Help choosing new card with no FTF?

tomato7 · ‎09-18-2013

Hello, hope this is the correct place. I am helping someone choose a new card to apply for and looking for suggestions. The problem is a thin credit history: 1 amex card, 6 years old with perfect payment. But also a collections a few years ago. The new card must have no foreign trans fee as it will be used abroad (Europe). EMV chip would be nice, but not essential. Advice?

myjourney · ‎09-18-2013

Discover...Cap1 ...CSP

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?

enharu · ‎09-18-2013

Any cap1 or discover card. There's no FTF in any of their cards.

JPMorgan Palladium (100k), AmEx Platinum (NPSL), AmEx SPG (46k), AmEx BCP (42k), Chase Sapphire Preferred (47k), Citi Prestige (31k), Citi Thank You Preferred (27k), Citi Executive AAdvantage (25k), JPMorgan Ritz-Carlton (21k), Merrill+ (15k), US Bank Cash+ (22.5k), Wells Fargo (12k), Bloomingdale’s (12.4k), Chase Freedom (5k), Discover IT (5k).

yellowcake · ‎09-18-2013

I read on this forum that Discover isn't accepted in many places in Europe, though.

L-TWT · ‎09-18-2013

@yellowcake wrote:
I read on this forum that Discover isn't accepted in many places in Europe, though.

correction, now in the majority of european countries discover can be used via the diners network

tomato7 · ‎09-18-2013

I have the Discover IT and was severely disappointed in how few places it was accepted in Europe.

But back to the original question, would that limited history be accepted for something like the CSP? Or what would be an easier card to get?

myjourney · ‎09-18-2013

@tomato7 wrote:
I have the Discover IT and was severely disappointed in how few places it was accepted in Europe.

But back to the original question, would that limited history be accepted for something like the CSP? Or what would be an easier card to get?

Cap1 would be easiest CSP will require other TL's reporting at least a 5K limt with a year of history

Before you app think...
Have you done your research of the CC?
Does it fit your spending?
Do you have a plan for the bonus w/o going into debt?
Can you afford the AF?
Do you know the cards benefits? Is it worth the HP?

mikka1 · ‎09-18-2013

BofA Travel Rewards. Don't really know why but it is often forgotten about.

No FTF. No AF. EMV chip by default. ~1.5% cashback (if a form of "travel credit") on everything. Why look for something else? :-)

I personally rate this card on par with CSP and the only thing preventing me from using mine extensively is my relative low limit with BofA and persistent unwillingness of latter to reconsider it...

In my wallet now: ~~Amex PRG NPSL~~, Amex BCE ~~$15k~~ $17k (thanks to recent CLI), Chase Freedom 11k, CSP $6k, Chase United ME $5k, Citi Dividend $5.6k, Discover It $4.5k and a handful of other cards...
TU Dec 2013 - 752~~Sep 2013 - 764 - new all time maximum~~
Obsolete data aboveCurrent TU - probably around ~810, only using a few Chase & BofA cards now, not applying for much until we buy a house

nenuco · ‎09-18-2013

I recently traveled to France/ Italy and it was extremely difficult to find merchants that excepted Discover. I also travel recently to S. America and it is the same case. Discover is a awesome card for the U.S. If you are looking for a card with no FTF as well as an EMV chip, BoA currently offers a travel card with no AF that meet both requirements. Cap 1 ATM does not offer EMV, and most if not all of Chase's cards that have not FTF have an AF. Good Luck!

Full on Garden Mode (•‿•)

longtimelurker · ‎09-18-2013

@L-TWT wrote:
@yellowcake wrote:
I read on this forum that Discover isn't accepted in many places in Europe, though.
correction, now in the majority of european countries discover can be used via the diners network

As in "discover can be used via the extensive diners network"? Still doesn't compare to V/MC