Recommended Credit Cards

[smkkms78]

I currently have a Discover card, and a BofA Rewards card. All other cards are store credit cards. I want to build on my "real" credit cards, but don't know which are best. I prefer no annual fees and low APR. My score when last checked a month ago is 780. I just applied for the CIti Double Rewards and am honestly rather annoyed I did not get an approval. Not sure why... Maybe 780 isn't good enough for that card. I know there are a ton of factors, but I hate to waste credit inquiries on denials. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Go to Capital One prequalification site and go from there!

[Anonymous]

I'm also surprised you weren't approved for the Double Cash card...where are you getting the 780 from?  Is it the FICO 8 score, and for which bureau?  Usually Citi pulls EX and EQ.  Do you have any other baddies on your credit report?

You can also always try to recon; I would strongly suggest calling and asking for specifics on why you weren't approved.  Have you gotten your denial letter yet?

[Anonymous]

Maybe 780 isn't good enough for that card.

That score is more than adequate for the Citi DC. There's something else they don't like about your profile.

[smkkms78]

It is the score from my Discover statement, and also Walmart card statement. It is actually 782. I have NO baddies. No lates, no bankruptcies, no charge-offs, nada. I have recently made more use of my cards due to medical expenses, but again, nothing late or close to max limits. I received the "We'll send you a letter" statement, which I am assuming to be denial. I haven't applied for anything in a while, but when I do, I am typically instantly approved. I recall receiving the 7 day messages years ago, and they always meant denial. My credit wasn't always good when I was young.

[Anonymous]

I would recon with Citi as soon as you can, even before you get the letter. Ask for reasons, and push to have it approved, so you dind't waste the HP. 

What other benefits are you looking for in cards? Do you want cash back, or are you looking for travel benefits and rewards? What's your average spend like, and what are your major spending categories?

[Anonymous]

The score you have is your TU 08 FICO. Citi likely pulled EX or EQ. Possibly both. Would you happen to know if all the information on your reports matches and the other two scores?

Also I believe Citi used a bankcard enhanced score for my approval. It was a little different than my EX 08 FICO.

[Anonymous]

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@smkkms78 wrote:

It is the score from my Discover statement, and also Walmart card statement. It is actually 782. I have NO baddies. No lates, no bankruptcies, no charge-offs, nada. I have recently made more use of my cards due to medical expenses, but again, nothing late or close to max limits. I received the "We'll send you a letter" statement, which I am assuming to be denial. I haven't applied for anything in a while, but when I do, I am typically instantly approved. I recall receiving the 7 day messages years ago, and they always meant denial. My credit wasn't always good when I was young.

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I would call and try to find out why you were denied. A 780 FICO score is awesome and more than adequate for an approval, but it's not the only factor creditors use for approval. Right now, I would be more concerned about your recent denial than applying for new credit. Walmart and Discover It provide you with TU FICO scores. However, Citibank usually double pulls EQ and EX for Double Cash applications.

Please continue to share your results with us.

[Anonymous]

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@smkkms78 wrote:

I currently have a Discover card, and a BofA Rewards card. All other cards are store credit cards. I want to build on my "real" credit cards, but don't know which are best. I prefer no annual fees and low APR. My score when last checked a month ago is 780. I just applied for the CIti Double Rewards and am honestly rather annoyed I did not get an approval. Not sure why... Maybe 780 isn't good enough for that card. I know there are a ton of factors, but I hate to waste credit inquiries on denials. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

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I advocate applying for credit cards that meet your needs. Other than having a low APR and no annual fee, what else are you looking for in a credit card? Based on low APR and no annual fee, I would recommend the Barclay Ring card. It offers both in addition to no BT fees and $3 cash advance fee. Do a search for it on the forum.

[smkkms78]

So, I thought I would provide an update. I complained, but ultimately was approved without any other contact. So this day I ended up applying for a basic AmEX $1500, the Citi Double Rewards $3600, and the Chase Slate $2500. Although 2 of the 3 gave me the 7-10 day message, they all gave me the cards. Not the highest of limits, but a start. Just a lesson to not freak out over the message. It might be because I opted out of credit pre-approval offers a few years back?