Credit Score Improving!

I’m actually caught up at work.  150%.  So, figured I’d take the 15 minute breaks I NEVER take & write.  🙂

Speaking of… The reason I don’t take the 15 minutes breaks… Sunday (12/29) will mark 7 months without a single puff of a cigarette.  None.  Zero.  Amazing.  I can’t remember the last time I went this long without smoking.  12 years ago I’d assume.  I feel pretty good.  My lungs are getting better and better.  My tracker says that in just 2 more months they will be at the capacity of a nonsmoker.  Yay.  No bronchitis or pneumonia in the last 7 months.  (Even when Ty got pneumonia.)  And I’ve saved a ton of money.  Like $1,300 or so is what the tracker says.  Yes, being a nonsmoker is pretty amazing.  (And I smell GREAT. Ha.) 

I just spent a great deal of time looking into my credit.  I’m STILL paying on the medical bills I started paying on 18 months ago.  About 3 months ago I paid off the Judgment fully.  But, I still have right around $1,800 in medical bills left to pay.  I figure in exactly one year at this rate (or less if I pick up the rate) I will be able to have all of the medical bills fully paid off.  Ideally I’d like to pay them off by summer.  But, slow & steady wins the race.  So, 12 months is good.  I’ve also realized there are two other things on my credit report.  One is for $106 & I have NO idea what it’s for.  The other is for $300something & I’m pretty sure it’s a utility bill from when we moved out of Pennsylvania I never paid.  So, a little under $500.  I’m hoping to have the money to call them both by March at the latest & pay them in full.  (Assuming I agree with the charge when they tell me what it is.)

My credit score FINALLY started going up.  I checked today & it went up about 43 points in the last few months.  All from paying off the Judgment, working on the medical bills & continuing to pay all of my regular bills early.  Pretty amazing.  I played with the simulator for awhile & it is very insistent that in order for it to keep going up I needed more credit lines & to utilize 20% or less (but to use it at least once every month) of them a month & pay the bill in full each month.  After even more research I applied for the recommended credit card… AND GOT APPROVED!!  Do you realize how long it’s been since I’ve been approved for a credit card?  According to the simulator this should cause my score to go up about 20 more points.  So, my score went from poor just a few months ago (almost very poor) to fair.  And I’m really hoping to have it to good by summer.  I can do it.  Totally.  I really hadn’t wanted a credit card.  (Remember all the damage I did a few years ago with a couple credit cards?) But it really appears thats the only way to fully build your credit it.  So, I plan to ONLY use the credit card for gas.  And pay it off the day I get the statement.  (I pay all my bills the day I get the statement or even before if I know the first day it is ready for online payment.  Have been doing this for over a year.)  The small purchases should build the credit good.  We shall check again in… March.

Can’t wait for the day I’m 150% debt free.  I WILL enter 2015 debt free.  (Well, maybe a reasonable car loan by then which doesn’t count, but no outstanding debts.)

We had a great Christmas.  I hope all of you did too.  🙂  The kids got spoiled rotten.  Of course.  They each got some hoodies, movies, DS games, board games, scooters & a ton of other miscellaneous things.  I got a few hoodies (which I desperately wanted), a ton of amazing socks.  I LOVE fuzzy socks.  Like a serious addiction to them.  A crazy pair of expensive slippers.  And a whole new set of pots/pans AND an additional stock pot.  Used the pans last night for the first time & they are incredible.  Best thing ever.  Debating what to cook tonight.  It’s been 9 years since I got new pans & my old ones are hammered.  (I’m still keeping them though as they work well for certain things & I’m also obsessed with kitchen items.  When I win the lottery I plan to build a whole room just for kitchen utensils/items.)

Next up is my birthday in just 3 weeks.  And I DESPERATELY want a camera for it.  Badly.  Not just any camera.  But a beautiful, amazing, wonderful, expensive camera.  My Stepdad got one & at first I thought he was crazy.  The world is full of way too many wannabe photographers.  But I see his pictures & they are amazing even for a guy with zero photography experience.  I use to love taking pictures & never do anymore because I despise my old junky camera.  Well, I’m in love with this.  I want it.  Almost need it.  I could take pictures & I could probably get really damn good at it because the camera is that amazing.  I have ZERO interest in getting paid to take pictures.  None.  I just want to take millions of my own pictures.  Can you imagine going hiking into the wilderness?  Or to crazy places & just getting cool/fun/beautiful pictures?  I think it’d help my anxiety & give me a hobby too.  Anxiety because I could go branch out to even more calming places & just quietly take pictures. Yes, it’s what I need.  I do believe.  So, cross your fingers.  lol  I’ve told Ty that he could just take some out of each check between now & my birthday & pay for it without it even seeming like a lot.  And if he doesn’t get it for me…. Well, I’ll save my money & get my own in a couple months.  

That’s about it.  Prosebox seems to be the place you’re all going.  So, I’m going to go check that out.  I’m still not positive I want to move.  But I think I’d like to have a second home set up.  So I’m ready.  When OD goes down & never comes back.