@Anonymous wrote:
@Mike360 wrote:IMO 50% is still too high. Also i wouldn't do it if you've opened any new accounts within the last 6 months. Barclays loves to close accounts for that.
Yeah, 50% isn't exactly pretty, but she might do ok for the relatively small increase she wants. No way to really tell without pulling the trigger though.
I think the Barclays aversion to new accounts is overrated. I actually asked them about that and it's more for new customers with iffy approvals.
^^^ I like this answer. 
July 2013 score: EQ FICO 819, TU08 778, EX "806 lender pull 07/26/2013
Goal Score: All Scores 760+, Newest goal 800+
Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Current scores after adding $81K in CLs and 2 new cars since July 2013
EQ:809 TU 777 EX 790 Now it's just garden time!
June 2017 update: All scores over 820, just pure gardening now.
@Shogun wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@Mike360 wrote:IMO 50% is still too high. Also i wouldn't do it if you've opened any new accounts within the last 6 months. Barclays loves to close accounts for that.
Yeah, 50% isn't exactly pretty, but she might do ok for the relatively small increase she wants. No way to really tell without pulling the trigger though.
I think the Barclays aversion to new accounts is overrated. I actually asked them about that and it's more for new customers with iffy approvals.
^^^ I like this answer.
I was worried since I've got a dozen new TLs within the past 6 months and two more still to start reporting (Don't even ask how or why!) and I was worried my Barclays cards would get nuked. I finally called and got routed with someone in a position to know and they stated not to worry. They value long term relationships more than other things and both of my accounts are relatively old.
For those with new accounts and iffy credit, caution may be in order. But then that's also the recommendation for any bank. Queen's Barclays card will be a year old by the time she requests her CLI and her credit has improved since approval so I'd think she'll be good.
Thanks for all the great advice! Yes, I won't be applying for anything, so I should be ok. This year is ALL about paying things off and saving as much money as I can to rebuild back to where I used to be. Slow and steady wins the race!
@bernhardtra wrote:If your not interested in the Walmart card, try Comenity. They have some department store cards which will become Visa or MasterCard later. After you get one with them it becomes easier to get another. I had a Beall's of Florida and a Marathon Gas Card with them for about 8 months I think and then I applied for the Marathon Visa card and they gave me a good limit with it. It was actually the highest limit at the time of all the cards. It is still my third highest limit and I barely use the card. Mostly because I don't carry a balance and the rewards are only for gas. (I don't drive, so I don't need gas rewards. Well I do drive, but no in the US!) The nice thing about GE is that they will increase you limit pretty nicely over time. I actually just got an increase on my Walmart Card today from $1000 to $1700 and the card is only about 6 months old. It started out at $500, so it's doing pretty good. I don't even know it I have spent a total of $700 on the card in the whole time, so having a balance or using it much is not much of an issue for either of them! (I have spent about $200 on the Marathon Visa card.) The nice thing about the Visa products at Comenity is that they will lower the interest rate on the card too!
I asked them to lower my interest on the card in December or January and they gave me the lowest interest rate they offer. No really that low, 16.99%, but it is their lowest rate. I guess they figured there was no harm in that since I wasn't using the card or paying interest. Even if you get a Walmart card with GE and don't shop there much there are a few benefits you can take advantage of. They at times offer a nice discount on gas, it helps your util, and over time it might PC to a Discover card! If you strategize it out and get limit increases every 3 months and it PC's to a Discover card, then it becomes more usable. Just something to consider and Good Luck!
Thanks for the great information! I'll have to check out Comenity cards (I'm assuming it's like GE and has a lot of different cards in its product family).