I don't know how to make a poll... I don't see an option for "New Poll" anywhere.
I've been briefly having this discussion in another thread with fusioncredit, and I thought it would be nice to have the opinions of others of you here as well.
I'm considering applying for Citi Forward since they won't let me PC from Citi Dividend.
I don't know how to check exactly when I opened my accounts, but my CC history is as follows:
Edit: Thanks HTSU for reminding me that I have a copy of my reports still. Updating my CC history.
GEMB/Gap: 10/2006. This was a CO that I disputed as not being my account. Now it is reporting as "Paid, closed" so I don't know if that means it's a paid CO? Or just a closed account. 2 lates on here, one 60 and one 30 day.
US Bank 02/2010: Not as old as I thought. 
J.Crew 03/2007: Older than I thought!! 
AMEX Clear 04/2011
Chase Freedom 07/2011
Citi Dividend 04/2011
AMEX BCE backdated to 2011. -- my understanding is that you keep your month of application but take the year of your oldest card? So I apped in 01/2012 but my oldest account is from 2011 so the BCE will calculate in my AAoA as open since 01/2011?
Total is an AAoA of 25 months or about 2.1 years.
It seems I only have 3 inquiries on record, but I thought inquiries only lasted 1 year? These all say that they will be shown for 2 years?
AMEX BCE inquiry, 1/20/2012, inquiry scheduled to continue on record until Feb 2014
Chse Freedom inquiry, 7/22/2011
AMEX Clear inquiry 4/19/2011
Since Citi isn't there, they must not pull EX.
My main concern/reason for not applying for Citi Forward is that my AAoA is already pretty low and adding another new card would lower it further. I think in the long run it would help though, since I would have more open TLs and the sooner I open a TL, the more time it has to age. Another concern is that the recent inquiry from apping from BCE, the possible inquiry from PC with US Bank (done two days ago also), as well as 4-5 inquiries over the last 9 months might be too many for Citi.
I probably spend ~$200/month at restaurants, and maybe $20-30 on Amazon. I do not plan on buying a car or a house in the next year, and I will be signing a new 12 month apartment lease (one that I was already approved for) in June of this year so I won't even be looking to rent/lease until at least June of 2014.
Also, I don't know what Citi pulls, but my EX as of November 2011 is listed in my sig. The only activity I've had since then are the one (possible two) inquiries for AMEX and the US Bank PC, as well as lowering my util from about 20% to 0%.
If you want the card now, and I agree with your assessment on establishing a trade-line as soon as possible, you might as well try.
That at least is reasonable, if you're not planning on applying for a mortgage or even a car loan in the near future, but since you've already taken a couple inquiries recently, I'm firmly of the opinion that just getting them out of the way and having the healing begin immediately is the way to go regardless of a possible denial.
At the moment, there isn't an option for members to create a poll. Interesting idea, though.
If you're trying to figure out your AAoA, and you don't know the exact month that it was opened, it's probably the month following the expiration month on your current card. So if you know that an account was opened in 2006, and the current card expires in March 2013, you probably opened the account in April of 2006.
Your credit reports should include these details, though.
I always thought that the Citi Forward was a good rewards card, in that I like the categories. The only problem for me, and it's not a huge one, is that the rewards are in the form of points, and I'm a cash back girl. Others are perfectly happy with it.
I don't think that your AAoA is going to be affected all that much with one more card, because you've already got 3 accounts less than a year old now. (The BCE should backdate to Jan 2011, so it will be right at a year.) If you decide to do this, just be sure that you really do want this card, and that you'll be able to use the points rewards.
I'd go for it
Starting Score (08/11/11): TU08: 643
@haulingthescoreup wrote:At the moment, there isn't an option for members to create a poll. Interesting idea, though.
If you're trying to figure out your AAoA, and you don't know the exact month that it was opened, it's probably the month following the expiration month on your current card. So if you know that an account was opened in 2006, and the current card expires in March 2013, you probably opened the account in April of 2006.
Your credit reports should include these details, though.
I always thought that the Citi Forward was a good rewards card, in that I like the categories. The only problem for me, and it's not a huge one, is that the rewards are in the form of points, and I'm a cash back girl. Others are perfectly happy with it.
I don't think that your AAoA is going to be affected all that much with one more card, because you've already got 3 accounts less than a year old now. (The BCE should backdate to Jan 2011, so it will be right at a year.) If you decide to do this, just be sure that you really do want this card, and that you'll be able to use the points rewards.
Thank you for reminding me that I can look at my report for the exact dates.
Also, you can get "cash" back with Forward in the form of statement credit or Amazon gift cards, correct? About 3% for statement credit and 5% for gift cards?
@Anonymous wrote:I'd say go for it, then you can let all your accounts age together. The worst that can happen is you don't get approved, and can try for a recon.
Citi usually pulls EQ, so even if it doesn't work out you only get one ding. Good luck!
That was my logic when i went on my app spree.
Everyone saying go for it is getting me excited Maybe I'll app tonight when I get home from the library.