topic Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden? in Credit Card Applications

Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:03:21 GMT

I am itching to get that free $50 credit for Amazon for getting their card.

3% back isn't bad, either! I use Amazon, often. I have a Walmart one on the way, but, I use both monthly.

Advice? Leave garden or hold off? I have about 12 INQs, currently..

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:09:49 GMT

I have always read that this one was kinda tough to get from Chase.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:16:11 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I have always read that this one was kinda tough to get from Chase.

I know my EX score (as of the 15th) is a 661.. I have no late payments. I think I have at least a 65-75% chance. Just guessing. But, unsure if I should try.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:32:48 GMT

I might just do the store card.. they have an offer for $40 and it's not even a CC.

I do wonder if this store card does a HP? Since it's just a store card (dif from Chase one) will it be a SP?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/cobrandcard/marketing.html?ie=UTF8&place=camp&plattr=PLCCFOOT&pr=conplcc&ref_=footer_plcc

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

Imperfectfuture — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:34:01 GMT

It's a hard pull. No bks nor derogs for that one also.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 12:39:44 GMT

@Imperfectfuture wrote:
It's a hard pull. Nobks norderogs for that one also.

I dont have any of those.

Unsure still if I should try it since I am using a bit more UTI then normal. but, nothing EXTREME.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 13:55:55 GMT

I applied for both the store and cc version and was approved and used the bonus money towards a big purchase. I'll be honest, score means nothing as long as you have a superb payment history utilization under 35% and no lates.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

CreditCuriosity — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 14:24:43 GMT

Been denied the Chaqse Amazon version a few times, rone time right before freedom and csp approvals.. It is a harder card to get them the Freedom at least in my opinion, for whatever reason. the store card if you choose that is pretty each to get. Never applied for the store card as I try to avoid those.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 14:57:00 GMT

Although the free Amazon $ for both cards is really tempting..

I realize I need to work on my Average Age of Accounts and let some INQs fade.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

Anonymous — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 15:06:56 GMT

Is there a reason you wouldn't just apply for a Sallie Mae instead, which gives you 5% back on Amazon (as well as gas, groceries, and other book stores up to the caps) and has a $25 sign up bonus? Do you exceed $750 in Amazon spending per month?

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

kdm31091 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 16:09:43 GMT

Well the Amazon card does give you the addition of dining and drugstores over Sallie. Not that Sallie isn't great too. But OP doesn't have many bases covered yet and Discover often covers Sallie's gas so may be best to do Amazon Visa. Though Chase isn't great about growing with you IMO

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

core — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 17:20:42 GMT

Sallie isn't available in all 50 states so that's not always an option for people. Darn Barclays.

In my opinion the Chase Amazon isn't worth the HP if you've been gardening. I'm not even sure it's worth a HP even if you were an app-a-holic. $50 isn't a great bonus compared to what else is out there with easier approval criteria.

When I got my Chase Amazon I was pretty excited, since I spend quite a bit at Amazon each month. But it turns out I almost never use the thing, because it's rather easy to get 5% back instead of 3% by either planning ahead with category bonuses or walking into a store and buying an Amazon card there. I almost regret applying for mine, because he just sits in his box with a sad look on his face from non-use.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

kdm31091 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 18:19:16 GMT

I think the Amazon card is worth it, but definitely not worth exiting the garden over. From what I understand it has existed in the same form for a long time, so you are unlikely to see it just suddenly disappear. And yeah, the bonus is not terribly exciting. I just like it for dining and drugstores, but, admittedly it is only 0.5% above my Quicksilver.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

core — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 18:33:09 GMT

@kdm31091 wrote:
I just like it for dining and drugstores, but, admittedly it is only 0.5% above my Quicksilver.

Isn't 2% everywhere better than 2% at dining/drugstores only? If you're going to burn a HP for 2% cash back, do it with Citi DC or something. The card may be worth keeping in your case, but logically you would not apply for it just for those reasons.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 19:06:20 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Is there a reason you wouldn't just apply for a Sallie Mae instead, which gives you 5% back on Amazon (as well as gas, groceries, and other book stores up to the caps) and has a $25 sign up bonus? Do you exceed $750 in Amazon spending per month?

