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Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

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Sorainzo
Valued Member

Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

Hello. I was looking at some more credit cards (have 2 currently) and there are two more that I'm interested in. The two are American Express's Blue Cash Everyday and Citibank's CitiForward. I have had a Citibank card before so I believe they shouldn't give me a hard time getting another one. The rewards on both of these cards are good and they should go great with the 2 cards that I already have. My question is, what would be the BEST strategical move to applying for these two cards if your credit score is decent enough to get the Citibank, but somewhat good enough to get the BCE? Which of these approaches are best:


A.) Apply for CitiForward, then apply for BCE.

B.) Apply for BCE, then apply for Citiforward.

C.) Apply for CitiForward, then apply for AMEX Green Charge Card, THEN BCE (whether you're approved or not for the Charge Card).

D.) Apply for AMEX Green Charge Card, then BCE (whether you're approved or not for the Charge Card), THEN CitiForward.

 

The reason why I threw the Charge Card into the mix is because if your credit isn't good enough to get the BCE without effort, at least you get your foot in the door with them through a Charge Card, and if you're approved with that, thent he possibility of you being approved for the BCE is greater.


Starting Score: 597
Current Score: 694
Goal Score: 710

Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
My Current Cards: Capital One Cash Rewards - $5000, Chase Amazon Rewards - $1400, Citi Secured - $300, U.S. Bank Secured - $300, Firestone CFNA Card - $1200
Message 1 of 29
28 REPLIES 28
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

I'd skip Chitibank as I've not had one single great, good, or even decent experience with them- although i'm lovin' my 18 mos 0% on Diamond pref'd.

What are your scores? Aaoa? Util?
If you have 670-680+, I'd say just go for the BCE. It's a fabulous card!
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 2 of 29
longtimelurker
Epic Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.


@youngandcreditwrthy wrote:
I'd skip Chitibank as I've not had one single great, good, or even decent experience with them- although i'm lovin' my 18 mos 0% on Diamond pref'd.

What are your scores? Aaoa? Util?
If you have 670-680+, I'd say just go for the BCE. It's a fabulous card!

If you are eligible for the Forward, this is a card worth having.  And, as always, go for the BCP rather than BCE.   But neither BCP nor BCE is really "fabulous" in terms of total rewards

Message 3 of 29
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

BCP has an annual fee.
Annual fee= no go.
Duh.
And they certainly are- any other cards you know that get to five digit limits that easily or with 3-6% on groceries?
Do share if so ;-)
And besides the op asked about BCE.
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 4 of 29
Meltdownblitz
Frequent Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

 


@youngandcreditwrthy wrote:
I'd skip Chitibank as I've not had one single great, good, or even decent experience with them- although i'm lovin' my 18 mos 0% on Diamond pref'd.

What are your scores? Aaoa? Util?
If you have 670-680+, I'd say just go for the BCE. It's a fabulous card!

I definitely can second that Citi bank is definitely not a good bank to use as your primary credit card. Great to start off with because they started me with good limits, however in the nicest way possible, once you gather other cards, SD your citi bank card(s). In my experience they really put me in a situation where they showed who they really are, and it was the same situation with Chase, and to save time lets just say Chase showed that they stand behind their customers in my experience and Citi could care less, and it had to do with a 0% liability issue that all the banks claim to have, Citi let me down, Chase didn't.

 

So now I just pull out my World Elite MC and visa sig from them... almost never, just SD and put a monthly charge on each to keep active because of limits and aaoa.

 

Just my opinion about what I think about Citi bank.



Barclays Uber - 4% Restaurants, 2% Online Purchases/Everyday Card || PenFed Cash - 5% Gas || Amazon Visa Signature - 5% Amazon || U.S. Bank Cash+ - 5% Utilities, 5% Cable/Internet || AMEX BCP - 6% Groceries || WF Cash - Cell Insurance || Rotating 5% Categories - Chase Freedom, Discover It, Citi Dividend || AMEX Zync - For Fun!

Message 5 of 29
FinStar
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.


@longtimelurker wrote:

@youngandcreditwrthy wrote:
I'd skip Chitibank as I've not had one single great, good, or even decent experience with them- although i'm lovin' my 18 mos 0% on Diamond pref'd.

What are your scores? Aaoa? Util?
If you have 670-680+, I'd say just go for the BCE. It's a fabulous card!

If you are eligible for the Forward, this is a card worth having.  And, as always, go for the BCP rather than BCE.   But neither BCP nor BCE is really "fabulous" in terms of total rewards


LMAO +1

Message 6 of 29
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

So you don't like BCE/BCP ey FinStar?
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 7 of 29
youngandcreditwrthy
Senior Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

Longtime lurker, you have a $34k BCP!
And you say it sucks!
Hypocrit... Whaaaaaaaa? Lmao. -.-
Marriott PR$25k | BCE $24.5K |BankAmericard Visa $25k| BOA Better Bal $17.5k |Wmt Discover $12.5k | BR Visa $17.5k | Amex Delta Gold $10k | Discover IT $10k | Paypal Extras MC $15k | Amazon Store $10k|Smile Gen $7.25k | Dillard's $10k | West Elm $4k| Express $3.05K | Mypoints.com Visa $4.5k | Freedom Visa $1k| Amex Surpass $1k
Message 8 of 29
12njoy
Super Contributor

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

+1

(Formerly known as: Credit is my hobby/TCL objective)
___________ 12Njoy
FICO - EX 810; EQ 797; TU 804 I'm climbing back to 800+
Message 9 of 29
Sorainzo
Valued Member

Re: Best strategical move for AMEX and Citicards.

Lol, I just want to know which of those options are best. I'm trying to get an AMEX card and the BCE is the best one overall to me (good rewards with NO annual fee). I got a credit card back in 2009, but I've had student loans and checkings and savings accounts back in 2005. I like Citibank, they've been pretty good before and want that Forward card as well, so that's why I want another card by them. I don't really have a "main" card, I have 2 credit cards already, but want another 2 (particularly CitiForward and BCE).

 

I'm just trying to see if applying for the AMEXs first would affect Citibank's decision in approving the CitiForward app as much as it would the other way around. I heard something about soft pulls with AMEX within a month if it doesn't approve and that Citibank doesn't like too many inquiries or something.


Starting Score: 597
Current Score: 694
Goal Score: 710

Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
My Current Cards: Capital One Cash Rewards - $5000, Chase Amazon Rewards - $1400, Citi Secured - $300, U.S. Bank Secured - $300, Firestone CFNA Card - $1200
Message 10 of 29
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