@Anonymous wrote:Hi all!! So I recently opened 2 Capital One accounts -- Plaitnum $500 and QS1 $500 and am enrolled in Credit Steps. I am told that by my 6th month each card will go up to $750 with responsible use and on time payments. However, Ive seen MANY people here on the program get INSANE increases even 3 months in, or at the 6 month mark. Some as high as a $4000 CLI on a $1000 limit!! Now, here's the thing -- in 2 weeks i;ve already charged each card up to 75%, and PIF on one already, and paid the other down to 15% UTIL. I will leave those until statement cuts, then do that monthly -- high usage, high payments. I'm told this is what triggers a larger CLI (even a senior CSR stated this from the EO!).
I'd like to see other's experiences with the STEPS program. What was your initial CL? How did you use the card? what and WHEN was your first CLI ? Was it bigger than expected ? As a side note, my scores are rising daily -- TU 606 EQ (my lowest always!) 573 and EX 622, all up from low 500's just months ago! Overall UTIL on all my cards is ~ 57% (0% APR offers!! APPLE Financing mainly). Please chime in ! I'd love to see where you all stood and now stand, and any advice on getting that big CLI is much appreicated!!
Well, Capital One is an enigma wrapped in a mystery these days, at least when it comes to predicting their actions...
Up until a few weeks ago, folks would have advised you to do exactly what you're already doing, and not to bother with asking for a CLI until at least six months.
However, there have been people here in the last week who have a Platinum or QS1, with limits similar to yours, who requested a CLI using the online request button after only a few months, and it was granted. There have been other folks with your cards who reportedly tried the same, and just got a letter telling them it was too early. Since it's only a SP, there's certainly no harm in trying, and there's no 'penalty' if they say no, either.
Also, I've read that a CLI (granted or denied) shouldn't impact your credit steps increase, but I don't have any personal experience with that specifically, so you might want to wait for some others to chime-in regarding that.
I've got an 8-year old QS1 that started out as a lowly Orchard Bank Mastercard, with a $300 limit. My first CLI was only $20 (!), but the CL is now up to $2920, with most of the significant CLIs over the last two years. Using it as a building block, I was eventually able to get better cards, a couple of them with limits of $7K, and it helped me to be able to get 'back in' with Amex, something I didn't think would ever be possible.
Hang in there with it, and it'll definitely pay off! 
Edit: fixed typo
@Anonymous wrote:I got a 4k increase once credit steps completed. I did not ask for a CLI ever, I let credit steps run its course. My SL was 1k, I used that card VERY heavy every month and made large payments (I also let a balance report each month).
+1
I did the same, and also allowed a balance to report. For a while it was literally my only major bank card, and I would max it out then pay it off, then max it out again (rinse and repeat...)
I was not particular about how much I actually allowed to report, so some months my statement would close with the card 'maxed out', and other months would show the account PIF. Had I been monitoring my FICO I would have likely seen an impact, but at that time I was more concerned with getting cash rewards than a FICO score. 
Most folks agree that allowing 10%-30% shouldn't be too problematic with your score, so even though I didn't always hold to that, I'll pass the data-point on to you here.