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Help me pick a better rewards card!

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Help me pick a better rewards card!

Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!
Message 1 of 26
25 REPLIES 25
L-TWT
Established Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

1st let me say welcome to the forumsSmiley Wink

What kind of rewards r u interested in? cash back or points? And based upon your credit score, sky is the limit if u do not have any negatives on your report and AAOA is good. I also have a Citi Dividend card that I'm disappointed with, but I was enformed VIA some1 in CitiCard marketing Dept. that there r some good changes coming to the Dividend card in the early part of 2013, so i would just be patient.

 


Message 2 of 26
ccnewcc
Established Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@L-TWT wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

1st let me say welcome to the forumsSmiley Wink

What kind of rewards r u interested in? cash back or points? And based upon your credit score, sky is the limit if u do not have any negatives on your report and AAOA is good. I also have a Citi Dividend card that I'm disappointed with, but I was enformed VIA some1 in CitiCard marketing Dept. that there r some good changes coming to the Dividend card in the early part of 2013, so i would just be patient.

 


Intresting.  What sort of changes?  Any details?

Message 3 of 26
ccnewcc
Established Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

Im not sure how the whole income sort of stuff works.  Like individual or houshold income. 

 

But if you are living off your loans, couldn't that count as income?  How do you pay rent, food etc?  If the answer is thru your student loans, then maybe that is classified as income, idk.  Do you have any stipends?

 

Anyways, as far as cards, it would depend on what sort of rewards you want.  If you like Cash Back, Chase Freedom is good one.

Message 4 of 26
L-TWT
Established Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@ccnewcc wrote:

@L-TWT wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

1st let me say welcome to the forumsSmiley Wink

What kind of rewards r u interested in? cash back or points? And based upon your credit score, sky is the limit if u do not have any negatives on your report and AAOA is good. I also have a Citi Dividend card that I'm disappointed with, but I was enformed VIA some1 in CitiCard marketing Dept. that there r some good changes coming to the Dividend card in the early part of 2013, so i would just be patient.

 


Intresting.  What sort of changes?  Any details?


I wish i knew, b/c if i did, u guys would b the 1st to find out, 4 I can't keep a secret!Smiley Embarassed


Message 5 of 26
slippy84
Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@L-TWT wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

1st let me say welcome to the forumsSmiley Wink

What kind of rewards r u interested in? cash back or points? And based upon your credit score, sky is the limit if u do not have any negatives on your report and AAOA is good. I also have a Citi Dividend card that I'm disappointed with, but I was enformed VIA some1 in CitiCard marketing Dept. that there r some good changes coming to the Dividend card in the early part of 2013, so i would just be patient.

 


 

First off, the forums didn't seem to like my old username and made me pick a new one! Oh well

 

Thanks for the reply! I am most interested in cash back rather than gift cards, plane tickets, etc. but would be fine with anything TBH

 

I don't have any negatives. My AAoA is 3 years 6 months.

 

Definitely hoping Citi makes their rewards more attractive. Since I've had my card, it has become even less attractive by only cutting checks in $50 increments

US Bank Cash+ -- Chase Freedom -- Citi Dividend -- Citi Double Cash -- AMEX BCE -- Discover It
Message 6 of 26
slippy84
Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@ccnewcc wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

Im not sure how the whole income sort of stuff works.  Like individual or houshold income. 

 

But if you are living off your loans, couldn't that count as income?  How do you pay rent, food etc?  If the answer is thru your student loans, then maybe that is classified as income, idk.  Do you have any stipends?

 

Anyways, as far as cards, it would depend on what sort of rewards you want.  If you like Cash Back, Chase Freedom is good one.


I hope so! Yeah, the federal goverment sends my school all of the money, my school takes out their chunk for tuition and fees, then cuts me a check for the rest of the money which I then use for my living expenses.

 

For example, I just checked out the Chase Freedom application. Under "Source of Income" there's an option for "Student: Medical/Law" which is what I'd pick. For the Gross Annual Income section it says "Income you can use to repay your debts". In my situation, I think that the most accurate estimate is about $24k (this is how much extra beyond tuition my school sends me each year to live off of).

