You are more likely to get some useful answers if you include your credit profile ... 
@TXBeliever wrote:... have seen lots of great experiences with several other CUs (namely Langley, BECU, and SECU ...
One thing I can offer without seeing more info is my experience when I went a CU spreein' -- if I remember correctly, it weren't so jolly a trip. 
My Fico scores at the time were (approx): EX 724 TU 750 EQ 740
@TXBeliever wrote:Hi all,
Some of you may have seen my post the other day about my 91/3 coming up for NFCU. I decided to start a new thread since I now have a wider question. For some context, I applied for the Cash Rewards with NFCU and got a $20K SL (with a SP at that). On that same day, I figured it was my chance to try to get in with PenFed, so I joined and got approved for both the Power Cash Rewards and the Promise card (with SLs of $1k each).
This week, once my 3rd statement is cut, I am going to request a CLI on my NFCU CR to $35K (only expecting maybe the typical $8k increase - just aiming high) and apply for my 2nd NFCU card (likely the More Rewards at this point). My main objective is obtaining more available credit to bring my utilization % down overall. Since I've going to app for that, I figured why not try to app for something else as well at the same time. I've been reading the forums over the past couple of days and have seen lots of great experiences with several other CUs (namely Langley, BECU, and SECU). So, here's the question: In addition to my NFCU needs, which of these other cards would be best to go for, in your opinion? Langley and SECU both seem to HP EQ, while it looks like BECU HP TU (and so does NFCU if they do HP me for the MR). Is having two HP on one credit report a bad thing? If so, then I might do the NFCU MR and then maybe just apply for a card Langley since it seems to be pretty straightforward. As for the PenFed cards, I'm still not quite sure what the strategy is for CLIs there so I figured I would hold off for a bit until I understand it a little better.
Thanks for any perspectives!
YMMV- I think a lot of people are shot down more often than you think. Have you checked for pre-quals from any of the banks that offer them? If you are going to shoot, do everything you can to avoid the "spray and pray method."
@Anonymous wrote:You are more likely to get some useful answers if you include your credit profile ...
Good point. 
Ok, my profile a couple days after I applied for the NCFU CR and PenFed cards back in early Jan:
EQ: 629 TU: 635 EX: 642
Util across all ranged from 60-67%
2 Inquiries on Report (from NCFU and PenFed, of course)
AaoA: 8.9 years
Profile as of today:
EQ: 646 TU: 665 EX: 670
Util across all range from 40-44%
2 Inquiries on Report (the same NCFU and PenFed)
3 Recent accounts (the one NCFU card and the two PenFed cards)
AaoA: 8.5 years (I assume the shift is just due to the three new cards in January)
It seems that as I'm adding available credit to my profile but not using as much of it, my scores are improving. My plan is to add a little more credit every few months so that my util % will continue to decrease and continue to help my scores. Does this additional info help with suggestions for the cards I mentioned in my above message?
@Anonymous wrote:One thing I can offer without seeing more info is my experience when I went a CU spreein' -- if I remember correctly, it weren't so jolly a trip.
Oh yes, I'm definitely not trying to go crazy and mess up my progress. When I got the three cards back in January, it really did not hurt my credit much at all. My scores have actually improved since then (I posted additional info in the thread), so I was thinking maybe I could go for another two or three on this round. That's why I called it a mini-spree. Not trying to apply for a million cards. Just wanted to prioritize what other one or two might be worth going for if I decided to app for something in addition to the 2nd NFCU card. Make sense?
@TXBeliever wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:You are more likely to get some useful answers if you include your credit profile ...
Good point.
EQ: 629 TU: 635 EX: 642
Util across all ranged from 60-67%
2 Inquiries on Report (from NCFU and PenFed, of course)
AaoA: 8.9 years
Profile as of today:
EQ: 646 TU: 665 EX: 670
Util across all range from 40-44%
2 Inquiries on Report (the same NCFU and PenFed)
3 Recent accounts (the one NCFU card and the two PenFed cards)
AaoA: 8.5 years (I assume the shift is just due to the three new cards in January)
It seems that as I'm adding available credit to my profile but not using as much of it, my scores are improving. My plan is to add a little more credit every few months so that my util % will continue to decrease and continue to help my scores. Does this additional info help with suggestions for the cards I mentioned in my above message?
With those scores I suggest you do as I suggested above, and/or look to consolidate your debts into an installment loan. This will get your UTI down and bring all of your debts under one roof with a single APR. The plan as you have explained it does not address the actual issue which is paying down the debt in the most effective and cost efficient manner.
@nuohlac wrote:With those scores I suggest you do as I suggested above, and/or look to consolidate your debts into an installment loan. This will get your UTI down and bring all of your debts under one roof with a single APR. The plan as you have explained it does not address the actual issue which is paying down the debt in the most effective and cost efficient manner.
I addressed the pre-qual situation in a post above.
I was thinking of it as hitting it from both sides. For the NCFU/PenFed cards, I've been PIF each month. For the other CCs I have had for years that have balances, I'm starting with the lowest balance card I have and making larger payments each month to try to pay it off quicker, then rolling to the next lowest balance card, and on and on. I figured getting additional available credit in the short term will help my util and scores, allowing me to continue to get more credit over time and paying down my balances on my other cards at the same time will just add more to the progress in the long run. Am I thinking about this wrong?
Honestly, I'm not as familiar with doing debt consolidation. I always thought of it as just moving debt from several different places to one place for ease of organization, not necessarily paying it any faster. Like I said, I'm really not that familiar with the steps so I could definitely be missing the big picture. Maybe you can help me see the light. Also, with your advice are you also suggesting that I not try to get the 2nd card from NCFU for my 91/3? I think I should still do that either way.