@Anonymalous wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@M_Smart007 wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:Concerns and best practices:
2. I think the "best practice" is to avoid sprees, and add cards gradually.
@SouthJamaica, Now you tell me
BTW ...great advice. I am not to sure about sprees in this economic environment.
Well @M_Smart007 I don't think that advice necessarily applies to you, as I believe the banks and credit unions have a special place in their hearts for you.
They have a special place in their heart for @Anonymous as well, it's just smaller (SLs).
I believe so, so gonna app for United Explorer, that instant $250 stmt credit is too tempting plus the best benefits among fellow $95 cards 
I mean already gazillion of HPs so what's 1 more at this stage, for science
@Anonymous wrote:
@Anonymalous wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@M_Smart007 wrote:
@SouthJamaica wrote:Concerns and best practices:
2. I think the "best practice" is to avoid sprees, and add cards gradually.
@SouthJamaica, Now you tell me
BTW ...great advice. I am not to sure about sprees in this economic environment.
Well @M_Smart007 I don't think that advice necessarily applies to you, as I believe the banks and credit unions have a special place in their hearts for you.
They have a special place in their heart for @Anonymous as well, it's just smaller (SLs).
I believe so, so gonna app for United Explorer, that instant $250 stmt credit is too tempting plus the best benefits among fellow $95 cards
Is that the new excuse among junkies? Just one more hit, for science!
Wonderful idea @uncredited
Now railing against useless Delta, no flights to LRGV only to Houston and overpriced, to boot 
Why do u make it so hard for me to app for Gold
I stopped by the local U.S. Bank branch today. The banker insisted that any rumors of people being rejected for having opened more than 1 or 2 credit cards in the past year was complete nonsense, and if you had a good credit score you were basically guaranteed to be accepted. And then she went on to say that if I was rejected, she'd just resubmit the application -- and in an off-hand comment without any hint of self-awareness, said that had happened a lot lately.
@SouthJamaica, you should be ashamed for spreading bad information! U.S. Bank is easy! 
She also hated the Cash+. When I mentioned I was interested in the card, she immediately tried to talk me of it, pushing the Altitude Go instead. She didn't care what I was interested in, and didn't even seem to be aware of what categories the cards covered, she just went off on a rant about how you have to activate the quarterly categories with the Cash+, and everyone forgets, so it's a bad card stay away.
I wouldn't say the trip was informative, but it was amusing.
@Anonymalous wrote:I stopped by the local U.S. Bank branch today. The banker insisted that any rumors of people being rejected for having opened more than 1 or 2 credit cards in the past year was complete nonsense, and if you had a good credit score you were basically guaranteed to be accepted. And then she went on to say that if I was rejected, she'd just resubmit the application -- and in an off-hand comment without any hint of self-awareness, said that had happened a lot lately.
@SouthJamaica, you should be ashamed for spreading bad information! U.S. Bank is easy!
She also hated the Cash+. When I mentioned I was interested in the card, she immediately tried to talk me of it, pushing the Altitude Go instead. She didn't care what I was interested in, and didn't even seem to be aware of what categories the cards covered, she just went off on a rant about how you have to activate the quarterly categories with the Cash+, and everyone forgets, so it's a bad card stay away.
I wouldn't say the trip was informative, but it was amusing.
Well, the thing is, personal bankers are incentivized for products. So, I can see why the trip was amusing 😁
They do not have any control over any UW decisions and will tell you what you want to hear, even the "rumors" part. Essentially, underwriting determines the final outcome and even if a banker bats for you on a reconsideration or appeal, if UW says no, then it's a no. Very seldom do these decisions get overturned by a banker, which would be no different if an individual did it themselves and made the supporting case to overturn the decision 🤷♂️
@FinStar wrote:Well, the thing is, personal bankers are incentivized for products. So, I can see why the trip was amusing 😁
They do not have any control over any UW decisions and will tell you what you want to hear, even the "rumors" part. Essentially, underwriting determines the final outcome and even if a banker bats for you on a reconsideration or appeal, if UW says no, then it's a no. Very seldom do these decisions get overturned by a banker, which would be no different if an individual did it themselves and made the supporting case to overturn the decision 🤷♂️
I know, I just found it very entertaining how uninformed her answers were. Though I'm not even sure she was trying to sell me anything, because she never tried to close the deal and get me to open anything, even though I had expressed an interest in both credit cards and deposit accounts. Plus, I'm pretty sure bashing your own cards isn't in the approved script at any FI. Cash+ bad!
@Who_wuda_thought wrote:@Anonymalous So did you decide if you are going to app next for Cash+?
No, I don't think so. The reason for my visit was to get a feel for the bank in general, because I've been looking to move some of my deposit accounts. U.S. Bank has a really good SUB for their checking ($500), that ends on Monday, and having a credit card is a way to avoid the monthly fee, which would make a natural combination. But their fees are high and their limits are low, so I don't think they're a good choice for a long-term bank. It wasn't a deciding factor, but my general impression is that U.S. Bank felt more like a fuddy-duddy old school local bank than the 5th largest American bank by assets.
I'll think I'll try for the Max Cash Preferred instead. While I was amused by the banker's rant, I do agree with her about activating the quarterly categories. While I could certainly set an alert, I'd much prefer to set the categories and forget them. The MCP allows for that. Plus, one of the local FIs that offers the card is a genuine local bank. (After more than 130 years, they finally opened their third branch a half a dozen years ago!) I don't have any deposit accounts with them, but I certainly could, and it's good to have that as option.
Elan is apparently a bit looser than U.S. Bank, but I'm still a young file. So I'm going to wait until 12/1 to ensure I'm at 1/12, giving me the best chance.
And I'll apply for the card from the local credit union, at the same time. I'll skip the Flex/Custom Cash for the moment. I can apply for those in 6 months or so, if it seems appropriate.
So 2 cards. I don't think that will qualify as spree to anyone except @uncredited.
You mean 2/6, right? You daredevil! 
Your USB story reminds me of my "branch manager" (probably out of middle school?) story I referenced in my amex approval post. It makes me so mad. Most people believe what the bank tells them at the bank ... most don't think they're little more than a marketing office.