topic Need help on card decision in Credit Cards

Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:51:21 GMT

So I have the following cards

* Chase Sapphire Preferred $6000 balance, 2 year customer 10.15%

* Chase Freedom Rewards $0, 4 year customer 11%

* Discover $0 2 year customer, 13.99%

*Citi AT&T Platinum $2500, 10 year customer, 10.25%

*Citi Thank you $0, 10 year customer, 19.99%

I called CITI and basically they couldn't do anything as far as deals were concerned. I don't use them and I want to close the thank you card but because of the tenure I don't want to hurt my credit. The best they could do was change the AT&T to an Aimerican Airlines card and keep the same rate. That sounded better than AT%T, but no sign on bonuses.

The thing is I've been traveling a bit more, and while the Chase Sapphire is nice, I was looking at the sign up and free checked bags with cards like American Express Gold Rewards and Chase United Mileage.

I don't use any other card except the Chase Sapphire righ tnow because the others are worthless, but I wouldn't mind closing a card or 2 and getting one more from somehwere else.

What do you guys think I should do?

Re: Need help on card decision

webhopper — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:57:31 GMT

What is your total limit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Discover usually has good BT Deals... call them and see if they can give you a good BT deal

I think you're a shoe-in for United Explorer by chase, the only red flag is your utilization.

Cards such as American Express Delta Skymiles or Blue Sky are also nice to have but you don't get to carry a balance on them because Amex hates balances.

The thing holding you back now is the balance on the CSP... get that down to ideally 30% (or 9% for an even better score boost) of total limit and you'll be able to get any card.

Chase has a good sign up deal going with the SW Airlines Visa, but I'm not sure how you feel about SW.

Do you do international travel?? If so, BOA Travel rewards comes with no FTF. Also, PenFED CU has no FTFs on their credit cards.

Re: Need help on card decision

boomhower — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:59:48 GMT

Don't close the cards. There isn't any annual fee so don't close them. Buy a pack of gum once every few months to ensure they stay open. The age and CL will only help your credit score. If you close them they will still count into age for ten years but will eventually fall off. Do you typically stay at the same hotel chain or fly the same airline? Or do you need a more all around travel card?

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 23:59:54 GMT

Thanks for the feedback> Chase Sapphire Pref at $13,500 limit.

I could pay off the card but I want to hang on to the cash for now.

What is wrong with my utilization for united explorer? I put about $1000-$2000 a month on CC

Southwest... ick haha.

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:01:49 GMT

I have been flying united. But of course I fly others also,a nd hotels vary.

you have to spend to keep them open? I haven't used one card for 5 years haha

Re: Need help on card decision

distantarray — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:04:44 GMT

Chase doesn't like to give approvals easy if you owe them money already. I would push them down before. Also the Freedom card is much better than the Sapphire for everyday purchases if you have a Chase checking. Also for category spending this is your points cow Even if you have to get creative, but in a few days it's 5.5 points per dollar at restaurants 5+10% bonus and since it looks like your flying United join mileage plus dining and you'll get upto 5.5 points + 5 miles per dining.

Found out you have to hit 12 dining to hit VIP to get to 5 points (3 points under 12) but all I did was go get 12 slices of pizza on 12 transactions at a mileage dining restaurant lol

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:08:09 GMT

"Even if you have to get creative, but in a few days it's 5.5 points per dollar at restaurants 5+10% bonus and since it looks like your flying United join mileage plus dining and you'll get upto 5.5 points + 5 miles per dining."

Wait where did the 10% come from and what is dining bonus?

Re: Need help on card decision

distantarray — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:14:40 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
"Even if you have to get creative, but in a few days it's 5.5 points per dollar at restaurants 5+10% bonus and since it looks like your flying United join mileage plus dining and you'll get upto 5.5 points + 5 miles per dining."

Wait where did the 10% come from and what is dining bonus?

5 points for category spending for 2nd quarter of 2013 Apr - June is 5 points for restaurant, movies, and lowes.

If you have Freedom + Chase checking = 10% bonus so 1 point = 1.1 points and 5 points = 5.5 points

If you sign up for United mileage dining (free) and you dine at a mileage plus restaurant you get 3 United miles for dining at a mileage plus restaurant, and 5 after 12 visits in a year. So 12 slices of pizza on different transactions lmao.

So 5 points for restaurants, lowes, movies in April through June + 10% bonus for having Freedom + Checking = 5.5 points + mileage plus dining 3 to 5 points = maximum of 5.5 points + 5 United miles. You also get 1,000 miles for signing up with mileage dining, (1,500 with mileage plus card) and writing a review. I just went to a local Denny's and knocked that off in a day. $50 bill = 150 miles (3points) + 107 points (sapphire + annual bonus) + 1,000 bonus = 1,257 United miles if all transfered over for the first dining experience. =)

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:18:15 GMT

That's insane! haha so where to sign up for mileage dining?

