850. Eight hundred fifty perfect points. It happened for the first time a few months ago: My FICO score hit the fabled 850 mark. It was, in a word, perfection. It also gave me the opportunity to think about how I got a perfect credit score.
How I Landed a Perfect Credit Score
I shop. A lot. And I always have. For someone who is relatively young–at least in the world of loans–my credit history is quite lengthy. I also use my credit cards regularly. Not just one or two, but I rotate through a handful of cards on a regular basis. Even the cards that I don’t utilize often, I do the $1 dance with them to keep the accounts open and in good standing.
I get it from my momma. One time, my mom tried to write a note to the cashier at Kohl’s giving me permission to use her charge card. I know. I tried explaining that it wasn’t 1952 at the corner store in Mayberry, but she didn’t listen. (“It has my signature.” Yes, Mother, I see that.) After that fiasco, she added me as an authorized user to a handful of her credit cards. Before you get the wrong idea, it wasn’t so that I could go on shopping sprees worthy of TMZ coverage. It was so I could run errands for her. You want to borrow the car? You better work, girl. Now it’s true that not every authorized user status shows up on your credit history, but some do. Plus, she taught me how to use plastic responsibility. If you’re willing to overlook that whole note-writing incident.
I never run a balance. Aside from my mortgage, I am debt free. If I could, I would pay off my mortgage in its entirety as well. But we just aren’t there yet. I did also have a car loan at one point. The only reason that I allowed that balance to exist was was because it was a 0% loan. (No, it’s not everyone’s ideal, but I loved buying a new car, and I’d do it again.) As far as consumer debt goes, though, I’m taking a hard pass. If I can’t cover it in cash, I don’t put it on my card. That way, my cards are paid in full every month.
I’m always on the hunt for more. Instead of waiting for credit card companies to notify me that I am eligible for an increase, I request them. I probably should have more of a system, but it is essentially whenever I’m on my account and am tempted to click the “request increase” link. If I had to guess, I would say I do this at least annually, perhaps twice annually, on each card that I use frequently.
I know I’m on my own. Here’s the thing. Credit card companies are out to make a buck. OK, lots of bucks. A flipping ton of bucks. They’re not here to play nice and dole out treats for no reason. They want me to get stuck in the consumer debt trap because let’s face it, charging 25% interest on a zero balance isn’t keeping the lights on anywhere. I know they aren’t looking out for me. I know that their rewards and bonuses are all part of a game. I just happen to spit game right back. All’s fair in love and shopping, I suppose.
(Pssst. I might pick up a few pennies from this widget.)
And Why I Still Care
There are plenty of good reasons to care about your credit score. In addition to pissing off Dave Ramsey (no, Bruh, it’s not an I-love-debt score; it’s an I-hate-paying-through-the-nose-on-insurance score), I am fiercely competitive with my husband. When we first started dating, his credit score was garbage. He had one store card and a few unpaid medical bills that were the result of misplaced mail more than exorbitant expense. (I know, it kills me, too.) Fast forward to almost a decade together, we are in the midst of a fierce battle via the Credit Karma apps and free Discover FICO scores on our phones. As he inches closer to 800, I am having too much fun showing off my 850.
As much as the perfectionist in me is thrilled to see those numbers, I love money even more. If the right cash back or airline miles promotion shows up in my mailbox, I will happily apply. Because while my perfect credit score may not be forever, this screenshot sure is.
850 + 0 missed payments! Woohoo!
So Tell Me…Do you care what your credit score is? Are you uber competitive over anything with your significant other?
Woo hoo, congrats on the 850! Mine’s been stalled out around 760 for quite a while, but I’m still a relative baby with credit (and don’t have “enough” different kinds of credit since it’s just my cards and student loans), so I just need to play the waiting game.
And that’s exactly what it is–a waiting game! You’ll get there. And 760 is already fantastic.
Congrats! Never heard of that. I am some where around 780. And don’t think I will get there anytime soon. I don’t have a mortgage or any other loan. And have never had one.
Congrats on never having any big loans. They are AWFUL! I suppose a high credit score is a consolation prize in a lot of ways.
Mine recently hit 750, which is awesome because it was in the 500’s just a few years ago. Later this year, anything that made in the 500’s should drop of my report (that is, late payments). Exciting.
My wife is more competitive than me. Right now my score is better than hers – which is frustrating since hers never dipped as low as mine. I want hers to be better than mine to make her happy, although I’m not going to miss a payment to make that happen!
You’re so thoughtful! Ha!
Congrats on those huge gains. That’s about what my husband has done, though I think maaaaaybe he’s in the 780s right now. I’m so awful. I should know the exactly number, but I mostly just listen hard enough to know that I’m still in the lead 😉
Ooh a perfect score! We haven’t quite made it that far (yes, we compete on credit scores too), but my wife and I are both in the 820-830’s range.
Neck and neck! That’s intense. I think that’s part of why I enjoy our competition. I had the clear lead for so long.
Competing with your husband in this way is so charming! I keep many cards open for the same reason. Length of credit and under-utilization will hopefully get me a great rate on my eventual mortgage.
I was floored by what a difference it made. We were looking at 4.5% versus 3.75% with the loan just in my name (since I had the higher score). You’d think the fact that my income was so much less by itself would matter, but nope. They just focused on the credit score.
And they don’t care if you make yourself house poor, I guess.
Wow! I didn’t know it was possible 😀
Mine is 830 this month – basically at this point I’m not quite sure what to do to make it go higher, though.
I tend to use one credit card for all purchases, with a second card as my backup. I have two other cards that I don’t use – I should probably make a point of using them just to wake them up.
I have about 18 months left on a car loan at 0%, and I have a mortgage, which I am paying extra on. I also have a HELOC that I don’t use – it’s just in case.
What I have against me, is that my credit history is 18 years old, since I moved to the US in 2000 and only started existing at age 23, as far as the US creditors recognize.
I did push the button – last year I think – to ask for increases on my credit card limits – they were approved – but honestly I don’t *need* that much credit, so I don’t particularly want to ask for more?
Not sure what else to do to achieve that perfect score 😀
I think it’s what you said — it’s mostly just waiting at this point! And I know what you mean about not needing the increased limits. I do it purely to try to game the system. At this point, I think most of my cards are upwards of $20,000. Except for Target. I just got them to increase my limit to $750 and I practically had to beg!
As long as I’m over 800, I don’t care very much but we just got our scores in the mail from working on our refinance and I’m 806, he’s 808. I’m guessing that’s because his credit history is a lot older than mine but that’s fine.
I compete with him on salary though his company is big and rich and mine isn’t so I’ve been losing for a long while. Still, competing means I keep within shouting distance!
This is like seeing a unicorn in the wild! I knew theoretically an 850 was possible, but I’m pretty sure some part of me was convinced it wasn’t actually possible. I crossed the 800 mark last year, and I’ve been hovering there since. I know it’s because I don’t have enough of a credit history yet – I’m at an average of 6 years because I keep opening more cards for the bonuses. Oh well! Time to request some more credit increases 🙂
The highest I got since I started diligently tracking was 814… it’s now down a bit though because we bought a new vehicle (tool put financing) and I recently opened a new credit card…. So I know it will probably go back up a bit but I’m fine with how it is…. The issue I’m having is that my oldest card on file (and the only one I had for many years) has an annual fee associated with it with no rewards so I don’t use it anymore…i want to call and close the account but I want to keep it for history purposes…torn!
My credit score is in the 800s, but, just so you know, it actually went DOWN after I paid off my mortgage and my car. Reason: Lack of recent installment loan information. Can you believe it?!