I read that card was hard to be approved for. And no, not that much. I make small purchases each month.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

CreditCuriosity — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 20:10:44 GMT

@JamesB95 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Is there a reason you wouldn't just apply for a Sallie Mae instead, which gives you 5% back on Amazon (as well as gas, groceries, and other book stores up to the caps) and has a $25 sign up bonus? Do you exceed $750 in Amazon spending per month?
I read that card was hard to be approved for. And no, not that much. I make small purchases each month.

For honestly a half decent chance at the Sallie Mae without have to recon your butt off you will need a TU of 680 > ... You might still have to fight with that TU score as well.. People has got approved for lower and others declined with alot higher. Best chances are probably > 700 TU score for the Sallie Mae and no recent apps in the last 6 months.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

kdm31091 — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 20:15:48 GMT

2% everywhere is better, of course. However, The Double Cash card is not some easy to obtain, high limit card. The majority of people who have gotten it (I got one and immediately cancelled it because it was a toy $1000 limit and sky high APR)) have ended up with low limits, and high APRs. If you are going to get a general purpose 2% card you better hope they are giving you a decent limit or it is useless. I don't see OP getting a Double Cash, but especially not with a good limit and APR, at this point in his journey. So I'm not going to bother trying to recommend it to him because he will likely be disappointed - declined or approved for $500 @ 22.99.

Yes, the Double Cash is empirically better of course because it is 2% everywhere vs. just a few places, but scoring a usable limit and APR is a battle for many with this card.That said, Amazon Visa isn't the easiest either and my limit is what it is due to closing Freedom and rolling it into it.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

core — Sat, 17 Jan 2015 20:39:26 GMT

Pay off your charges as you make them and you won't have a problem dealing with toy limits and sky-high APRs. It's a pretty simple game to get the cash.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

Anonymous — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 06:06:32 GMT

@JamesB95 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Is there a reason you wouldn't just apply for a Sallie Mae instead, which gives you 5% back on Amazon (as well as gas, groceries, and other book stores up to the caps) and has a $25 sign up bonus? Do you exceed $750 in Amazon spending per month?
I read that card was hard to be approved for. And no, not that much. I make small purchases each month.

The card isn't as difficult to obtain as its reputation would suggest. I was approved with a TU FICO in the 640s (granted, it took a recon call, but I did get it on my first try with a very forgiving CSR), and while my approval is one of the lowest I'm familiar with, I've seen many posts of people being approved in the 650-660 TU range.

On the other hand, the Amazon Rewards Visa has a reputation of being rather harder to get than it used to be...and while Chase is pretty good with recons, nobody is quite as good as Barclays. Go with what you think is best, but I'd still recommend Sallie.

Re: Amazon Rewards CC worth leaving the garden?

JamesB95 — Sun, 18 Jan 2015 06:18:53 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@JamesB95 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Is there a reason you wouldn't just apply for a Sallie Mae instead, which gives you 5% back on Amazon (as well as gas, groceries, and other book stores up to the caps) and has a $25 sign up bonus? Do you exceed $750 in Amazon spending per month?
I read that card was hard to be approved for. And no, not that much. I make small purchases each month.
The card isn't as difficult to obtain as its reputation would suggest. I was approved with a TU FICO in the 640s (granted, it took a recon call, but I did get it on my first try with a very forgiving CSR), and while my approval is one of the lowest I'm familiar with, I've seen many posts of people being approved in the 650-660 TU range.

On the other hand, the Amazon Rewards Visa has a reputation of being rather harder to get than it used to be...and while Chase is pretty good with recons, nobody is quite as good as Barclays. Go with what you think is best, but I'd still recommend Sallie.

The thing that looks bad is my average age of accounts right now since I just opened a couple cards (they are on their way). I think I should wait a few months to a year.