topic Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me? in Credit Cards

Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Youngcredit23 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:01:11 GMT

I've been doing some reading on the forums, and I've come across topics saying that Chase is very stern when it comes to growing with its customer, or in other words giving CLI's as time passes...

Will my Chase Freedom grow with me? They started me off with a 500CL since it was my first card, but it's already proving a bit low as I find myself making full payments along the month since it's easy to hit the limit. As time passes, will the increase my limit with them, or am I stuck at 500?

Also, one other quick question. I got into the topic about prime cards and subprime cards; is the Chase Freedom considered prime or subprime?

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:06:03 GMT

@Youngcredit23 wrote:
I've been doing some reading on the forums, and I've come across topics saying that Chase is very stern when it comes to growing with its customer, or in other words giving CLI's as time passes...

Will my Chase Freedom grow with me? They started me off with a 500CL since it was my first card, but it's already proving a bit low as I find myself making full payments along the month since it's easy to hit the limit. As time passes, will the increase my limit with them, or am I stuck at 500?

Also, one other quick question. I got into the topic about prime cards and subprime cards; is the Chase Freedom considered prime or subprime?

Prime and subprime are pretty meaningless, unless you associate subprime with very high fees. It's more who the bank is targetting the card for.

Freedom is a lower-tier card for Chase, but you still need reasonable credit to get it.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

grinlikechelsea — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:18:15 GMT

It is hard to say. Some people have luck getting auto CLIs, but they aren't in the majority. Chase is very unwilling to raise limits without a HP (and even then, its a battle).

Some people have more luck applying for another Chase card and moving the CL over.

Edit: Spelling error

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

FocusedAndDetermined — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:10:35 GMT

Best answer I can provide is continue using the card as you are now and see what happens. Plently of people report receiving auto CLIs from Chase, but just as many, myself included, have not been recipients of any.

Freedom is considered prime by almost everyone, but the term is fairly ambiguous and subjective.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:09:33 GMT

@grinlikechelsea wrote:
It is had to say. Some people have luck getting auto CLIs, but they aren't in the majorty. Chase is very unwilling to raise limits without a HP (and even then, its a battle).
Some people have more luck applying for another Chase card and moving the CL over.

True. I also get the impression that the few auto-CLIs that people see from Chase come at the lower levels of CL. So starting with $500, you are rather more likely to see an auto-increase than someone starting at $10K. But that is just from observing here, not necessarily a fact

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:10:30 GMT

My DH's Freedom started out at $1500. He's had two auto CLIs of $300 each, bringing him up to $2100. This is very much a YMMV sort of thing.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

adozark — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:10:31 GMT

Freedom was my first credit card, and I believe I started with a 1k limit and it grew to 7k over a 3 year period and stayed at 7 for the last couple years, though that's when I started accruing some serious debt , so that would explain the hault.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

DavidZeng — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:29:28 GMT

I got my Freedom about 2 months ago, with 600CL. From the observation of my friends and I. Chase never gives my friends auto CLI, although they had the card with 500CL for over 1 year and put almost everything through the card. However, some posts here reported they got auto CLI from Chase. It is YMMV. But customer initial CLI request is almost always a HP with Chase, sometimes even double pulls.

I don't think prime or subprime is an issue here, High APR is inevitable, due to lack of credit history. My friends and I always pay in full and sometimes run 3X-4X times CL of the freedom per month. We never consider ourselves subprime.

Youngcredit23 wrote:

I've been doing some reading on the forums, and I've come across topics saying that Chase is very stern when it comes to growing with its customer, or in other words giving CLI's as time passes...

Will my Chase Freedom grow with me? They started me off with a 500CL since it was my first card, but it's already proving a bit low as I find myself making full payments along the month since it's easy to hit the limit. As time passes, will the increase my limit with them, or am I stuck at 500?

Also, one other quick question. I got into the topic about prime cards and subprime cards; is the Chase Freedom considered prime or subprime?

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

gdale6 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:29:12 GMT

The short answer on growing with you is : YES they are one of the better ones who do.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

red259 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:35:56 GMT

Restarting out in my credit journey I picke dup two cards at first one of which was the chase freedom. I started at 3k and after 4 months I got an auto cli to 3.7k. The card saw heavy use and for 3 out of 4 statements I PIF before the statement cut date and my overall util across both cards was typically kept at 1%. After my most recent app cycle I picked up the CSP and two amexes so I am currently spending on those cards to meet min spend and only revert back to the freedom if its a bonus category spend. It will be interesting to see if I get another CLI with minor use and PIF. Some people have had decent luck with a HP credit line increase. However, IMO it seems like the best option would be apply for another chase card to get the bonus and then after the year move the credit line over to the freedom and close the card out if its not one you want long term. The honest answer is the freedom card is not going to keep pace with your credit growing, but its a great long term card for bonus spend and it has no AF so it will work well for AAoAs and help solidfy a long term chase relationship. It also seems like an ideal place to stash credit lines of chase cards you want to get rid of.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

red259 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:45:06 GMT

I don't know the exact definition of a subprime credit card, but I do not consider the Chase Freedom to be one. The Freedom is an entry level card with Chase, but you have to have at least decent credit to get it.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:52:00 GMT

You won't get any ohhhs or ahhhs, but I seriously doubt anyone is embarrassed to buy something with a freedom. Good rewards... who cares how hard it is to get.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

red259 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:09:38 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
You won't get any ohhhs or ahhhs, but I seriously doubt anyone is embarrassed to buy something with a freedom. Good rewards... who cares how hard it is to get.

