CC Application Strategy

[M_Smart007]

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@credit8502020 wrote:

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@Beefy1212 wrote:

@Roisin You mentioned gas mutliple times as a consideration, look into Abound FCU , and AAA travel rewards card. Both are 5% uncapped cash back on gas.

AAA is inquiry sensitive and score inquires for 2 years not 12 months.

Abound is a PITA to setup but otherwise a strong card.

As for DH paying most of the day to day expenses, nothing is stoping you from giving him an AU card with "gas" and "supermarket" stickers on them. I understand why you want to build your own credit, that doesn't mean you can't use Dumb Husband's spending to help you along. Marriage is first and foremost a partnership even if you 2 keep your money separate you should have a joint account you pay out house expenses from.

Escclesiastes 4:12
"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but 2 can stand back to back and conquer." 

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@Beefy1212 & @M_Smart007 I'm considering both of these cards for my gas category at Costco.

Here are a few questions for you:

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

I do not have a Costco close to Me, so I do not purchase from them. (unsure on how it codes)

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  

I do not have AAA membership, they let me apply for the card without it.

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 

I am prettty sure this if for @Beefy1212 .

Thank you! 

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@credit8502020, Answered in red.

So far the card, website, reporting & payments are all working smooth as butter.

[credit8502020]

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@M_Smart007 wrote:

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@credit8502020 wrote:

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@Beefy1212 wrote:

@Roisin You mentioned gas mutliple times as a consideration, look into Abound FCU , and AAA travel rewards card. Both are 5% uncapped cash back on gas.

AAA is inquiry sensitive and score inquires for 2 years not 12 months.

Abound is a PITA to setup but otherwise a strong card.

As for DH paying most of the day to day expenses, nothing is stoping you from giving him an AU card with "gas" and "supermarket" stickers on them. I understand why you want to build your own credit, that doesn't mean you can't use Dumb Husband's spending to help you along. Marriage is first and foremost a partnership even if you 2 keep your money separate you should have a joint account you pay out house expenses from.

Escclesiastes 4:12
"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but 2 can stand back to back and conquer." 

---

@Beefy1212 & @M_Smart007 I'm considering both of these cards for my gas category at Costco.

Here are a few questions for you:

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

I do not have a Costco close to Me, so I do not purchase from them. (unsure on how it codes)

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  

I do not have AAA membership, they let me apply for the card without it.

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 

I am prettty sure this if for @Beefy1212 .

Thank you! 

---

@credit8502020, Answered in red.

So far the card, website, reporting & payments are all working smooth as butter.

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@M_Smart007 Great! Thank you. 

[Beefy1212]

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@credit8502020 wrote:

---

@Beefy1212 wrote:

@Roisin You mentioned gas mutliple times as a consideration, look into Abound FCU , and AAA travel rewards card. Both are 5% uncapped cash back on gas.

AAA is inquiry sensitive and score inquires for 2 years not 12 months.

Abound is a PITA to setup but otherwise a strong card.

As for DH paying most of the day to day expenses, nothing is stoping you from giving him an AU card with "gas" and "supermarket" stickers on them. I understand why you want to build your own credit, that doesn't mean you can't use Dumb Husband's spending to help you along. Marriage is first and foremost a partnership even if you 2 keep your money separate you should have a joint account you pay out house expenses from.

Escclesiastes 4:12
"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but 2 can stand back to back and conquer." 

---

@Beefy1212 & @M_Smart007 I'm considering both of these cards for my gas category at Costco.

Here are a few questions for you:

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 

Thank you! 

---

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

I don't shop at Costco, from my understanding it simply needs to be a visa and you are good the pumps code as gas not costco 

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  
You don't need a AAA membership to apply, at least from what the app says

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 
I applied the same day I joined, They asked for proof of income, I didn't have a pay stub with my current salary because I had just gotten a raise but as a civil worker for the USxx I was able to forwarded my SF-50 and the current GS payscale from OPM proving my income. Total process took about 4 hours of trading emails with the underwriter, I guess this is just a long winded way of saying have 2-3 current paystubs.

I got this card instead of the AAA card. The credit union is frankly a pain in the ass to setup every step of the process is done by hand, and you can't transfer money into your account or pay your credit card or use zelle from within the app/website. The only way they allow you to transfer money into the account is to link your checking/savings account to an external bank and then push the money into your abound account, then pay your credit card bill the whole process is just annoying and needlessly complex.

All told it is a strong gas card with quarterly 5% rotators as I ranted on through a few hoops to jump through.

/edit and of course to be different questions in red answers in black 

[credit8502020]

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@Beefy1212 wrote:

---

@credit8502020 wrote:

---

@Beefy1212 wrote:

@Roisin You mentioned gas mutliple times as a consideration, look into Abound FCU , and AAA travel rewards card. Both are 5% uncapped cash back on gas.

