Big Spend Coming Application Advice

[SouthJamaica]

The card

---

@lrodrig wrote:

Hi all,

I'm totally new to these forums although I've been lurking since last May 2015 when I learned the hard way what happens to your credit score when you close unused accounts thinking it will help you get approved for a mortgage...

Anyways, we have some medical bills in the neighborhood of $12,000 that are coming due in the next month and a friend mentioned that we should consider earning some travel points on various credit cards. We have the cash to pay the bills but it seems like a waste to not earn something back. I've never used credit cards for there benefits. I've only used them because them seem necessary.

I would love to hear some advice from this awesome community. Here is a little info.

Equifax: 710 TU: 701 Experian: 694

Utilization shows 39% but should be 20% when things update.

myFICO 3B Report Inquiries: 1 Equifax, 2 Experian

AAoP? may not be good...

Household income > 250k / year

USAA MC: $13,800 June 2013

Citi Simplicity: $4,500 June 2015

Two others are 6 months or less (we needed a fridge and tires in an emergency so decided to go no interest via Brand Source as well as Synchrony)

Of course like everyone else I would love the Chase Sapphire Preferred. United is our main airline in town, although American and Southwest have a strong presence as well.

Should I even bother? I tried all of the pre-qualification tools and get no results. I have no collections showing, and I was 60 days late (because I totally suck and spaced out) on a Barclay Card back in 2013. I also have a late on from a few years ago on a second mortgage that totally screwed up our payment when it transferred. They promised they would not report it as late but did anyways and we were unsuccessful in getting removed although I didn't try very hard. Bank of America sent me a 'pre-screen' offer but I'm not sure if that means anything.

If this isn't correct forum let me know.

Thanks!

---

I would suggest Capital One Venture card. Nice sign up bonus, 2 points per dollar to use for any kind of travel you want, larger than average starting credit limits, frequent fee-free and interest-free balance transfer offers, no foreign transaction fees, Visa Signature benefits, nice card esthetically.

[lrodrig]

Well I tried for the United Explorer card and got this message:

"We'll let you know our decision in writing as soon as we can. If we approve your application, you'll receive your card in the mail in 7-10 business days. Please don't resubmit your application."

As well as an email saying:

"We'll let you know of our decision through U.S. mail within the next 30 days. Please don't resubmit this application while waiting for our decision."

I do have a fraud alert on TransUnion and Equifax I believe because of an account that showed that wasn't mine.

*sigh* I'll wait but I'll probably have to try Capital One or Citi instead...

[Anonymous]

---

@lrodrig wrote:

Well I tried for the United Explorer card and got this message:

"We'll let you know our decision in writing as soon as we can. If we approve your application, you'll receive your card in the mail in 7-10 business days. Please don't resubmit your application."

As well as an email saying:

"We'll let you know of our decision through U.S. mail within the next 30 days. Please don't resubmit this application while waiting for our decision."

I do have a fraud alert on TransUnion and Equifax I believe because of an account that showed that wasn't mine.

*sigh* I'll wait but I'll probably have to try Capital One or Citi instead...

---

Keep us posted, when I apped for the CSP I had a 690 Equifax with a 30 day mortgage late from 15 months previous and a 6 year collection. I did have 1% utlilization on my other cards which wwe a QS and Chase Freedom. Good luck. I think the Chase Sapphire is better for you if you fly United and Southwest.

[Anonymous]

---

@lrodrig wrote:

Well I tried for the United Explorer card and got this message:

"We'll let you know our decision in writing as soon as we can. If we approve your application, you'll receive your card in the mail in 7-10 business days. Please don't resubmit your application."

As well as an email saying:

"We'll let you know of our decision through U.S. mail within the next 30 days. Please don't resubmit this application while waiting for our decision."

I do have a fraud alert on TransUnion and Equifax I believe because of an account that showed that wasn't mine.

*sigh* I'll wait but I'll probably have to try Capital One or Citi instead...

---

I applied this weekend and received the same exact messages. Logged into my Chase checking account this morning and saw that I was approved for 5K...all hope might not be lost

[lrodrig]

Is the correct strategy to wait until I get something in the mail or receive a phone call from them? Or should I be proactive and give one of those many listed phone numbers for Chase a ring?

[Anonymous]

---

@lrodrig wrote:

Is the correct strategy to wait until I get something in the mail or receive a phone call from them? Or should I be proactive and give one of those many listed phone numbers for Chase a ring?

---

I would call

[lrodrig]

I called and spoke to a customer service representative and got the dreaded 'You will hear something from us shortly.' No biggie. Thought I would try. I don't need another card I just wanted to try and earn some rewards while paying the 12k in medical bills.

[lrodrig]

I couldn't help myself and went ahead and called the reconsideration line. Here is what I learned.

1. Unfortunately there is a WaMu charge off showing up in their system that doesn't show up on my credit report. I thought I had taken care of this when we bought our house last year. The Chase representative was as surprised as I was that it was showing up. This keeps coming up and I asked how much the charge off was for and that I was willing to pay it so I can do business with Chase. She said $1,200 but could not give me many ideas on how to pay it. She was quiet surprised that I was willing to. This was a card I screwed up with in college back in early 2000.

2. They asked for explanations on the 30 day late for the Barclay Card I used to have and the 2nd mortgage from a previous house. I told them the truth and she seemed to be happy with those explanations. Barclay Card was a brain fart and the 2nd mortgage was a payment processing error when the new bank bought it.

3. I'm an authroized user on my wife's Amex and unfortunately it shows up 3 times on my darn credit report. Exact same balances. I've tried getting Amex to correct this but haven't had success. Maybe I should go to the credit bureaus instead? She seemed to understand that explanation.

4. She also asked about my wife's Old Navy Visa card which we almost maxed out to pay for an emergency room visit (part of those medical bills). It's already paid off but I guess it's not showing up yet. I offered to provide proof of the current balance but she declined and seemed to accept the explanation. I an authorized user on that card as well.

She was nice and seemed very positive with me on the phone. She said that the updated application needed to be reviewed now one more time with the updated information and that they could get back to me several weeks. It almost felt like she wanted to tell me all was good but the WaMu thing was stumping her. *sigh*

This is honestly almost not worth it. I had no idea how painful this would be. We don't need more credit or really even want more. I just figured with the additional medical bills and the fact that I travel on United 5-7 times per year for work this card would be nice. I wonder if I should try a different bank or just wait until this process plays out at this point. I gotta pay the medical bills so I'll be out of waiting time soon.

[lrodrig]

What a weird morning. I accidently called a Chase phone number this morning while trying to reach Citi to ask a question about a CLI denial. I had the 30 day message still yesterday so I was planning on just being patient. I didn't even realize I was talking to a Chase CSR until after I gave them my info and they said 'I see we need verification for your United Explorer Card application.' 20 minutes later a different CSR asks me some questions and approves the app for $5k SL.

Of course I'll wait to celebrate after I receive the card and it activates before celebrating. I've read too many horror stories at this point to think this is a done deal.