Long time no see..Card Question [ update, got Amex BCE but still have questions]

[Chickenpotpie]

So I finally got my credit to where I'm happy. Its not 800 happy but its good enough for now.

So a little history

Last month did a hard pull for a car (yay!)  got approved with a 752 score.  Prior to that, got the Amazon Visa card about a year ago and cultivated that to 9k, that was not me asking for CLI they gave them to me. I have a Cap one cash back card that just CLI to 2.5k  (took a long time to get there it seems though)  Just got rid of a starter card that had a  which was homestead but flipped to cap one. They wouldn't up the CLI just lower the rate, and seriously it had a 95dollar yearly fee!  I never use it anymore so no big loss, I told them to just go ahead and close it.   I have paypal credit also that is now up to 1750.

So I've been very conservative, and don't really use the cards much except for the Amazon Visa.  I like the card and I do shop on Amazon a lot!  Paypal I use for larger online purchases that I can combine with Ebates, which usually happens 2 times a year so I can take advantage of the  6 month zero interest.  But  since I got rid of the starter card, I'm in the market for another card mainly for utilization purposes.  I'm getting loads of offers but frankly I'm not sure what to take. Citi keeps sending offers  for different cards, last one was for their Simplicity card but offered but with super bad rates...like 18...yuck.   Amex constantly sends me offers for Everyday and blue cash at 12% rate.   Oh, I also got a BoA offer that I believe was about 12% Rate as well.

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

Any help or insight would be great!

[Anonymous]

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

So I finally got my credit to where I'm happy. Its not 800 happy but its good enough for now.

So a little history

Last month did a hard pull for a car (yay!)  got approved with a 752 score.  Prior to that, got the Amazon Visa card about a year ago and cultivated that to 9k, that was not me asking for CLI they gave them to me. I have a Cap one cash back card that just CLI to 2.5k  (took a long time to get there it seems though)  Just got rid of a starter card that had a  which was homestead but flipped to cap one. They wouldn't up the CLI just lower the rate, and seriously it had a 95dollar yearly fee!  I never use it anymore so no big loss, I told them to just go ahead and close it.   I have paypal credit also that is now up to 1750.

So I've been very conservative, and don't really use the cards much except for the Amazon Visa.  I like the card and I do shop on Amazon a lot!  Paypal I use for larger online purchases that I can combine with Ebates, which usually happens 2 times a year so I can take advantage of the  6 month zero interest.  But  since I got rid of the starter card, I'm in the market for another card mainly for utilization purposes.  I'm getting loads of offers but frankly I'm not sure what to take. Citi keeps sending offers  for different cards, last one was for their Simplicity card but offered but with super bad rates...like 18...yuck.   Amex constantly sends me offers for Everyday and blue cash at 12% rate.   Oh, I also got a BoA offer that I believe was about 12% Rate as well.

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

Any help or insight would be great!

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If you are getting a new card mostly for utilization purposes, I would go with Amex because you can ask for a 3x CLI early on and end up with a fairly high credit limit.  Discover is also a great card to get right now because of its rewards, but if as you say you are not going to use the card much this may not be in your best interest.   Another high limit card is Capital One's Venture card, but they will do a triple pull when they check your credit.   

[Chickenpotpie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

So I finally got my credit to where I'm happy. Its not 800 happy but its good enough for now.

So a little history

Last month did a hard pull for a car (yay!)  got approved with a 752 score.  Prior to that, got the Amazon Visa card about a year ago and cultivated that to 9k, that was not me asking for CLI they gave them to me. I have a Cap one cash back card that just CLI to 2.5k  (took a long time to get there it seems though)  Just got rid of a starter card that had a  which was homestead but flipped to cap one. They wouldn't up the CLI just lower the rate, and seriously it had a 95dollar yearly fee!  I never use it anymore so no big loss, I told them to just go ahead and close it.   I have paypal credit also that is now up to 1750.

So I've been very conservative, and don't really use the cards much except for the Amazon Visa.  I like the card and I do shop on Amazon a lot!  Paypal I use for larger online purchases that I can combine with Ebates, which usually happens 2 times a year so I can take advantage of the  6 month zero interest.  But  since I got rid of the starter card, I'm in the market for another card mainly for utilization purposes.  I'm getting loads of offers but frankly I'm not sure what to take. Citi keeps sending offers  for different cards, last one was for their Simplicity card but offered but with super bad rates...like 18...yuck.   Amex constantly sends me offers for Everyday and blue cash at 12% rate.   Oh, I also got a BoA offer that I believe was about 12% Rate as well.

