topic Re: Credit Card Recommendations in Credit Cards

Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:10:37 GMT

Hey everyone,

Trying to get some suggestions for my gf's credit. Not going to apply until maybe mid-March (yes, she knows!).

Her scores are TU 689 & EQ 697. Only negative on her account is a late payment to a student loan about a year ago. Her oldest account is over 6 years, & her average age of accounts is 3 years. She has bank cards & store cards ranging from $15,500 to $300, & her overall utilization is at 30% right now. No card is at more than 50% utilization.

Ideally we would like to get a 0% APR offer to balance transfer what's left of her higher APR credit card debt (to save money on the interest.) We bank at Chase. She already has one Bank of America card. She's not eligible for USAA or any other military-affiliated institution.

(Please, no suggestions for CUs. I'm actually pretty tired of hearing that around here, even if it is a good suggestion.)

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

Anonymous — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:47:16 GMT

laz98, a popular card around here was Nationwide Bank Visa. I would recommend Discover (they offer 0% from 6 months to a year). Also, I would look into some of the Citi cards. They are also offering 0% for 6-12 months based on your credit. Good luck!

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

DI — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:00:58 GMT

Kroger 123

www.krogerpersonalfinance.com

Message Edited by DI on 02-19-2010 02:00 PM

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 20:07:25 GMT

thank you, DI, but we don't have any of those stores here. we live in west texas.

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

score_building — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:20:39 GMT

laz98 wrote:
Hey everyone,

Trying to get some suggestions for my gf's credit. Not going to apply until maybe mid-March (yes, she knows!).

Her scores are TU 689 & EQ 697. Only negative on her account is a late payment to a student loan about a year ago. Her oldest account is over 6 years, & her average age of accounts is 3 years. She has bank cards & store cards ranging from $15,500 to $300, & her overall utilization is at 30% right now. No card is at more than 50% utilization.

Ideally we would like to get a 0% APR offer to balance transfer what's left of her higher APR credit card debt (to save money on the interest.) We bank at Chase. She already has one Bank of America card. She's not eligible for USAA or any other military-affiliated institution.

(Please, no suggestions for CUs. I'm actually pretty tired of hearing that around here, even if it is a good suggestion.)

you don't have to be military to app USAA cc but they don't like balances much.

the fairly recent late payment makes big bank suggestions a bit challenging since many banks are apparently less forgiving of recent negs these days.

perhaps Nationwide as PP although they too seem to be tightening somewhat-- reportedly not issuing approvals under 690 TU.

Really hope ya'll will come around on the CU front since they essentially act as safe havens from misbehavin' banks and are generally more forgiving of profiles with missteps, similar to the OP.

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:47:22 GMT

our CU said no.

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

Creditaddict — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:56:41 GMT

if you go to that kroger site, the other grocery stores around the country are also listed, you might be able to find the card that matches your area

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:59:37 GMT

@Creditaddict wrote:
if you go to that kroger site, the other grocery stores around the country are also listed, you might be able to find the card that matches your area

thank you, i did check. it's more of an east coast thing than where i live. thanks for the suggestion, though.

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:19:34 GMT

we live in the west and love our Kroger 123 (It's Smith's stores in our neck of the woods). Not that it's the only card in the world. Just didn't want someone else to read into it that they're only good in the East.

Our local CU turned us down, too. But Alliant CU has been great.

Also like Cabela's (which is a bank card - not a merchant card).

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

shrekonion — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 19:40:38 GMT

You could try US Bank's Children's Wish Foundation cards:

https://applications.usbank.com/oad/catalog/landing.controller?locationCode=9517&sourceCode=76024

You do not have to be a resident of the state where they have branches. My girlfriend applied, received 0% on balance transfers (no fee either!) and purchases for 12 months. Hope this works for you, good luck!

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:00:26 GMT

thank you shrekonion!

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

Anonymous — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:30:34 GMT

@laz98 wrote:
@Creditaddict wrote:
if you go to that kroger site, the other grocery stores around the country are also listed, you might be able to find the card that matches your area
thank you, i did check. it's more of an east coast thing than where i live. thanks for the suggestion, though.

Don't know about Texas, but it really isn't an east coast thing. I know that they have stores here in Arizona (Fry's), in Colorado and Utah (City Market).

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

DI — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:34:39 GMT

Kroger have a family of stores across the lower 48.

http://www.thekrogerco.com/

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:14:10 GMT

geez, i didn't know everyone was going to jump on me about the kroger thing! i surrender!

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 01:44:29 GMT

i double-checked my gf's credit reports, & that late isn't from last year, it's from march of 08. so it will be two years old before she applies for anything. does that increase her chances for a discover more or citi forward card?

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:57:00 GMT

@laz98 wrote:
Hey everyone,

Trying to get some suggestions for my gf's credit. Not going to apply until maybe mid-March (yes, she knows!).

Hi, what's the reason not to apply until mid-March? Is it because of the new credit law?

Re: Credit Card Recommendations

laz98 — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:07:02 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@laz98 wrote:
Hey everyone,

Trying to get some suggestions for my gf's credit. Not going to apply until maybe mid-March (yes, she knows!).

Hi, what's the reason not to apply until mid-March? Is it because of the new credit law?

no, not at all (my gf is 27). just want to get her balances down a little further to improve her chances even more. plus, i want her reports to be fully updated with all of the balance drops & account changes (one of her cards' banks sold to another bank, then sold it back!) that we are waiting to see.