Help......Any suggestions?

[flashevo]

Hello everyone.  I'm not new to the forum however new to posting.  I have been a lurker for a while.  I hope everyone has had a safe and exciting holiday so far.

In any event, the reason for my post is to see what I should do or which route I can actually go.
Below are a listing of my current credit accounts which includes some AU accounts.  I'm trying to figure out if it would be a terrible to check out some of the prime banks to attempt to get some cards. 

Most of my history and utilization % is because of having the AU accounts.  I never have a problem trying to get auto loans with low rates but I have never even attempted applying with a prime bank for a credit card.
I might have the credit card names wrong or might be off a few on the limit amounts but I will be close (currently not at home). 


Chase Freedom (AU) - 12,000 limit  balance = $28

Chase Sapphire Preferred (AU) - 24,000 limit  balance = $0

Chase (AU) - 10,000 limit balance = $552.15      ( I can't remember which card this is)

Citibank Dividend (AU) - 12,000 limit  balance = $125

Cap One Venture (AU) 8,800 limit  balance = $80

Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage Visa (AU) - 11,000 limit balance = $0

Credit One Bank - $500 limit  balance =  $31 (no missed payments; 6 months old)

Capital One Secured - $600 limit balance = $40 (almost 2 years old ; one late payment when I was out of the country for about a month forgot to make a payment..They wont remove it)

Wells Fargo Secured - $500 limit balance = $0  (6 months old) no missed payments

BMW Financial Car Loan - balance 50k (no missed payments; 4 months old)

I do have quite a few inquires in August because of when I got my new car.  Went to different dealers but all inquires (10) were in a two week period.

First Premier CO from 2009 (was trying to help ex out and she never paid the bills).I didn't start checking my report until now.

LVNV Funding for some account that I don't recall ever having.

Long story short, I'm the only one who uses the Freedom card and pay in full usually each month.

I also have multiple car loans (4 ) that have been paid off on my CR also.

Oldest account is 15 years and 4 months

AAOA is 8 years

Util % = 1.08% (if my calculations are correct)

Current TU score is 719 (when I checked last month)

Annual Salary - 108k (been on the same job for 3 years ; previous one 7)

Supplemental Income - 38k annually

I would like to get my own credit cards, think I would have any success with any of the prime lenders?  

Thanks for taking the time for reading my post..

[nicholasyud]

do you have your eq fico score ???

Any baddie ??? Your change pretty high but we need some more info......

What card you current looking for ? CAsh back ?? miles ?? ....etc.........i would write down 10 CC i want the most. Then reduce to 5. Get them all at same time then garden.

[flashevo]

My eq score is 707 and the report is the same. I don't recall any extra items. I would say everything is the same minus the score slightly being different for some reason.

As far as what cards I would want, something with some kind of rewards. My biggest worry was most of my CC accounts is where I'm an au on my parents cards and all of my cards are <600. I know this has a positive affect to my actual Fico scores however might not for an approval. I didn't want to waste a HP if it isn't likely I will get approved with kind of decent limit.

I don't think I noted it about but all of the accounts with au next too it are the ones that I'm an au.

Thanks.

[flashevo]

Excuse the typos...posted from my cell, lol...

[jsickz32]

How long you been an AU on those cards?

[lithium78]

From your income and financial situation, I would recommend getting help from a better source than an internet board.  You should talk with your financial planner and get his expert advice.

[jamesdwi]

Quickest way to get decent spending power would be an AMEX charge card, Gold Prefered usually has the Annual fee waived for the first year. and you should be good for NPSL giving you the spending power you need. If you applied for other prime lenders, they may ignore your AU accounts when calculating your credit limit on cards putting you in the the $1k range for your starting limit giving you a card that is basicly useless unless you are making weekly or daily payments and will take a long time to grow. 

After a few months with AMEX you can apply for one of there revolvers after you have established your internal score with them and proven you can spend and payback on your own cards to justify a decent CL, and your app will only be a soft pull on your credit. 

Add more funds to the secured cards to increase there limits to improve your starting CL's on cards you get in the future. $500 limit on a secured card with a 100k plus income will look wierd during manual reviews. If you can't get them to at least 2-5k because of a card limit close it after you have establashed credit with a prime lender or two, keeping at least 3 cards open for best credit score. 

[flashevo]

I have been an au on all of those cards for years, maybe since I have been 19 or so.

Thanks for the advice. I could add money to the two secured cards as that isn't an issue. Thanks for all the suggestions. Honestly don't mind even getting a small limit, I really just want to get my foot in the door as I understand you have to start somewhere.

Thanks again.

[Creditaddict]

I don't know why one of the posters said you should talk to a financial planner and not come here!! (I may have missed something, but not sure what you would need a planner for right now for next credit steps)

The BMW is your name only or Joint?

You currently have 2 Capital One cards in your name only and the others are just AU?

I agree completely with Amex Charge - Gold would be my choice, downgrade next year if you can't justify the AF since it's free for 1 year.

next I would do the Pre-Approval that recently became available on Chase - Go to credit cards and you should see check pre-approval down on the left... I think it's a firm offer if you get it, just won't know limit right away.

How about a store card - Walmart, Gap, something rather - walmart would give you TU Fico each month as part of it and you can get CLI very often if you treat it well and you keep other things moving in right direction on credit.

finally you financed a BMW, did they offer you the BMW Credit Card or have you thought about applying? I would think that would be an approval! but the rewards are TERRIBLE - however I can't imagine your Capital One cards being a dream of rewards with $500 limit.  If you have a multi-year old cap1 and it's not growing or unsecuring or what not, I would CLOSE - send e-mail to presidents office saying before you close both your accounts, you thought you would check with them if they can give you a reason to stay with them, like combing the cards and giving you one $5k line! they can counter or not and move on.

[flashevo]

Thanks for the reply.  The bmw loan is in my name.  I have never used a co signer for an auto loan and always got good rates.  I never thought about the Amex card either.   If I got added as an AU under Amex, would that help my chances?  The cap one card (my personal one) I got to start trying to build my own credit as most scores was always populated based on my auto loans and/or AU accounts.

Could I have a chance of being approved for maybe lets say a Chase freedom?  

Once again, thanks for taking the time to read and reply.