Credit Cards

[BlessedHappiness]

I live in CA - What scores does AMEX want for a green charge card? I want to use it to pay my bills, then PIF.  Apped today and they said not yet. My utilization is very high.  Only have 8 months of credit. Perfect payment history.  Grad school student. Never had any other credit.  I moved last year, so I have 7-11 inquiries from opening my checking account, setting up utilities, etc.  

TU - 619 (FICO); EQ-597 (FICO); EX- 673 (FAKO)

I will be paying my cards down to 15% utilization over the next three months then apply.

Visa  $1400 BAL     $1500 CREDIT LINE

MC   $450 BAL       $500 CREDIT LINE

No other loans, baddies, etc.  I always paid cash for everything.  But realized at 35 yrs old, I need to do this now to buy a house in a year or two. 

[CreditAble]

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BlessedHappiness wrote:

 I always paid cash for everything.  But realized at 35 yrs old, I need to do this now to buy a house in a year or two. 

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I personally wouldn't jeopardize my credit future by having anything to do with Amex.

Click HERE for a glimpse of what is in store for you if you deal with a bank that suffers from PMS along with a bad case of Bipolar Disorder.

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[score_building]

Amex is hurting and lashing out at a large number of customers.  with scores well below 700 you'll be little more than an AA toy to them in all likelihood. i'd say consider yourself lucky that you didn't get it this time around unless you like being stalked by a ccc.

[CreditAble]

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score_building wrote:
you'll be little more than an AA toy to them

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"AA toy" 

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[concorduser]

Quite honestly, Amex is more visible, but lot of other companies are taking similar actions. If you are a student they might look at your application differently as they know you have more value to them as customer going forward. My suggestion apply for it and see what they. I think your chances would be high, if you were to bring down your balances to under 10% and then apply for it. Also why do you want to pay AF to Amex with green. You could ask for Blue which comes free of annual fees. Any way, I'll let you decide. I came with Amex long way, I keep my balances very low and I know how Amex reacts so I am aware of it and manage the account with low balances.

[score_building]

my understanding is the OP was already denied.  sorry but with a 619 and sub 600 score (assuming your real EX is in that ball park) you are unlikely to be approved for a student blue, it's just not realistic at all.  YMMV.

[BlessedHappiness]

Thanks for responding.  I don't want the blue.  I want to get a charge in the next six months and I think it's doable.  My scores should be upper 600s by then.  These scores are from today.   I just paid down my cards to 40 percent, so I know I will see a rise.  I just want to know what the average approval score for green charge is.

TU: 620 (FICO)  EQ: 597 (FICO)  EX: 673 (FAKO) probably around 615 or so.  Does not reflect new card balances of 35% Debt-To-Credit Limit ratio yet paid yesterday.

[score_building]

BlessedHappiness wrote:

I will be paying my cards down to 15% utilization over the next three months then apply.

i missed this part.  you could be fine to app a greenie after you get this score bump. 

if there's a difficulty, i think it is more likely to be them than you. unfortunately, i am no longer someone who (in good conscience) would be recommending amex to anyone right now.  and the idea of entering into a mortgage a year or two after apping amex sends shivers down my spine.  i guess by then perhaps things will have changed for the better. 

it may of course work out just fine for you and i hope it does.  i still have two of their cards and they continue to be by far the most high maintenance of the several cards i tote around.  GL!!

[WhirledPeasPlease]

After what I went thru in the earlier referenced thread about Amex Greens, I'd rather just get a nice, boring card from someone else and treat it LIKE a charge card -- PIF and forget about paying them a $95 AF.

[BlessedHappiness]

Thanks you for the advice   My thinking behind it is that because it's actually a charge card, it would improve my credit mix. Do you think it would help?

Thank you.