I just called discover, they said 7.99% for a year. Psh no thanks.

That united chase car dis looking even better! Or amex gold for a year. hmm. 50k bonus sign up

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:20:51 GMT

wait so are you using your freedom card or the sapphire for purchases?

Re: Need help on card decision

webhopper — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:22:14 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for the feedback> Chase Sapphire Pref at $13,500 limit.
I could pay off the card but I want to hang on to the cash for now.

What is wrong with my utilization for united explorer? I put about $1000-$2000 a month on CC

Southwest... ick haha.

You'll get a score boost by allowing the statement to cut with under 10% utilization, because of the way that FICO scores your credit card usage. Higher than 9% decreases your score. To make the most out of your app, pay the balance down to $1300 or at most $3900

Chase will give you a higher starting limit on United Explorer with a lower balance on the CSP

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:24:33 GMT

once you pay that balance down you still must wait for the score to take place 30-60 days no?

Re: Need help on card decision

webhopper — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:25:00 GMT

If you spend more than 30k in a year, look at the Premeir Rewards Gold by Amex.

They have some good sign on bonuses going on. NPSL, so your charges do not count against your total Utilization...

Also, you get a 15k bonus for spending over 30k in the year. airfare gets you 4x points when booked on Amex travel. gas and groceries are 2x. Hotels and rental cars yeild 2x points when booked on Amex travel.

Re: Need help on card decision

webhopper — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:32:17 GMT

The score will be updated shortly after your statement cuts.. that's why its important to pay down balances before the statement cuts.

My discover BT offers are usually like 2.9% for 18 months with a 0% BT fee... or 12 months at 0% with a 3% BT fee. I can choose between the two offers.. err maybe mine are different due to being a member since 1999 with Discover

Re: Need help on card decision

webhopper — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 00:36:01 GMT

PenFed Premium Travel Rewards American Express® Card

Key Features

Earn 5 points on airfare purchases
Earn 1 point on all other purchases
20,000 bonus points when you spend $2,500 within the first 3 months of opening the Card account – that’s worth $200 toward your next round-trip airline ticket
No annual fee
No foreign transaction fees
0% APR promotional balance transfer rate for 18 months on transfers made between January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2013. After March 31, 2013, the APR for new balance transfers will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate, and is currently 9.99%. A balance transfer fee of 3% (Min. - $10, Max. - $250) per transaction applies. This transaction is subject to credit approval.

Re: Need help on card decision

distantarray — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 01:01:21 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
That's insane! haha so where to sign up for mileage dining? United.com http://mpdining.rewardsnetwork.com/bonus.htm?id=U302&detail=y&cm_mmc=UA-_-Web-_-external-_-OTHER-nocard

I just called discover, they said 7.99% for a year. Psh no thanks. Chase UR points > Cash back

That united chase car dis looking even better! Or amex gold for a year. hmm. 50k bonus sign up Depends how much your going to fly, Amex Gold has 3x airfare, but Mileage plus has 2x. Amex is more flexible than United miles, but also Amex MR points are worth less than UR points by almost anyone's standards in the credit world. Gold has 15k bonus after 30k spending. But Mileage Plus has 10k bonus after 25k spending which is comparable. But remember United gives you priority boarding, free bag, free car insurance for rentals, and a quite a bit of benefits. It all depends on how much you really plan to travel. But the Mileage plus card cause its' a Visa is MUCH easier to rack up points. and meet the 25k spending requirement for 10,000 bonus points. How?

Bigcrumbs portal to buy Amex gift cards = 1.4% cash rebate + williams paid to pay rent/mortgage at 2.9% cost. So your averaging 1.5 cents per United mile. When you hit the bonus you'll get about 1.1 cent a mile. ( at 25k spending + 10k bonus = 1.4 miles per dollar spent) If your planning on Just flying United, get Mileage plus, if you want a little bit of freedom then get Amex Gold. But remember you can still use MR points with United. You have to transfer points to Air Canada ./ Aeroplan and use star alliance cross rewards. It does cost a little more to go this route than using United miles, but you can still use the points for United flights.

@Anonymous wrote:
wait so are you using your freedom card or the sapphire for purchases?

1. Sapphire for restaurants / travel
2. Freedom for category / small purchases (grandfathered into 10% + 10 point bonus per transaction)
3. Chase/United Mileage Plus for airline tickets/ car rental/ Amex gift card purchases to pay rent / mortgage
4. Chase Ink for gas / office supplies and many others. Chase Ink is arguably the best points generator on the planet amoung credit cards =)

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:45:58 GMT

Whats this big crumbs portal amex you refer to?

Re: Need help on card decision

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 22:54:05 GMT

I went to united site and logged in. They had 50,000 points for signup not 30! So I did it. instant approval. called chase, and they said my old business account was still open, hahah whoops