How Long Between Sprees?

[Anonymous]

Do you wait 6 months between app sprees? A year? Longer?

Also if you had a couple of low limit cards you wanted to close, would you close them then spree or spree first then close them?

[FocusedAndDetermined]

At least 6mos seems to be the consensus, but it depends on you circumstances.  How thick/thin is your file?  What is you're AAoA?  It also depends on the lender(s) you're interested in, some are more new acct/inq sensitive than others - Barclays comes to mind.

As for the low limit card, is it one of you're oldest?

[elim]

sit tight for 6 months and see "where you are/what you need"... one spree is enough IMO. 

in 6 months you may want a sign-up bonus on a travel card (or two), then in 3 months you may want a high limit,  low APR revolver... you just never know what a few months may bring and if you do a second spree you are stuck in the garden again for 6 months to a year (depending how far overboard you app'd)

i would let unwanted cards age 2 years before closing (although i have closed cards in 1 to move limits to others)

[Anonymous]

One "spree" is usually more than enough.  Then you can be a little more picky if you're not one of those types that applies for something because it's there.  

[sobeone1]

ive been on a year long app spree. Now that some of my HP's are over 1 year I probably cant keep going.

[NRB525]

OP, a "spree" can mean different things to different people. I would consider two cards apped on the same day as pushing it. Others have done 6 or more, including insta-denials in a day, which makes no sense to me.

What are the cards in your wallet already? How many are store cards vs real cards? What are the objectives with getting the cards? Do you have a plan for which cards you want for the long term, or are you churning for bonuses? Speaking of bonuses, how do the bonus spend requirements fit with your budgeting? So many things to think about while gardening and planning the next card!

[JSS3]

My suggestion:

if your "spree" consists of getting 2 cards, then you can wait 3-4 months and app again for 2-3 more cards.

If your "spree" consists of getting 10 or more cards within 6 months....garden for a year. 

[Chaselover]

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@Anonymous wrote:
Do you wait 6 months between app sprees? A year? Longer?

Also if you had a couple of low limit cards you wanted to close, would you close them then spree or spree first then close them?

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I go with the 91 day rule and add atmost 2 INQ. However, if I see a good offer in between the 91 days, I try to app for that. The only one who is not happy with this kind is the Barclays. If you are aiming at the barclays, wait atleast 6 months. 

I was a believer of big sprees but when the minimum spending comes, it can be difficult to meet them and pay them off, especially when ur PIF. 

Spree first and then close. Because there are lenders who look at the total amount of credit available to you and make their decision on that also. 

[Anonymous]

I have a prequal offer for a USAA WEMC I'm going to take after I (hopefully) close on my house in 3 weeks. I have a few cards now that I like.

Then going to close my $500 Cap One that I've had for 14 years that will not grow and close the $750 VS that I never use.

Then going to wait for a year and app a few that I want (NFCU Flagship, Chase Disney, SPG, Amex Green).

No crazy plans. Just wanted to see what people generally do. Thanks for comments.

[NRB525]

Sounds like a good plan.

Is there an AF on the $500 CapOne? If not, having that hang out there both for account aging and keeping a toe in the door with CapOne is a good way to go.

Small limit cards are not bad cards just because of the small limit, it takes some other negative feature to make them bad cards, like an AF.