topic Help me decide on one, last card! in Credit Cards

Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:09:24 GMT

Please help me with selecting a new card!

CURRENT CARDS
* American Express - Green - NSPL (May 2012)
* American Express - BCP - $18k (May 2012)
* Discover - $10k (May 2012).
* Macy's Store Card - $700 (Dec 2011)

I had an old $300 Capital One which I canceled in November 2012 due to its $59 AF. It was from 2007. Other than that I have an old Citi/AT&T Mastercard reporting on EX. It will drop off any moment now. All my other old accounts have dropped off from all CRA radars (about 40-50 point drop in conjunction with adding those new ones above).

Since I do not have a Visa/MC, I would like one of those. I routinely have to find another card because somebody doesn't take either Amex or Discover (luckily typically they take the other, although one or twice, I have had to resort to my Visa debit card).

INFO / DESIRED CHARACTERISTICS
* It should be Visa/MC.
* It should preferably have no annual fee (I already sulk at having to pay 2 AFs for the American Express cards).
* It should have no forex fees (I am scheduled to go to multiple countries apparently not served by Discover per the map on their site!)
* My original intention with Green was to collect points on it and have it transfer to a travel program. So, I am not sure I am looking for a dedicated travel card. But, on the other hand, part of me wants to cancel Green because of its AF.
* Rewards would be nice (Cashback?)
* I only fly a couple of times a year if that. Not a regular business traveler.
* I am hesitant about American Airlines because I do not know what they will do to their program after merger with US Airways. I also live in Phoenix and if they're going to shutdown Phoenix as a redundant US Airways hub in favor of their Texas hub, then that would mean not being able to fly them as much.
* I am open to initiating and cultivating a banking relationship with a major bank such as Chase or US Bank. I could sign up for one of the accounts with a high balance requirement. Not sure I'd do it with BofA though.

I am regularly hounded with preapprovals by:
US Airways Dividend Miles Card (40k points offer but that includes 10k transfers, which is useless to me).
Citi AmericanAirlines Advantage (40k points offer).
Wells Fargo (My own bank; banker indicated to me at one point that what he was seeing on his screen was more than junk mail preapproval. I had disregarded it and gone on my Amex/Discover spree. I have significant deposits with Wells Fargo).

SCORES / CR STATUS:
TU FICO (from MyFico in January): 761
EQ FICO (from MyFico in March): 765
Credit Sesame FAKO: 788

AAoA is under 2 years (shows up as a negative every now and then but not always, in Scorewatch alerts).
No more than 2-3 inquiries on EX/EQ over a 2 year period. Last inquiry is from May 2012. No inquiries on TU (I think one fell off way early).
No negatives or lates on any CR.
No long term balances - always under 10% reporting. Always PIF. Can bring down to 3-7% any time.

What can/should I get!? Should I dump Green in favor of another travel card i.e. trade it in for a CSP or something like that? This potential card will be my last new credit card. I will not be applying for any more after it (don't need/want anything else).

I appreciate input! :-) Thanks!

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

zyzzus — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:17:56 GMT

Priceline Visa (Barclay) 2% on everything.

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:48:07 GMT

Ooh, didn't manage to look in from work all day. Pretty much no reponses at all? I guess I put in detail...

I'll look at the features of the Priceline card - something I wouldn't normally think of.

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

zyzzus — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 02:52:52 GMT

@Mailak wrote:
Ooh, didn't manage to look in from work all day. Pretty much no reponses at all? I guess I put in detail...

I'll look at the features of the Priceline card - something I wouldn't normally think of.

I persoanlly don't think the card is talked about enough. Its 2% cash back on everything as a VISA.

Rewards redemption can be a little confusing.

It is at least worth a look!

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:00:02 GMT

Thanks for your input! Do you know if it has a forex fee? I was hoping to have one card (that is not Discover) without it since I don't want to have a big stack of cards... too many for me to manage.

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

nicholasyud — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:03:49 GMT

what about PEnfed card with 5% cash back for GAs all the time and no cap ?????

CSP would be nice then downgrade to regular CS after AF hit......

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

E150GT — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:06:08 GMT

I dont think theres too many no FTF cards out there without an AF besides discover...

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:08:39 GMT

@E150GT wrote:
I dont think theres too many no FTF cards out there without an AF besides discover...

:-(

Thanks for your response!

I could possibly consider an AF card and close out my Green. If we consider AF as being okay, what might we look at?

