@SecondToLastDraftDodger wrote:Long time lurker, first time poster.
Went through the first half of my life not using credit. No student loans, paid for cars in full, etc. I just recently got into the credit scene a few months ago. My first card was the Chase FU (have a banking relationship with Chase; still had to call recon) with a $2k limit.
February will be six months, and I'm wanting to get a second card. I've paid the Chase card on time every month. I'm looking at the Amex BCE. I've checked the prequal site and I get prequaled for it now.
Right now, my EX8 score is 730, and TU and EQ aren't showing yet. The goal is to get one card at the 6 month mark and then one more at the year mark so I get the three-card dillhickey and the accounts all age together for the second half of life. That way, if I need credit in the future, I'll have a solid base.
So two questions: 1) is this a realistic, workable plan; and 2) is the BCE a good second card to get?
1.) Yes
2.) Yes, or a Discover IT card, which doubles your cash back at the end of the first year.
Since it takes a minimum of 6 months of credit reporting to calculate a FICO 8 score, and you'll be there in February, that means you have another credit account reporting on your Experian credit report that's at least 6 months old. (It takes 7 months of reporting for TU and EQ CRs to generate the first FICO 8 scores.) Are you an authorized user on someone else's credit card?
@SecondToLastDraftDodger wrote:Long time lurker, first time poster.
Went through the first half of my life not using credit. No student loans, paid for cars in full, etc. I just recently got into the credit scene a few months ago. My first card was the Chase FU (have a banking relationship with Chase; still had to call recon) with a $2k limit.
February will be six months, and I'm wanting to get a second card. I've paid the Chase card on time every month. I'm looking at the Amex BCE. I've checked the prequal site and I get prequaled for it now.
Right now, my EX8 score is 730, and TU and EQ aren't showing yet. The goal is to get one card at the 6 month mark and then one more at the year mark so I get the three-card dillhickey and the accounts all age together for the second half of life. That way, if I need credit in the future, I'll have a solid base.
So two questions: 1) is this a realistic, workable plan; and 2) is the BCE a good second card to get?
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your Chase approval.
1. Yes you're doing great. To start right off with one of Chase's core cards is a terrific beginning.
2. You should wait for the next application until you're showing up on all 3 bureaus.
3. I gather you're concentrating on cash back cards. Yes the Amex BCE is a fine second card. I have one.
4. I also have the Comenity AAA Travel Advantage Visa; I find it very useful It's new, but so far it looks like one of the most useful cards I could have. There's also a Comenity AAA Daily Advantage card, which some folks might find more useful.
5. Another good card for you might be the Citi DoubleCash mastercard.
The Amex Blue Cash Everyday was my second card, via a postal mailer.
My first was (and still is..) started at $1000.
Amex granted me the BCE with a $10k SL 
The BCE was a fine card to get, and has gotten a bit better!
It's a perfect path for upgrading to a Blue Cash Preferred if that suits someone's spend. I've been getting upgrade offers since it got to be about 6mo old I think. I never have asked for a limit increase simply because the initial SL has been fine in combination with my other cards - I've kind of over done the gas/grocery area among my cards but have been using the online retail for some things and it's a good place to park all the 'meh' amex offers that I don't want to use or see in the list of available offers. 