AAA is inquiry sensitive and score inquires for 2 years not 12 months.

Abound is a PITA to setup but otherwise a strong card.

As for DH paying most of the day to day expenses, nothing is stoping you from giving him an AU card with "gas" and "supermarket" stickers on them. I understand why you want to build your own credit, that doesn't mean you can't use Dumb Husband's spending to help you along. Marriage is first and foremost a partnership even if you 2 keep your money separate you should have a joint account you pay out house expenses from.

Escclesiastes 4:12
"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but 2 can stand back to back and conquer." 

---

@Beefy1212 & @M_Smart007 I'm considering both of these cards for my gas category at Costco.

Here are a few questions for you:

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 

Thank you! 

---

1. Did/do either of you use it for gas at Costco? I'm just curious to know if it definitely codes properly.

I don't shop at Costco, from my understanding it simply needs to be a visa and you are good the pumps code as gas not costco 

2. For AAA, after you have the card, do you have to keep the AAA membership? I want to make sure I factor that in as well.  
You don't need a AAA membership to apply, at least from what the app says

3. How long after joining Abound did you apply for their credit card? 
I applied the same day I joined, They asked for proof of income, I didn't have a pay stub with my current salary because I had just gotten a raise but as a civil worker for the USxx I was able to forwarded my SF-50 and the current GS payscale from OPM proving my income. Total process took about 4 hours of trading emails with the underwriter, I guess this is just a long winded way of saying have 2-3 current paystubs.

I got this card instead of the AAA card. The credit union is frankly a pain in the ass to setup every step of the process is done by hand, and you can't transfer money into your account or pay your credit card or use zelle from within the app/website. The only way they allow you to transfer money into the account is to link your checking/savings account to an external bank and then push the money into your abound account, then pay your credit card bill the whole process is just annoying and needlessly complex.

All told it is a strong gas card with quarterly 5% rotators as I ranted on through a few hoops to jump through.

/edit and of course to be different questions in red answers in black 

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@Beefy1212 Thank you! I really appreciate you sharing your experience. Its helpful! 

[Roisin]

So, I have absolutely no stick-to-itiveness. None. Nada. Zilch. And, I'm a terrible gardener.

After soliciting advice and receiving great suggestions here -- thank you, everyone! -- I finally formulated my CC acquisitions plan. Remember: I was seeking to add a couple of cards, with perhaps 15 months of 0% APR, more-than-minimal SLs, and long-term relationships. Amex BCE was my first-pick (since then, I did go back and review/compare BCE vs. BCP), and also, I really wanted a Visa Signature for Costco spends and other reasons. Meanwhile, WF Active Cash (VS) was sending mailers with a 0% 15-month APR offer, as well as wildcard Ally Unltd. Cash Back for Teachers (MC), which, after a 15-month 0% APR, offered a better-than-most (for me) APR at 20.99%. Also, I'm a new member of PenFed, and was considering their PCR (VS); however, initially I'd planned to wait until next year to apply. I prequalified for FNBO Evergreen (VS) which was at the top of my list for awhile; however, after reading the FNBO Master Thread on the forum here, I grew shy about proceeding with FNBO at this time. For gas payments, I looked at Abound FCU and AAA Travel.

Regardless, Step One of my plan was to stay in the garden and "wait." Wait until at least next month before applying for anything. Of course, I couldn't do it. 

After prequalifying, I pushed the button for the Amex BCE. I know it would've been smarter, and I would've done better if I'd shown self-restraint and waited. Nevertheless, after not cooling my jets, I'm pleased with the $6K SL. It's not the biggest SL I've been offered, but it's not the smallest either. And, given my teacher's salary (I didn't use our combined income to apply), the SL is quite managable. As expected, they pulled EX.

So, phase one of this year's CC acquistion is complete!

Now, I'm back to strategizing. PenFed is known to pull EQ, and like Amex, the other cards I've mentioned all report as EXers. So, due to the EQ, VS designation, and lower APR, PenFed PCR has moved to the top of my list. Because it pulls from a different CRA, do I dare try going for PenFed sooner, rather than later? 

Thanks again, everyone, for sharing yoru experience and advice. 

EDIT to add: Amex pulled EX and TU.

[Anonymalous]

They pull from different bureaus, so it makes sense to apply before the new Amex shows up on your credit reports.

[Beefy1212]

@Roisin 

Don't sweat the early app, frankly given the scorecard change at 12 months I would rather just rip the bandaid off now get the cards I know I want and get 12 months behind me even faster. Also with even moderate use that amex is going to be 18k in 3-6 months Those 3x limit increases are the bomb!