I have a Citi Double Cash card. They only gave me a $500 credit limit when I applied & have denied the 2 requests I've made for CLI even though I pay it in full every time. However, yesterday I had the final derogatory from 2008 recession aftershocks fall off of my credit report. So I was angling to go for a CLI but was told on another post here to wait until Citi does it's next monthly update of my FICO score on its site reflecting the positive impact on my score since they would likely reference that rather than pulling a fresh score. That won't happen until between 5/5-5/10. My current card:
Citi (opened 5/2017) – 22.49% ($500 limit - $0 balance) – most recent denied CLI request (10/6/2019)
But I started thinking that maybe a 2nd Citi card at 0% would serve me better since I may not in the next few months be able to stick with my "pay all cards off in full every month" rule. I currently have no inquiries & don't plan to get a loan or mortgage for the next 12 months. So 2 questions:
1. If I apply for a NEW Citi card, it would be a hard inquiry so does that mean that they would see my *current* FICO score that would reflect no derogatory accounts. I just got my 3 free annual credit reports today & they are all clean. Or even though it's a hard inquiry, might they still use the credit score they have on file?
2. When it comes to Citi cards, they seem to be offering 3 that have $0 annual fee, 0% APR for 12 months. And I don't care about balance transfers, no late fee or penalty rates. Any experiences with these to recommend one over the others? The Rewards+ earns points. The other two just seem seem to offer the 0%/$0 fee. I'd value the highest possible initial credit line, so maybe they differ in that in your experience?
- Citi Rewards+ Card (0%/$0 fee/earn points)
- Citi Simplicity Card (0%/$0)
- Citi Diamond Preferred Card (0%/$0)
The derogatory accounts dropped from Experian earlier, so my FICO8 is 734 (up 32 points). TransUnion FICO8 is 691 (before derogatories off). Citi FICO BankCard8 is 717 (before derogatories off).
Thanks in advance,
Kimberly
@pinkandgrey wrote:Well for what it's worth, I just got the Rewards+, and it definitely is the most useful/rewarding of those three. However, the fact that Citi started you so low and refuses to increase your limit makes me wonder if there's something that Citi doesn't like in your profile. No shame in that--some people just can't seem to crack certain lenders.
Have you looked into any other lenders?
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Well thus far, I think they were not liking the 4 derogatory accounts that all dropped off between Sept 2019 & yesterday 
Since I got the card in 2017, my situation has only improved with increased income & generally 3% utilization. Paid in full every month. But yeah, I get how persnickety different card isssuers can be.
I am also looking at Chase Freedom Unlimited. But, honestly, since I have no inquiries, don't plan to get a loan & expect my credit utilization to only go up for the next several months, I was thinking of applying for BOTH a Citi 0% *and* a Chase 0%.
Bad idea?
@HomeBuyerSpring2021 wrote:
@pinkandgrey wrote:Well for what it's worth, I just got the Rewards+, and it definitely is the most useful/rewarding of those three. However, the fact that Citi started you so low and refuses to increase your limit makes me wonder if there's something that Citi doesn't like in your profile. No shame in that--some people just can't seem to crack certain lenders.
Have you looked into any other lenders?
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Well thus far, I think they were not liking the 4 derogatory accounts that all dropped off between Sept 2019 & yesterday
Since I got the card in 2017, my situation has only improved with increased income & generally 3% utilization. Paid in full every month. But yeah, I get how persnickety different card isssuers can be.
I am also looking at Chase Freedom Unlimited. But, honestly, since I have no inquiries, don't plan to get a loan & expect my credit utilization to only go up for the next several months, I was thinking of applying for BOTH a Citi 0% *and* a Chase 0%.
Bad idea?
I would wait until the FICO Bankcard 8 score on the site updates, and then -- if you have the soft pull language -- try for the soft pull CLI.
After that, go for the Chase Freedom Unlimited if you feel you still would like to have it.
@SouthJamaica wrote:
@HomeBuyerSpring2021 wrote:
@pinkandgrey wrote:Well for what it's worth, I just got the Rewards+, and it definitely is the most useful/rewarding of those three. However, the fact that Citi started you so low and refuses to increase your limit makes me wonder if there's something that Citi doesn't like in your profile. No shame in that--some people just can't seem to crack certain lenders.
Have you looked into any other lenders?
Good luck with whatever you decide to do!
Well thus far, I think they were not liking the 4 derogatory accounts that all dropped off between Sept 2019 & yesterday
Since I got the card in 2017, my situation has only improved with increased income & generally 3% utilization. Paid in full every month. But yeah, I get how persnickety different card isssuers can be.
I am also looking at Chase Freedom Unlimited. But, honestly, since I have no inquiries, don't plan to get a loan & expect my credit utilization to only go up for the next several months, I was thinking of applying for BOTH a Citi 0% *and* a Chase 0%.
Bad idea?
I would wait until the FICO Bankcard 8 score on the site updates, and then -- if you have the soft pull language -- try for the soft pull CLI.
After that, go for the Chase Freedom Unlimited if you feel you still would like to have it.
Well I'd value having a 0% Citi card more than I'd value having a higher credit limit on my ridiculously high APR current Citi card since I probably will carry a balance at some point in the coming months. The 0% card would allow me to move some of my bigger recurring expenses to it. Is there a reason that you mention the Citi CLI versus getting a new 0% Citi?
Also your portfolio of cards in your email footer is crazy impressive! When you say 568,500 reporting, what does that mean?
Kimberly
@Anonymous wrote:The reporting tradelines are likely personal credit, and the balance are hidden/business tradelines that don't report on his personal reports.
$585K of personal credit?!
@HomeBuyerSpring2021 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:The reporting tradelines are likely personal credit, and the balance are hidden/business tradelines that don't report on his personal reports.
$585K of personal credit?!
Haha! There's a few that are 1 million+
