Please Help!

[Anonymous]

Hello all,

I've been lurking for a while, and I hope you can help with my situation. I have been wanting to get a rewards credit card for a while and that has turned into wanting multiples. I was denied the Arrival + back in February due to high utility and have been determined to not get denied again. My current utility is under 20% after paying most of an engagement ring and next week I will be under 10, really whatever % will give me the best odds for approvals. I am not sure when the scores will change as I made another ring payment last week. My scores as of today EQ:732  TU: 686 EX:723 

I have a mortgage of nearly 5 years and a low limit ($500) credit union credit card, I did open an account with Zales for $1500. These are my only open revolving accounts.

How should I strategize to get the cards that I want- in order of preference(open to any suggestions on replacements also)?  1)Arrival + or CSP, 2)AMEX Blue Cash Preferred, 3)Discover It, 4)Chase Freedom,5) Citi Double Cash, 5)Potentially Marriot.  I want the best odds for approval and I won't apply until I have a great chance. Should I try for multiples in the same time frame? 

I have always looked for the lowest rates when I travel (Hotwire, Kayak) so I figure Arrival+ might be better then CSP.  Blue cash for groceries, and no fee cards after that. Marriott I'm not really sold on, the free night is a plus...and the metal attraction(I know). I'm not a big spender compared to many here however I do like to travel and future employment will be a lot of gas spending and hotel stays with some flights mixed in(All expenses paid). Thanks for your time and thoughts.

[Anonymous]

You should look into the capital one quicksilver or venture. Barclay's is hard to get once you have been denied once

[CreditCuriosity]

Try all the prequal sites first, but you should easily get an Amex along with most chase cards, barclay's might be tougher with your score, but good chance as well.  Try the prequal sites first, but don't bother trusting the discover's pequal site as it is worthless.  Best of luck

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your input, I prequalified on AMEX but it only shows green, gold, and premier reward gold card. Chase shows the Freedom, and Discover shows the It. Is there a certain order in which I should apply? Should I apply for the Sapphire Preferred or Freedom first and build a relationship. Or best way to group the applications?  Thanks again.

[Ford725]

Make sure you spread your hard pulls across all three CR bureau's when you apply. Some of the companies you're going for can be inquiry sensitive. 

[Anonymous]

As far as the prequals go, I would probably heed their advice. If you didn't prequal for the CSP, I don't think you are highly likely to get approved. When I applied for the AMEX Everyday card, I wasn't pre-qualified and was denied. I later got the card through calling and asking for a manual reconsideration. I think that you have a good chance of getting the freedom if you prequalified for it. I am not sure about AMEX, I was denied with scores higher than yours, although I later obtained it. How long have your other accounts been open? 

As far as applying, you are best to do the applications that you would like to all in one day. This way the banks will not be able to see the inquiries from the other applications you have submitted. Suppose you applied for AMEX today then tomorrow you applied with Chase, Chase would be able to see that the prior day you were looking for credit with AMEX. Did you try the Citi Prequal? It is quite good. Also if you look at the Chase prequal you can click to look at the pricing/terms, this will show you a specific APR. The lower the APR, the better your chances of being approved. Although I haven't seen anyone pre-qual and not get an approval, but it still isn't a guarantee.

Edit: Sorry this post is so scattered. I was spraying cabinets at the paint shop without a respirator today. Apparently conversion varnish does in fact cause brain damage.

[Anonymous]

Apply for the card you want that you are pre qualified for first

[Anonymous]

Thanks, 7 years with my credit union card. Just made another ring payment so utility will be under 10%. I want to wait til my utility is optimal before I start applying, hopefully my score will jump a bit...I've read utility is 30% of your score.

[Anonymous]

It's the TU score that may be hurting you a bit to. Paying off that ring balance is probably going to help as well. Barclay's can be cool with some and not cool with others. But if denied again, call the recon line for sure. The arrival is a nice card but the CSP is no slouch either. I do not have either but my wife does. I was not getting any love from Chase until a few weeks ago and ended up with great limit on a Visa Sig.