topic Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question in Credit Cards

Barclay Rewards Card Question

writerstale — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 02:16:02 GMT

I've had a Barclays Reward card for over a year now. It's always been in good standings. How long should a person typically wait until they ask for a credit limit increase?

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

rockbttm442 — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 02:23:38 GMT

6 statements ago call up and ask if there is a possibility of a APR decrease. Once speaking to the specialist, also ask if a SP (soft credit pull) CLI is available.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

writerstale — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 02:26:23 GMT

Thank you and will do!!

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 04:02:42 GMT

I've had my Barclay Rewards card for a little over a year. I had been using it pretty heavily, but keeping the usage below 15% and paying it off each month. I got an auto CLI of $1000 at 6 months. When a year rolled by and there was no auto CLI, I called them and asked if they could give me a CLI with a SP. They refused and told me it would be a hard pull. I didn't want a hard pull because I've heard that Barclays are notoriusly conservative with CLIs and I didn't want to waste a hard pull on tiny increase. I asked if there was a specific timeline they go by in giving auto CLIs and the the rep said there wasn't. I then pretty much decided to stop using it except for small purchases occasionally to keep the account open. I have several other cards and most have much larger credit lines. I figure if Barclays wants my business, they will increase my CL to a more usable ammount, where I'm not always trying to keep track of my balance staying under 15% from month to month. If not, it's going to sit in my sock drawer and only be used to purchase some occasional chewing gum.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

writerstale — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 15:57:10 GMT

@monepone I called the customer service rep and she started bs'ing me as soon as I asked for a SP CLI pull. Smh. Pretty much on the same page as you as far as barely using them. Pretty much a sock drawer card from here on out.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

DaveInAZ — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 19:08:54 GMT

@writerstale wrote:
@Anonymous I called the customer service rep and she started bs'ing me as soon as I asked for a SP CLI pull. Smh. Pretty much on the same page as you as far as barely using them. Pretty much a sock drawer card from here on out.

Well, SD'ing the card will pretty much guarantee no auto CLI. In my experience Barclays is pretty good at auto CLIs with moderate to heavy use. I got my Rewards card in 4/2012 w/$1k SL and got it up to $5700 CL by 8/2014, all auto CLIs. I don't know what other cards you have, but the Rewards MC is actually a pretty decent rewards card, I only use it on the 2% rewards categories, gas, groceries & utiltities, and Barclays is pretty 'loose' on how they categorize - like any Walmart purchase gets codes as 2% groceries and any convenience store that sells gas gets codes as 2% gas..

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Broke_Triathlete — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 19:21:26 GMT

@DaveInAZ wrote:
@writerstale wrote:
@Anonymous I called the customer service rep and she started bs'ing me as soon as I asked for a SP CLI pull. Smh. Pretty much on the same page as you as far as barely using them. Pretty much a sock drawer card from here on out.
Well, SD'ing the card will pretty much guarantee no auto CLI. In my experience Barclays is pretty good at auto CLIs with moderate to heavy use. I got my Rewards card in 4/2012 w/$1k SL and got it up to $5700 CL by 8/2014, all auto CLIs. I don't know what other cards you have, but the Rewards MC is actually a pretty decent rewards card, I only use it on the 2% rewards categories, gas, groceries & utiltities, and Barclays is pretty 'loose' on how they categorize - like any Walmart purchase gets codes as 2% groceries and any convenience store that sells gas gets codes as 2% gas..

I'm with you in that the BC Rewards is a great card. I haven't had as much luck as you regarding CLI's, but I also haven't been spending a lot through it either. I spent a lot of my focus on my QS. So my QS has a $11.5K limit (granted that was combined with another QS) and the Barclay Rewards is at $2K. All 3 cards were opened in the same month a year ago.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:06:35 GMT

@DaveInAZ wrote:
@writerstale wrote:
@Anonymous I called the customer service rep and she started bs'ing me as soon as I asked for a SP CLI pull. Smh. Pretty much on the same page as you as far as barely using them. Pretty much a sock drawer card from here on out.
Well, SD'ing the card will pretty much guarantee no auto CLI. In my experience Barclays is pretty good at auto CLIs with moderate to heavy use. I got my Rewards card in 4/2012 w/$1k SL and got it up to $5700 CL by 8/2014, all auto CLIs. I don't know what other cards you have, but the Rewards MC is actually a pretty decent rewards card, I only use it on the 2% rewards categories, gas, groceries & utiltities, and Barclays is pretty 'loose' on how they categorize - like any Walmart purchase gets codes as 2% groceries and any convenience store that sells gas gets codes as 2% gas..