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

Any help or insight would be great!

---

If you are getting a new card mostly for utilization purposes, I would go with Amex because you can ask for a 3x CLI early on and end up with a fairly high credit limit.  Discover is also a great card to get right now because of its rewards, but if as you say you are not going to use the card much this may not be in your best interest.   Another high limit card is Capital One's Venture card, but they will do a triple pull when they check your credit.   

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Thanks for answering.

I've heard a few weird things about Discover which is why I didn't even consider them.  With Cap One I did consider Venture Card, but I have a Platinum Mastercard with cashback.  Would I be able to transfer to that or not?  and, is it really any better than the cash back card? (I was going to ask for a decrease of the rate to see what I can get)  I always found it weird that they give me the hardest time with CLI.  I remember asking once and was told no because I didn't have a balance on the card.  I let them come organically after that.  The fact they also triple pull on credit gives me pause too.  Ugh, thats kinda silly!

Of the 2 amex cards should I go with Everyday or blue?

[Anonymous]

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

So I finally got my credit to where I'm happy. Its not 800 happy but its good enough for now.

So a little history

Last month did a hard pull for a car (yay!)  got approved with a 752 score.  Prior to that, got the Amazon Visa card about a year ago and cultivated that to 9k, that was not me asking for CLI they gave them to me. I have a Cap one cash back card that just CLI to 2.5k  (took a long time to get there it seems though)  Just got rid of a starter card that had a  which was homestead but flipped to cap one. They wouldn't up the CLI just lower the rate, and seriously it had a 95dollar yearly fee!  I never use it anymore so no big loss, I told them to just go ahead and close it.   I have paypal credit also that is now up to 1750.

So I've been very conservative, and don't really use the cards much except for the Amazon Visa.  I like the card and I do shop on Amazon a lot!  Paypal I use for larger online purchases that I can combine with Ebates, which usually happens 2 times a year so I can take advantage of the  6 month zero interest.  But  since I got rid of the starter card, I'm in the market for another card mainly for utilization purposes.  I'm getting loads of offers but frankly I'm not sure what to take. Citi keeps sending offers  for different cards, last one was for their Simplicity card but offered but with super bad rates...like 18...yuck.   Amex constantly sends me offers for Everyday and blue cash at 12% rate.   Oh, I also got a BoA offer that I believe was about 12% Rate as well.

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

Any help or insight would be great!

---

If you are getting a new card mostly for utilization purposes, I would go with Amex because you can ask for a 3x CLI early on and end up with a fairly high credit limit.  Discover is also a great card to get right now because of its rewards, but if as you say you are not going to use the card much this may not be in your best interest.   Another high limit card is Capital One's Venture card, but they will do a triple pull when they check your credit.   

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Thanks for answering.

I've heard a few weird things about Discover which is why I didn't even consider them.  With Cap One I did consider Venture Card, but I have a Platinum Mastercard with cashback.  Would I be able to transfer to that or not?  and, is it really any better than the cash back card? (I was going to ask for a decrease of the rate to see what I can get)  I always found it weird that they give me the hardest time with CLI.  I remember asking once and was told no because I didn't have a balance on the card.  I let them come organically after that.  The fact they also triple pull on credit gives me pause too.  Ugh, thats kinda silly!

Of the 2 amex cards should I go with Everyday or blue?

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Depends on whether you want another cash back card (Blue) or points (Everyday)  If you plan on travelling  and/or renting cars I'd go with  Everyday.  If you want a backup cash back card, go with Blue.  There are some good discussions on these boards about the merits of both cards and whether cash back is better than points or vice versa.   You can also just go directly to  Amex's site and examine both cards, or to a third party like  Credit Karma, which also rates CC's.  Really depends on how you plan to use the card.  

[Chickenpotpie]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

So I finally got my credit to where I'm happy. Its not 800 happy but its good enough for now.

