Hi All,
This is my first official post. I have been coming to this site for the past couple years, lurking in the shadows and picking up tips. I am recently married (yep, right at the beginning of the pandemic). My husband's credit is STELLAR. Mine was... a good reflection of my life at the time. I have been rebuilding my credit the past two years. I started with a secure CC with NFCU. I appreciate them giving me a second chance but after a few small CLIs, I am at a standstill with my $3,400 CL. They will not budge.
Well, a couple of nights ago, on a whim, I decided to apply to AMEX. I was blacklisted a long time ago. I would come back and use their prequalifier from time to time and would always receive the "NOPE" response. But this time, I received a "NOT NOPE!" I looked through all the cards I was prequalified for and zeroed in on one and BAM! I was APPROVED and in total disbelief. I even gained 8 points on EX, didn't lose any (I didn't know that was possible). I had my husband check to make sure I wasn't seeing things. I wasn't.
The next evening, I thought to myself that one more inquiry wouldn't hurt. My husband and I do need a better travel rewards CC (slight regret with the AMEX Delta Skymiles but this was the most appealing). I set my eyes on the Chase Sapphire Reserve CC. I didn't have inquiries on my EQ and someone had posted on here that when they applied, their EQ was pulled (this wasn't the case for me, Chase pulled my EX). So. I applied. Waited for the screen to load. It took about 30 seconds. After the page refreshed, I blinked a couple times, and then handed my phone to my husband who looked very confused. He asked me what it was, he probably couldn't believe it. I took my phone back and laughed to myself as I thought about my unchanging $3,400 CL with NFCU. "purr1113, YOU'RE APPROVED! Your credit line: $18,000. Want a different credit line?...We look forward to serving you."
Maybe I don't fully understand my credit like I thought I did. I haven't applied for much over the past couple of years (just my secure CC, and refinanced my auto about a week ago) and I didn't have many open accounts. So this is a really nice surprise. I still won't believe it until the cards arrive in the mail.
I just wanted share the happy news and also thank you all for contributing to these forums. It's helped a lot. 
__________
7/1/20 Update - Hi! I realize more background would be helpful.
DTI is 36%
2 remaining collections (paid off and deleted 5 in the past year),
22 late payments
HPs-
EX 3 (falling off 6/22)
TU 2 (2/21, 1/22)
EQ 1 (6/22)
Income 150k+
Never BK
Lastly, I have been working on rebuilding since Feb '19, so rebuilding for over a year. I have no idea why I kept saying, 2 years. Quarentine has affected my sense of time.
6.16.22 | 6.8.22 | 10.31.22 | 7.14.23 | 10.9.22 | 6.1.22 | 8.26.23 |
6.8.22 | 10.4.22 | 6.16.22 | 7.13.23 | 6.16.22 | 6.16.22 |
7.14.23 | 6.16.22 | 6.8.22 |
@purr1113 Welcome to the forum!!! Super Congrats on your CSR $18,000 approval!!! 
From $3,400 with Navy Fed to $18,000 with Chase is quite the leap, isn't it.??!!
Given your situation, I'd be doing a double take on my phone just like you did.
Very well done! You have a lot to be proud of!!!
Congrats once again on your success. Thanks so much for sharing!!!
BOOM! CONGRATS on the great approvals! The CSR is a FANTASTIC card (I miss mine... :-( )
Welcome to the forums, too!
Now - you *might* want to garden for a while - tend these credit limits, use them, and be careful for a few months. Chase is twitchy, and will do an account review in a few months. If they see a bunch of credit seeking behavior, they *CAN* and often * WILL* CLD or close your account. Happened to me last year, and I still miss my CSR.
Congrats again - that's a great SL on a GREAT card...
A great card to have in the arsenal, congrats on the good SL too
Welcome to the board !
Congrats on the approvals and rebuild!
Congratulations on your approvals! Very nice starting limit!
Thank you so much and thanks for the heads up about CSR 
Will definitely stick to gardening for a while. So sorry they did that to you. Arg! Hope you can get it back!
@Anonymous wrote:BOOM! CONGRATS on the great approvals! The CSR is a FANTASTIC card (I miss mine... :-( )
Welcome to the forums, too!
Now - you *might* want to garden for a while - tend these credit limits, use them, and be careful for a few months. Chase is twitchy, and will do an account review in a few months. If they see a bunch of credit seeking behavior, they *CAN* and often * WILL* CLD or close your account. Happened to me last year, and I still miss my CSR.
Congrats again - that's a great SL on a GREAT card...
Congratulations on your Chase Sapphire Reserve approval and nice SL! Congratulations on your rebuild success!