Thanks for the Chase Freedom suggestion. It looks like it has some advantages over my current card, and I would definitely be likely to use some of their 5% cashback categories!

 

I've also been looking at the US Bank Cash+ card. I have a checking and savings account through US Bank. However, I have read that you need to be approved for a minimum CL of $5k and sometimes US Bank is pretty conservative. Does anyone have a guess about if I'd get approved for that card, or if they'd instead give me one of their cards with lower rewards?

US Bank Cash+ -- Chase Freedom -- Citi Dividend -- Citi Double Cash -- AMEX BCE -- Discover It
Message 7 of 26
loviedovie
Regular Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!

I just met with my branch manager at Citi to ask her about applying for a CC with my only current "income" being federal student loans (also a full time grad student) and she said they absolutely count that as income. 

 

Not sure if this is just Citi or industry standard but good luck to you. Smiley Happy

Starting Score: 580
Current Score: 754
Goal Score: 800


Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Message 8 of 26
loviedovie
Regular Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!

Oh and just as an FYI- I just read your last post about listing your income as 24k. This is pretty low. 

The branch manager herself filled out my app on her computer and when I told her I was living on federal loans she asked me what the total amount was per year- 60k. 

She listed that as my income and said I would be fine.

 

(I will hear back in 2 weeks whether I got the card, but since I've been banking with them for 15 years she thinks it is a formality, and your scores are higher than mine so it might be easier even for you.)

 

So think about it. I don't know a lot about how they determine limits but income I believe is a factor so if you can go with the pre-tuition amount, I would do it. 

Starting Score: 580
Current Score: 754
Goal Score: 800


Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge
Message 9 of 26
L-TWT
Established Contributor

Re: Help me pick a better rewards card!


@slippy84 wrote:

@L-TWT wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:
Hello everyone, I'm interested in finding a better rewards credit card than the one I currently have. I don't know if I can get a better one or not but I figured someone would be able to help me out. I'm currently using a Citi Dividend Platinum Select card that I got over 3 years ago. My credit limit is $6k. I don't like how you need to redeem the cashback in increments of $50, and the categories they offer for increased cashback % are rarely things I use. That is my only card that I personally have, but I am an authorized user on 2 credit cards my dad has. The credit limits on those cards are high (22.5k and 30k). The big downside is that I don't have a job! I'm a full time grad student living on student loans. My credit score through Equifax is 760. So is there anything that I can apply for? Or should I stick with what I've got already? Thanks a bunch! Merry Christmas!

1st let me say welcome to the forumsSmiley Wink

What kind of rewards r u interested in? cash back or points? And based upon your credit score, sky is the limit if u do not have any negatives on your report and AAOA is good. I also have a Citi Dividend card that I'm disappointed with, but I was enformed VIA some1 in CitiCard marketing Dept. that there r some good changes coming to the Dividend card in the early part of 2013, so i would just be patient.

 


 

First off, the forums didn't seem to like my old username and made me pick a new one! Oh well

 

Thanks for the reply! I am most interested in cash back rather than gift cards, plane tickets, etc. but would be fine with anything TBH

 

I don't have any negatives. My AAoA is 3 years 6 months.

 

Definitely hoping Citi makes their rewards more attractive. Since I've had my card, it has become even less attractive by only cutting checks in $50 increments


What was your initial username? "HoldyourbreathItWillOnlyHurt4aLittle"Smiley LOL

But all jokes aside, I perfer cashback as well, I find CC's which offer points to be not too Str8 forward.

I just opened the Cap1 Cash Rewards Visa Sig....it has a $100 initial sign up bonus, one can redeem cash back any time, 50% anniversary bonus, Perk Central shopping portal (which is good for in-store/online purchase) & the most important factor for me, it has no FTF for international travel. In my opinion, it is a very well rounded card and my credit scores r about the same as yours and they started me off with a LARGE initial CLSmiley Wink


Message 10 of 26
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