(Story) Chase Freedom Unlimited Unexpected Approval

[Anonymous]

From what I have seen and read in my credit research is that Chase is difficult. So for those of you beginning the journey here is my story of garnering my first Chase credit card.

This post is a little late, but here it goes nonetheless. I became am an authorized user on my father’s 2001-approved Chase Freedom Card, before my Discover application (mentioned later), in 2017 after somehow finding Ask Sebby and The Credit Shifu on YouTube. On a side-note, I also began to bank with chase in 2018; and was taught in a High School Dave Ramsey based finance class that credit cards were bad. Ask Sebby and The Credit Shifu demonstrated otherwise. I was left to learn myself because no one in my family had or did not trust/understand credit (cards).

I officially started the credit journey on January 16th, 2018 with my application for the Discover it Secured Card with a $200 deposit at the age of 18; the card (7 months) later became unsecured with $2500 limit. Throughout the year, I applied for the American Express EveryDay Card on July 21st, 2018 ($1000). Even later was the American Express Premier Rewards Card on September 25th, 2018 (NPSL), unknowingly before the revamp, so waived annual fee the first year - lucky me.

I applied for the Slate Card to get my foot in the door with Chase on June 13th and to no avail was denied. I thought okay maybe next month (July 14th) and denied. Again, surely 7 months was long enough, but denied again. Finally, after the 3rd denial, I decided to wait until 6 months after the American Express EveryDay Card. Fast forward 4 months to Christmas Day or the Christmas Eve party that lasted until Christmas morning. I decided to apply for the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card to try my luck; it had been awhile, so why not? I thought. I expected a denial with my mediocre 750ish Experian credit score. To my surprise I was approved with a $1500 spending limit.

If you have had a bumpy ride so far, keep going. It gets better. Learn from my failures and successes. Do not give up. A surprise might just come the next application, day, or month.

Other information: I still live at home and am matriculating, so my family’s spending is on the cards. No late payments. Me and my family also pay the cards in full at the end of the month - mostly each week.

[xaximus]

Congrats on the approval. I would garden for a few months (6M to be safe) to get some history. For a thin file, it's generally recommended to go slow and steady.

[MartyWrite75]

Congratulations on your approval!

[Priory_Man]

Four solid cards you have there. A good foundation to start out on the right path building your credit.
My advice, no more apping, head to the garden for a year, though you should request CLI's as they become available.

[DapprD]

If you don't mind, how many inquiries did you have when you were approved?

Thanks

[Drwaz99]

Congrats!

I was raised in a similar fashion (if you don't have the cash to pay for something, you can't afford it), so I'm getting a very, very late start on my credit building and I'm regretting it to a certain point (it taught me a lot about saving, though). Going to pull the trigger next week on my first prime card after having a few store cards for a couple years and it's stories like this that help ease the nerves! 

[Anonymous]

I had a total of 4 hard inquiries.

[Anonymous]

Congrats on your Chase Freedom Unlimited approval! 

[Cred4All]

Congrats on the success and new FU card!

[19eighty5]

Congratulations on your approval!