So a little history

Last month did a hard pull for a car (yay!)  got approved with a 752 score.  Prior to that, got the Amazon Visa card about a year ago and cultivated that to 9k, that was not me asking for CLI they gave them to me. I have a Cap one cash back card that just CLI to 2.5k  (took a long time to get there it seems though)  Just got rid of a starter card that had a  which was homestead but flipped to cap one. They wouldn't up the CLI just lower the rate, and seriously it had a 95dollar yearly fee!  I never use it anymore so no big loss, I told them to just go ahead and close it.   I have paypal credit also that is now up to 1750.

So I've been very conservative, and don't really use the cards much except for the Amazon Visa.  I like the card and I do shop on Amazon a lot!  Paypal I use for larger online purchases that I can combine with Ebates, which usually happens 2 times a year so I can take advantage of the  6 month zero interest.  But  since I got rid of the starter card, I'm in the market for another card mainly for utilization purposes.  I'm getting loads of offers but frankly I'm not sure what to take. Citi keeps sending offers  for different cards, last one was for their Simplicity card but offered but with super bad rates...like 18...yuck.   Amex constantly sends me offers for Everyday and blue cash at 12% rate.   Oh, I also got a BoA offer that I believe was about 12% Rate as well.

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

Any help or insight would be great!

---

If you are getting a new card mostly for utilization purposes, I would go with Amex because you can ask for a 3x CLI early on and end up with a fairly high credit limit.  Discover is also a great card to get right now because of its rewards, but if as you say you are not going to use the card much this may not be in your best interest.   Another high limit card is Capital One's Venture card, but they will do a triple pull when they check your credit.   

---

Thanks for answering.

I've heard a few weird things about Discover which is why I didn't even consider them.  With Cap One I did consider Venture Card, but I have a Platinum Mastercard with cashback.  Would I be able to transfer to that or not?  and, is it really any better than the cash back card? (I was going to ask for a decrease of the rate to see what I can get)  I always found it weird that they give me the hardest time with CLI.  I remember asking once and was told no because I didn't have a balance on the card.  I let them come organically after that.  The fact they also triple pull on credit gives me pause too.  Ugh, thats kinda silly!

Of the 2 amex cards should I go with Everyday or blue?

---

Depends on whether you want another cash back card (Blue) or points (Everyday)  If you plan on travelling  and/or renting cars I'd go with  Everyday.  If you want a backup cash back card, go with Blue.  There are some good discussions on these boards about the merits of both cards and whether cash back is better than points or vice versa.   You can also just go directly to  Amex's site and examine both cards, or to a third party like  Credit Karma, which also rates CC's.  Really depends on how you plan to use the card.  

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Ok so I ended up with Amex BCE.  surprised by the low limit though (3K)   should I just hold on that or ask for a CLI?  CLI's is a bit of uncharted territory so really interested in what to do here.

[-Cain-]

Ask for CLI, should be able to ask at activation from what I gather

[Chickenpotpie]

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@-Cain- wrote:

Ask for CLI, should be able to ask at activation from what I gather

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is that another hard pull?

[-Cain-]

AmEx CLIs should be SP.

[Chickenpotpie]

Thanks, your help is very appreciated!

[takeshi74]

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

Ok so I ended up with Amex BCE.  surprised by the low limit though (3K)   should I just hold on that or ask for a CLI?  CLI's is a bit of uncharted territory so really interested in what to do here.

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Limits are based on what your credit and income qualify for with a given creditor.  Your call on the CLI.  If you have not already then read the 3x CLI Guide.  It should be linked in the stickies in this subforum.  If not you can easily Google it.

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@Chickenpotpie wrote:

So whats worth getting at this time?  I only want and need one but I'm pretty confused as to which one to get!

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Others helped you out with this but worth is always highly subjective and you have to tell us what you're specifically looking for from a card.  If this was a universal matter then we wouldn't need the discussion forum and could just refer to a list of cards.  Needs/wants/priorities/spend/preferences etc all vary so cards are not one-size-fits-all.

Utilization is a tricky criterion becase we have no idea what limits you stand to receive from any creditor.  Rewards are a bit more clear cut in that you should know where your spend goes and how much is in each category so you can use that info to do the math to determine what would benefit you the most.  It does get a bit trickier with point/miles cards as the value of the rewards can be impacted by the redemption process so you have to do some more research into the different rewards programs to see which ones you can make the best use of.

We also can't determine the APR that you'd qualify for but APR should be a lower concern as you really should be paying all cards in full.