This is where I stood a few weeks ago:
CU Visa: $3900/5000
Capital One Platinum Mastercard: $0/4750
Chase Slate Visa: $575/1500
Total: $4475/11250 = 39.7% utilization
Then I found this forum, got my free FICO (720), and went on a little app spree.
Here is where I am now:
CU Visa: $0/5000
Capital One Venture One Mastercard (Product change): $0/4750
Chase Slate Visa: $0/1500
Discover More: $3900/5500
AMEX Gold: NPSL
WalMart Discover: $0/1800 free FICO 
Total: $3900/18550 = 21%. My total utilization is way down with my expanded credit and I transferred the balance from my CU Visa to my Discover More to freeze the interest while I pay it down over the next few months.
The AMEX Gold and the Discover came in the mail today 
. I'm still waiting on the Walmart Discover.
Before I start gardening, would it be worth the hardpull at this time to ask for a CLI on my Chase Slate, or possibly a product change?
My goal is to get an AMEX revolver next year, so I'm going to pass all my spending and all my bills through my AMEX Gold to build a relationship. Everything else is going in the sock drawer. Any tips on how often I should use the other cards to keep them active?
Thanks for providing such a great resource.
Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.
I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.
Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation. Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package. Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.
Congrats on the new cards.
Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.
Starting Score: EQ 561, TU 567, EX 599* (12/30/11, EX lender pull 12/29/11)Current Score: EQ 660, Wally TU 697, EX unknown (05/13/13)
Goal Score: 680 in all three (01/01/14)
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Revelate wrote:Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.
I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.
Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation. Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package. Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.
Congrats on the new cards.
Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.
I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others
Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.
bobomb01 wrote:
Revelate wrote:Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.
I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.
Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation. Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package. Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.
Congrats on the new cards.
Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.
I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others
Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.
Yep - small purchases are just fine. I do this on my SD'd cards from time to time just to keep them active.
RockinRay wrote:
bobomb01 wrote:
Revelate wrote:Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.
I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.
Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation. Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package. Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.
Congrats on the new cards.
Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.
I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others
Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.
Yep - small purchases are just fine. I do this on my SD'd cards from time to time just to keep them active.
Thanks!
I also just noticed my math was way wrong in my OP. 
Congrats. You have a nice line up.
I would take a chance with the CLI in Slate if not going for a Product change, possibly a Freedom card? or even a Amex BCE.
Just have a look at your CR before apping for both. If your inquiry count is less in TU & EX, I think you may either get Freedom or BCE or both, YMMV
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