Was enthused that I got approved for a Discover IT card, until I 'discovered' that my credit limit is only $1k, while I just got a card from Cap One with a 20k limit.
Any recommendations as to what my strategy should be for an increase? Should I expect an automatic CLI after a while, or apply for a CLI after a certain period of time, or just forget about it?
2013 first year with Discover It
Feb: Discover was one of my original unsecured cards. They started me at $2000.
Jul: I had to accept a HP if I wanted a CLI. They increased my limit to $3000.
Nov: I had to accept a HP if I wanted a CLI. They increased my limit to $5000.
2014 second year with Discover It
May: Using automated phone system, I was finally offered a SP CLI. Limit now $6000
Sep: Using computer, requested $1500. Granted via SP. Limit now $7500
Dec: Using automated phone system, SP increase of $1000. Limit now $8500
My experience was HP required first year, SP available after that. Was it worth it to use the HP? Yes. HP only affect your FICO scores for a year. 2013 saw a 150% increase due to HP CLI, whereas 2nd year saw 70% increase. And I never wish that I had used fewer HP during 2013 so that i could now brag, or something. You get to use a certain number of HP each year, but you don't get to hoard them for the future. Could I have used the HP to obtain more cards? Well, look at the first image, I DID obtain good cards.
I feel using HP to gain credit limit is all a part of your strategy. Some cards you can get HP via SP, so that should also be a part of your strategy, so that you can strategically use a few HP for the other cards that may need it. And don't do app sprees too close together, the more you hurt your initial credit limits, the more HP you may need to bring them back up, whereas if you had waited a few months you might have started much higher.
That average spend line is about $200, and its that high due to that large 4th quarter 2014 spending ( I threw the rent and such on the card). Note that in 2014 BEFORE the 4th quarter spending, i didn't do much more than spend enough to keep the free FICO scores coming 
yet as I stated I had 3 SP CLI requests granted. yes, you need to use the card, but you certainly don't need to overuse it, in order to qualify for a credit increase. Just use it a lot in quarters that you find the 5% useful, and use it a tad bit otherwise, keep your FICO score up, and you'll do fine. Just have patience.
Thanks
For some reason I wasn't allowed to view the post you linked
@uswala wrote:See my post here on my experience with them:
Thanks for the advice