Long time lurker, first time poster here!
I just wanted to thank everyone that regularly contributes here! You guys have helped me so much with learning the ins and outs of all this credit mumbo jumbo, so much that it isn't actually mumbo jumbo any more!
I had lots of baddies on my report from old medical bills and a couple loans I took out for my ex boyfriend (Yes I know I was stupid. 20, convinced I had found "The One" and mind blowingly stupid. LOL!). Thanks to the advice from the forums since I started working on it in October, I was able to get most of them removed. Now I have only 3 out of 15 left and those are all due to fall off in the next year.
In what I was convinced was a total fluke, I was able to get my 1st non secured card back in June 2015 with USAA for $500. I was scared to apply for another, but after cleaning up my report, they automatically increased my limit in December to $1500.
I decided in January to see listen to the posts here, see if I could push this lucky streak a but further, and gave Capital One a go. I had been denied a secured card through them in the past, so I was convinced I was going to get denied. Lo and behold, I was approved for a $300 QS1 card! I know it's not much, but for someone new to the game, I was freaking excited!
A month later I followed the advice of some on the forums and applied for a 2nd card, the classic platinum, and was approved for $1000!!!!
Again, I followed advice from the forum and requested a CLI after my first and second statement. I got the usual denial after waiting 2-3 business days both times. Today is 2 weeks before my 3rd statement, gave it another go: and BOOM! $500 limit increase on my QS1!
Tonight I decided to follow even MORE of the advice on the forums, and called to see if I could get an upgrade on any of my accounts... it was a no-go on my QS1, but they checked my Platinum that I opened a month ago today, and BOOM Shakalaka!! Upgrade eligible to the Quicksilver with no AF!
(Very) Long story, short:
Thanks to these forums, I went from a messy credit report and 1 $500 card, to a cleaner file, $3,300 in available credit (with another $700 coming up through Credit Steps), 3 cards, 2 of which earn cash back, and a MUCH brighter credit future ahead of me! Oh, and my scores went up an average of 25 points across the board! All in 4 months.
For the people who contribute, THANK YOU! Y'all are a god send to the novices like me!!
For the people who lurk: LISTEN TO THOSE THEM!! They definitely know their stuff!