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

LS2982 — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:09:42 GMT

@zyzzus wrote:
Priceline Visa (Barclay) 2% on everything.

I second this.

Very good card!!!!

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:10:57 GMT

@nicholasyud wrote:
what about PEnfed card with 5% cash back for GAs all the time and no cap ?????
CSP would be nice then downgrade to regular CS after AF hit......

Yes, PenFed is something I thought of. But aren't they supposed to be really strict in granting those cards? I don't also have any affiliation to military personnel...

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

E150GT — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:12:32 GMT

@Mailak wrote:
@E150GT wrote:
I dont think theres too many no FTF cards out there without an AF besides discover...

:-(

Thanks for your response!

I could possibly consider an AF card and close out my Green. If we consider AF as being okay, what might we look at?

CSP? Chase southwest rapid rewards?

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

zyzzus — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:14:40 GMT

FWIW Capital ones cards do NOT have FTF. There cash card is flat 1.5% cash back its also a Visa

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:15:19 GMT

@E150GT wrote:
@Mailak wrote:
@E150GT wrote:
I dont think theres too many no FTF cards out there without an AF besides discover...

:-(

Thanks for your response!

I could possibly consider an AF card and close out my Green. If we consider AF as being okay, what might we look at?
CSP? Chase southwest rapid rewards?

I should maybe look into this Rapid Rewards - I haven't actually even heard of it.

So, I have CSP, PenFed, and Priceline to look at. I take approvals on the first two are fairly hard...

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:16:20 GMT

@zyzzus wrote:
FWIW Capital ones cards do NOT have FTF. There cash card is flat 1.5% cash back its also a Visa

Ha! I tried... they wouldn't do anything with my Plantinum, so I closed it after paying $59 AF for 5 years for a $300 CL.

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

zyzzus — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:17:36 GMT

@Mailak wrote:
@zyzzus wrote:
FWIW Capital ones cards do NOT have FTF. There cash card is flat 1.5% cash back its also a Visa
Ha! I tried... they wouldn't do anything with my Plantinum, so I closed it after paying $59 AF for 5 years for a $300 CL.

I'm not sure if you've seen the threads pertaining to the executive office... I believe the've become more flexible and realize they haven't been growing with their customers. Just my .02

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Anonymous — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:20:06 GMT

CSP

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:21:30 GMT

@zyzzus wrote:
@Mailak wrote:
@zyzzus wrote:
FWIW Capital ones cards do NOT have FTF. There cash card is flat 1.5% cash back its also a Visa
Ha! I tried... they wouldn't do anything with my Plantinum, so I closed it after paying $59 AF for 5 years for a $300 CL.
I'm not sure if you've seen the threads pertaining to the executive office... I believe the've become more flexible and realize they haven't been growing with their customers. Just my .02

I have... but card is now closed... they wouldn't even waive my fee or do anything at all. Offered me zero and actually told me that it was good to close the account before the AF hit, so I just closed it.

Ah well, live and learn. Also, incidentally, the Cap1 EO successes seemed to start shortly after I closed my account :-(

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Open123 — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:25:02 GMT

Given your criteria:

1. 2% Barclay Priceline - no annual fee.

2. Barclay Arrival for $400 sign up bonus - annual fee waived - just downgrade to no fee version 2nd year.

3. CSP for 40K bonus - annual fee waived - just downgrade to no annual fee Sapphire 2nd year.

Personally, I think the sign up bonuses are better deals.

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Mailak — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:34:35 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
Given your criteria:

1. 2% Barclay Priceline - no annual fee.
2. Barclay Arrival for $400 sign up bonus - annual fee waived - just downgrade to no fee version 2nd year.
3. CSP for 40K bonus - annual fee waived - just downgrade to no annual fee Sapphire 2nd year.

Personally, I think the sign up bonuses are better deals.

Open123, do you think I have a chance at CSP?

I only just got my BCP raised to $18k - could I get a denial based on too much credit or not enough experience at current limit? Lowish AAoA too...?

Re: Help me decide on one, last card!

Open123 — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 03:38:40 GMT

@Mailak wrote:

Open123, do you think I have a chance at CSP?

I only just got my BCP raised to $18k - could I get a denial based on too much credit or not enough experience at current limit? Lowish AAoA too...?

I think you have an excellent chance. On the contrary, Chase will likely try to match your Amex CL. With most applicants, Chase seems to want to compete for Amex customers.