Which card or other finance option for iPhone?

Anonymous · ‎09-04-2016

Long time no see. School has started and I've been crazy busy.

Also, my iPhone has been wonky for a while and I think I can finally say I won't see the screen come on again. As luck would have it, it's not totally useless as it seems to be working internally so I can use my Apple watch to get calls and texts (and sometimes make them, sometimes not). I'm holding out for the new phones that should be announced this week, but things have changed so much in the past two years, I'm undecided what to do to purchase (likely) two new iPhones when they're announced.

1) I am not a Barclay hater. They tend to love both DH and I. He with his SM and me with my A+ (meant to downgrade but missed it...next year.) I'd consider the Apple card, but probably not my favorite solution. One benefit over other finance options would be it could be one new TL rather than two and it'd be revolving so theoretically this would be the answer for the next time around as well. (Pretty Apple loyal.)

2) Just put them on the Citi DC for the added protections etc. and pay in full within the grace period. (Or is there another major card with better advantages these days? I've been MIA for a couple months).

3) Go through a portal on either Barclay, Chase or Discover (or somewhere else). I haven't looked at those lately, so I don't know if Apple gets you anything extra on them.

4) The apple upgrade program they offer through Citizens. A big downside to this would be two new credit lines (one for each phone) as far as I can tell. And I don't see needing the luxury of upgrading every year. If I wasn't willing to pay in full in the short term, this would be more attractive, but I don't think this is the answer for me.

5) ATT (still have two unlimited grandfathered lines) has payment plans as well, but the CSR I spoke to was clueless...I'd imagine it'd again be a new CL for each phone. Anyone have experience with that?

Anything I haven't thought of?

ezdoesit · ‎09-04-2016

If you want to finance with a credit unless it is a Citi simplicity or any card that lets you pay it off in 21 months. I wouldn't use the DC so you get 2% back to pay 15% interest. Why don't you just finance it thru your cell phone company. You pay it off over 24 months or like I did with my Note 7 signed a 2 yr agreement with Verizon and the phone cost me $299 which would be better than full retail or anything a CC could give you back.

Unless you like the flexibility of not being locked into a contract.

Anonymous · ‎09-04-2016

As I said, I would just pay in full if I used the DC or some other 'normal' card that makes sense. It's do-able. There'd be no 15% interest.

I wouldn't have blinked at financing through the cell co or the apple upgrade thru Citizen's before I started paying attention to credit. But that'd be one or two new TL's between DH and I. I think hard about new TL's these days.

ezdoesit · ‎09-04-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
As I said, I would just pay in full if I used the DC or some other 'normal' card that makes sense. It's do-able. There'd be no 15% interest.

I wouldn't have blinked at financing through the cell co or the apple upgrade thru Citizen's before I started paying attention to credit. But that'd be one or two new TL's between DH and I. I think hard about new TL's these days.

If your willing to open up a TL but only want to do one then I would if you don't already have one get the Discover which is 5% on discover deals for Apple plus for the first year they double all the bonus you earn so effectively it would be 10% back.

Anonymous · ‎09-04-2016

Both of us have Discover cards and his is currently in BT mode so that one's a no go. But I could put them on mine for the 5%. If I get Apple Care, then the extra protection from Citi probably wouldn't make a difference. If I don't then Citi would probably be better. Guess I should see if there are exclusions for their extended warranty for things like phones.

ezdoesit · ‎09-04-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
Both of us have Discover cards and his is currently in BT mode so that one's a no go. But I could put them on mine for the 5%. If I get Apple Care, then the extra protection from Citi probably wouldn't make a difference. If I don't then Citi would probably be better. Guess I should see if there are exclusions for their extended warranty for things like phones.

I thought you can use the Discover portal and then check out with the DC and get 5% and 2%.

Anonymous · ‎09-04-2016

If it were me, i'd look at 3 options. I've actually been contemplating this scenario with 9/7 approaching.

1. Amex Platinum: Charge and get extra protection for the 90 period (lost, stolen return issues + one year on warranty) then balance transfer to another card for x months.

2. Charge on a Citi Simplicity and take my time to pay with the 21 month interest free time frame.

3. Charge on my Wells Fargo Propel Amex and have interest free rate for 15 months and then continue paying the bill for the added phone protection.

nrm · ‎09-04-2016

How about blispay? Same cash back as DC, but 6 months 0% APR for $199.00 purchases and up.

kdm31091 · ‎09-04-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
As I said, I would just pay in full if I used the DC or some other 'normal' card that makes sense. It's do-able. There'd be no 15% interest.

I wouldn't have blinked at financing through the cell co or the apple upgrade thru Citizen's before I started paying attention to credit. But that'd be one or two new TL's between DH and I. I think hard about new TL's these days.

If you have the ability to PIF anyway then just charge it on the DC, get the rewards and pay it off. Why open a new tradeline if you don't really need the financing? That's my take on it.

Anonymous · ‎09-04-2016

@Anonymous wrote:
If it were me, i'd look at 3 options. I've actually been contemplating this scenario with 9/7 approaching.

1. Amex Platinum: Charge and get extra protection for the 90 period (lost, stolen return issues + one year on warranty) then balance transfer to another card for x months.
2. Charge on a Citi Simplicity and take my time to pay with the 21 month interest free time frame.
3. Charge on my Wells Fargo Propel Amex and have interest free rate for 15 months and then continue paying the bill for the added phone protection.

I'm not sure if Simplicity is the same, but I believe so...sometime last year (or early this year?) Citi surpassed Amex's protections in my book.

120 days instead of 90 for stolen or damaged goods (90 days in NY) and two extra years of warranty protection, in most cases. Might want to check it out and if it's the same as on the DC Simiplicity might be your best bet. That's why I've opted for the DC over even some 5% things (like SM on some Amazon purchases or Lowe's purchases for things like a leaf blower) for durable goods.