, don’t expect much leverage.

Honestly, the best credit repair is: Pull all 3 credit reports (free at annualcreditreport.com) Dispute errors Pay down credit cards under 30% utilization Pay all bills on time for at least 6 months That formula works 99% of the time.

It is mainly about trust. If your credit shows you pay bills late, landlords assume you might also pay rent late. They are protecting themselves because eviction is expensive and slow. Imagine owning a property worth hundreds of thousands and letting a stranger live there..... you would want...

Just chiming in to say I co-signed for my brother in a similar situation. We got the car, but guess who’s been covering payments for 5 months? Me. Make sure you’re 100% on your ability to cover it no matter what happens.

For me, the key was finding a card with automatic expense categorization. QuickBooks integration saved me hours of manual sorting.

I had one from an old credit card in 2008. They called me in 2015, super friendly, just wanting to update my records. I didn’t know that was basically a fishing expedition to get me to admit I owed it. Glad I stayed quiet. Three years later, they gave up. Still on my credit report until the...

I like the idea of starting with someone who can explain all the options without trying to sell you something. That’s why a non-profit counselor or even a fee-only planner is good. You want education, not sales pitches. Savannah has a few in-person workshops that are surprisingly helpful.

I know someone who did this, but the landlord spent the money immediately and then had cash flow issues when stuff needed fixing.

Had almost the same situation. Mine didn’t show on CK either but was sitting loud and proud on my Experian report. When I paid it, it just got marked Satisfied. It still hung around until the 7-year clock ran out.