Kikoff Credit Builder Review: Nick’s Credit Story

Nick is a 35 year old marketing director from Connecticut. During his teens and twenties, he maxed out credit cards and missed debt payments. 

He joined Kikoff to build credit for a mortgage and buy a house with his wife. In two years, Nick’s credit score has jumped from the low 500s to a 754.

Walk us through what your credit was like before Kikoff’s credit builder account.

My parents got divorced when I was young, and I turned to partying — all through high school, college, up until I was 30. I had a drug problem. I was almost homeless. I got to a really terrible low point. 

So you can imagine I did just about everything to destroy my credit. I had bounced checks, maxed out credit cards, checking accounts that went negative, tax liens, around $30k in collections.

I never learned how to be responsible with money. I didn’t care about the future, so credit didn’t matter to me.

Why did you decide to join Kikoff?

When I met my wife, I knew I wanted to build a future with her. That meant figuring my sh*t out. We talked about buying a house early on, so I’d need to get approved for a mortgage. 

I remember going on a free credit report website and printing mine out. It was like 50 pages. It was almost too overwhelming. There was this feeling, like, I can never fix this. 

My wife and I were living in an apartment under her name, and she tried to add me as a co-tenant. My credit score was so bad I couldn’t be a co-tenant — I had to sign on as, like, a child. It was pretty embarrassing.

What do you like about Kikoff’s credit builder account?

Kikoff approved me. That was a big deal — not needing a credit check, giving me a chance. I love that they’re focused on accessibility. 

It’s also extremely cost effective. Kikoff is so cheap that I don’t even think about it. I know that they’re building my credit. I check my score once a month. It’s so easy.

Now, even when my credit score has gotten so much better, I’m still going to stay with Kikoff. I think it’s a smart move to maintain my credit. It’s only $2 a month. 

In what ways has your life changed with Kikoff?

I went from the low 500s to a 754*. We were able to get a mortgage for the house, in the town I grew up in. Whenever I drive by it, I’m like, I own a house. I can’t believe it. I get so many credit card offers in the mail now. Never in a million years did I think I would ever see those either. 

I qualified for a rewards credit card. For the first time in my life, buying a car or qualifying for financing sounds easy. Kikoff has opened possibilities. My wife and I want to have a kid soon. We want to save more for retirement.

A lot of what I’ve been through is trying to shed the past. I think with credit there’s this sense of, your past is forever. But it is possible to change. It takes time and it’s not easy, but you can do it. 

 

 

* Testimonial Disclaimer: Review provided by customer to Kikoff directly. The comment above is related to individual experiences or results. Individual results may vary.

 

The information provided in this blog post is meant for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Kikoff Inc. is a financial technology company and not a bank. The Kikoff Secured Credit Card is issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Terms and conditions apply & individual results may vary. Make consistent on-time payments to maximize credit building potential.  Credit factors outside Kikoff, like other account balances or delinquencies, can have an impact on credit building progress.  Subject to approval via identity verifications and subject to terms and conditions. Kikoff Credit Account reported line of credit intended exclusively for credit building purposes & can be used to finance the purchase of monthly Credit Service plans and/or digital educational material via the Kikoff Store. For more information, visit our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. We report to the major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Features, tradelines, bureau reporting, & pricing may vary depending on plan purchased. This post may contain marketing messages and advertisements in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act. Please refer to our Secured Card and Credit Account Terms for detailed product disclaimers.

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