Well, decent only until yet get a DC (or Fid Amex) really. 2% somewhere cards really lost value when 2% everywhere cards became available. The average credit version is good because people who can't yet get the other cards can get it, but once scores improve, no real value.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

DaveInAZ — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:27:55 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Well, decent only until yet get a DC (or Fid Amex) really. 2% somewhere cards really lost value when 2% everywhere cards became available. The average credit version is good because people who can't yet get the other cards can get it, but once scores improve, no real value.

Yes, of course a 2% anywhere card tops the Rewards MC 2% on 3 categories, that's why I prefaced my comment with "I don't know what other cards you have .....". If the OP as Citi Double Cash or Fidelity Amex then the Rewards MC would have little use to them. For me, DC & Fid Amex are out of reach because of my 2010 BK7. And actually I'd rather use a Barclays Sallie Mae for 5% rewards on gas & groceries, the $250 monthly cap for each of those categories fall into my normal spending. But I also have a Barclays NFL card I opened strickly to do a $4k 15 mo 0% BT to pay off a Prosper loan and need to get paid way down before app'ing for SM.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:34:37 GMT

Barclay Rewards is a great card and Barclay has amazing customer service as well as helpful analysts.

I think the first thing the OP did wrong was she said she spoke to Customer Service about the CLI, when other posters advised her to call and ask for APR reduction, whcih would have transferred her to an analyst. She could then have asked the analyst about the SP CLI. Speaking to Customer Service wasn't what was recommended.So it sounds as if this was not handled correctly fot the CLI.

I received an auto 3k CLI on Barclay's at the 12 month mark -automatic and hit at one minute after midnight when my statement cut. Used it VERY heavily and made very, very large payments. Hope this helps.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:37:18 GMT

and still kept it at a very reasonable utilization level, just wanted to clarify

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 21:38:11 GMT

I just did this a couple months ago and it works fine. The absolute KEY to this is getting to the retentions department. If you talk to the front line CSRs they do not even know this is possible so they will say it is not possible. They honestly have no idea so they are not actually lying.

I called and got shot down too, so I waited 15 mintues and called back and asked for the retention department when they asked why I just said I had questions only they could answer and I'd only talk to them. They kept trying to see what I needed but I'd not share. Once I got transfered fine, other times they could not do it it seemed. Just keep trying. Once you get there they are great, open by asking for an APR reduction (I got a permanet 4% reduction) and then once done ask about SP. I got a 50% increase in CL. Then I also got 0% for 9 months, which does not matter becasue I PIF every month but was still nice.

Re: Barclay Rewards Card Question

Anonymous — Sun, 02 Aug 2015 21:47:20 GMT

I really think the problem here was that the OP did not follow the advice given here and instead talked to Customer Service. I agree with everything you said below.

I recently got a great APR and ahd mine lowered by talking to an analyst. Retentions dept, analyst, these folks are the ones who can help you with CLI's and APR redux. NOT Customer Service. Wrong department.

@Anonymous wrote:
I just did this a couple months ago and it works fine. The absolute KEY to this is getting to the retentions department. If you talk to the front line CSRs they do not even know this is possible so they will say it is not possible. They honestly have no idea so they are not actually lying.

I called and got shot down too, so I waited 15 mintues and called back and asked for the retention department when they asked why I just said I had questions only they could answer and I'd only talk to them. They kept trying to see what I needed but I'd not share. Once I got transfered fine, other times they could not do it it seemed. Just keep trying. Once you get there they are great, open by asking for an APR reduction (I got a permanet 4% reduction) and then once done ask about SP. I got a 50% increase in CL. Then I also got 0% for 9 months, which does not matter becasue I PIF every month but was still nice.