People on this board would gladly use a pink credit card with purple polka dots and hello kitty on it and not be embarrassed if it was a card that gave them great rewards and high credit lines quickly with great customer service and back dating. Let's not kid ourselves.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:14:05 GMT

True true. As far as grow... they gave me a decent limit for my file. Only had it a month... cli's are possibly on the horizon

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:14:46 GMT

@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
You won't get any ohhhs or ahhhs, but I seriously doubt anyone is embarrassed to buy something with a freedom. Good rewards... who cares how hard it is to get.
People on this board would gladly use a pink credit card with purple polka dots and hello kitty on it and not be embarrassed if it was a card that gave them great rewards and high credit lines quickly with great customer service and back dating. Let's not kid ourselves.

Some/many would, I agree. But what still surprises me if that a few do actually care so much about appearance, some put of getting the Fidelity Amex for the reason. And obvously there are those who get the card merely for the appearance, mainly CSP, regardless of whether the benefits are useful to them.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

red259 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:29:34 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@red259 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
You won't get any ohhhs or ahhhs, but I seriously doubt anyone is embarrassed to buy something with a freedom. Good rewards... who cares how hard it is to get.
People on this board would gladly use a pink credit card with purple polka dots and hello kitty on it and not be embarrassed if it was a card that gave them great rewards and high credit lines quickly with great customer service and back dating. Let's not kid ourselves.
Some/many would, I agree. But what still surprises me if that a few do actually care so much about appearance, some put of getting the Fidelity Amex for the reason. And obvously there are those who get the card merely for the appearance, mainly CSP, regardless of whether the benefits are useful to them.

There are always a few that are that concerned with cosmetics more than anything else. I just receieved my Amex BCP card in the mail. Its soo flimsy after my CSP and I am still getting used to the fact I can see through it.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

efranklin23 — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 23:26:12 GMT

@Youngcredit23 wrote:
I've been doing some reading on the forums, and I've come across topics saying that Chase is very stern when it comes to growing with its customer, or in other words giving CLI's as time passes...

Will my Chase Freedom grow with me? They started me off with a 500CL since it was my first card, but it's already proving a bit low as I find myself making full payments along the month since it's easy to hit the limit. As time passes, will the increase my limit with them, or am I stuck at 500?

Also, one other quick question. I got into the topic about prime cards and subprime cards; is the Chase Freedom considered prime or subprime?

To get started, how long have you had the card? Chase likes to gives increases when they see other cards in your portfolio (not Store Cards!!) performing under 10% and receiving CLIs as well. They're known for matching up cards so hopefully you have another CC to match with them so Chase can compete. If so, give it time and it grow

And as someone said, while the Freedom card may be one of the easiest card to obtain made by Chase, there's no doubt that the Freedom is a prime card as you need decent credit (or the potential of decent) which alones take it away from the subprime category (predatory fees just to have to have a card or to do an CLI)

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Wed, 22 Jan 2014 23:27:44 GMT

I've been at $3k for quite a while

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

medic13 — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 07:10:44 GMT

Chase has been good to me but not with credit limit increases. They approved me with a score in the 660's for a Freedom with a limit of 1800 it stayed there for over a year after running probably 30k through it and requesting a couple of cli with no luv even at 700 score. Got declined one last time and then decided to apply for a CSP I was approved 5k limit, after getting declined for a cli on the Freedom just a few days earlier. Then I applied for a southwest premier another 2 days later approved again 5k, applied for a Marriot 2 days after that called recon said try again in 30 days so I did approved for a 12k limit 30 days after first app. Aplied 30 days later for second Southwest card for companion pass approved 5k. At this point if I want I could transfer over some of the credit lines from the other cards to the Freedom card which is still $1800 so wont bother with anymore cli requests. Ill probably cancel one of the southwest cards prior to annual fee and bring the freedom up to 5k and put the rest on the CSP. in my experience It seems to be easier to apply for another card hold on to it and then transfer the credit line over to wherever you want it.

Re: Will my Chase Freedom grow with me?

Anonymous — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 07:19:25 GMT

If you want CLIs with chase, its best to just request one, which will cost you a hard inquiry, or to apply for another chase product. Auto CLIs are somewhat infrequent and unpredictable for the most part.

The freedom is a great card, for me at least. The design of the card, especially that crazy freedom font, may be on the ghetto side, but for 5X UR, i have no complains.