topic Tips for CLI in Credit Cards

Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 00:46:31 GMT

I just got approved for a Discover more with a $3000 limit. I was wondering if there were any general tips I should follow so that I can get CLI's regularly? Should I carry a small limit on it and show use? Or use it sparingly and always pay in full?

Re: Tips for CLI

aftermath — Sat, 07 May 2011 00:57:21 GMT

Here are the universal tips on getting a CLI with any credit card:

Step 1) Use it hard and pay it in full every month.

Step 2) See Step 1

Re: Tips for CLI

visorboy1974 — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:07:37 GMT

1. Use it more than just to buy a Happy Meal at McDonald's.

2. Heavy usage typically is favorable...just make sure you're not buying porn or taking out a bunch of cash with it.

3. Pay as much as you can...min payments will not get you a CLI. If you make decent payments, you'll still be in line for a CLI. Don't go nuts if you can't PIF.

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 01:07:32 GMT

@aftermath wrote:
Here are the universal tips on getting a CLI with any credit card:

Step 1) Use it hard and pay it in full every month.

Step 2) See Step 1

Agree!. Also, they know how much you are spending, there is no advantage to paying early before closing, pay in full by the due is fine.

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:26:40 GMT

Thanks for the advice. Discover usually provides automatic CLI's or should I request for one after a specific time?

Re: Tips for CLI

annalog — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:40:26 GMT

Never ask for a CLI. It will be a hard pull. Let the system automatically do it for you. Use cash instead.

Re: Tips for CLI

tntexans72 — Sat, 07 May 2011 02:48:00 GMT

@annalog wrote:
Never ask for a CLI. It will be a hard pull. Let the system automatically do it for you. Use cash instead.

+1 ........I Iearned the hard way. Very few banks will do a soft pull. I aksed for a CLI with Chase, but before doing so, I asked if it was a hard/soft and the CSR said soft. If they don't tell you it's a soft, than more than likely it's going to be a hard.

From here on out, I am going to let the system run it's course and wait for the auto increase.

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:18:34 GMT

Never ask for a CLI? If you don't ask, you'll probably not get one. The only lender who has ever given me an auto-CLI is...well, Discover, but let's ignore that for a moment.

To me, inquiries are just like a credit card. I have a certain amount I can spend, and I don't go over that. Basically, I will not take more than two hard Inq's per CRA every six months. I also try to use them at the same time, so every six months I can use two more. Nice little schedule, not hard to remember when I can apply for new credit or CLI's. And I've yet to find a creditor who has balked at a couple of Inq's that are over six months old. If my AAoA can take it, I get new cards...if not, I ask for CLI's.

Having said that, Discover does do auto-CLI's. They've given me two since Jan 08...one in 2010 from $1000 to $1500, and one last month from $1500 to $7500. I don't really use the card that much. Less than $4k in the last two years. About $400 this year so far...not really my favorite card. I think they get jealous to be perfectly honest. Both CLI's have come after brand new credit cards start reporting to the CRA's, and I'd not been using the Discover card heavily.

For what it's worth, if you call the # on the back of your card, one option is CLI. It is automated, and I was told it is a soft (but could always be a hard). If it tries to transfer you to a live rep, that would definitely be a hard. I have tried this, and hung up when it tried to transfer me. There was no hard pull. A couple weeks later is when they gave me the CLI to $7500, which is about twice what I had asked for through the automated system.

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 04:27:13 GMT

@tntexans72 wrote:
@annalog wrote:
Never ask for a CLI. It will be a hard pull. Let the system automatically do it for you. Use cash instead.

+1 ........I Iearned the hard way. Very few banks will do a soft pull. I aksed for a CLI with Chase, but before doing so, I asked if it was a hard/soft and the CSR said soft. If they don't tell you it's a soft, than more than likely it's going to be a hard.

From here on out, I am going to let the system run it's course and wait for the auto increase.

Just research it next time.

Chase is always a hard.

Discover - call # on back of card, soft if you don't get xfer'd to a rep or hang up when it tries. Hard otherwise

Citi - soft online IF you get the basic income form. Longer form is a hard

BofA - used to be soft online, it even said so. Now, not sure, some people reported the wording changed a couple weeks ago

Amex - soft online...but not everyone always has the option

Dunno about others, those are the only ones I've ever tried. I've never been surprised. I always prepare myself that it could be a hard, but I'd rather have an idea of whether it might not be, because then I can plan out what order I want to harass them for more credit.

Re: Tips for CLI

smc733 — Sat, 07 May 2011 05:06:01 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Citi - soft online IF you get the basic income form. Longer form is a hard

This is not true anymore. I got the short form on Citi this week, went from $5,000 to $6,000, but pulled a hard on EQ!

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Sat, 07 May 2011 07:58:31 GMT

@smc733 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Citi - soft online IF you get the basic income form. Longer form is a hard
This is not true anymore. I got the short form on Citi this week, went from $5,000 to $6,000, but pulled a hard on EQ!

Hmmm...I can't remember when exactly I did my Citi CLI, it was probably no more than 10 days ago, no hard pull for the short form. There have always been the few outliers like yourself that report getting a hard. They may not have changed anything, and you were just one of the few unlucky ones.

We just have to always keep in mind that anytime we do anything that could cause a credit pull, there's always a possibility it will be a hard, even when it normally isn't. I would never go CLI hunting if I was trying to stay Inq free. But when the only thing it would affect is getting other CLI's...well, I'm not too concerned about it. I just try to give myself the best chance of getting more CLI's by going after the likely soft pulls first, and hard pulls last (if at all). I've never bothered with Chase CLI because I already know it's a definite hard. I've actually never gotten a hard pull from a CLI request, but I always know it could happen at any time.

Re: Tips for CLI

clocktick — Mon, 09 May 2011 02:45:38 GMT

How about GEMB? Are they are typically a hard or soft?

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Mon, 09 May 2011 03:29:05 GMT

Over the past 16 months I have upped my AmEx Blue Sky credit limit from $1,000 to $10,000.

Jan '10- $3000

August '10- $5000

March '11- $10,000

September '11- Shooting for $15,000

I use it a lot (14,000 on it in 2010), and I pay it off in full every month.

Re: Tips for CLI

visorboy1974 — Mon, 09 May 2011 14:06:27 GMT

Softs for the online requests

@clocktick wrote:
How about GEMB? Are they are typically a hard or soft?

Re: Tips for CLI

tntexans72 — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:10:06 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Over the past 16 months I have upped my AmEx Blue Sky credit limit from $1,000 to $10,000.

Jan '10- $3000
August '10- $5000
March '11- $10,000
September '11- Shooting for $15,000

I use it a lot (14,000 on it in 2010), and I pay it off in full every month.

what is your fico score?

I am sure the huge CLI has alot to do with your fico score too.

Congrats !!

Re: Tips for CLI

Anonymous — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:18:23 GMT

Not sure what my Fico is right now. I last checked it in August 2010 and it was around 760, Probably higher now. But I don't think AmEx checked it for my CLI's. They were always instant. All I did was put in my annual income over the automated system and boom, you're approved.

Its amazing how AmEx treats you when you pay your balance in full every month.

Re: Tips for CLI

tntexans72 — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:48:29 GMT