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Anything else before I garden?

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bobomb01
Established Member

Anything else before I garden?

This is where I stood a few weeks ago:

 

CU Visa: $3900/5000

Capital One Platinum Mastercard: $0/4750

Chase Slate Visa: $575/1500

 

Total: $4475/11250 = 39.7% utilization

 

Then I found this forum, got my free FICO (720), and went on a little app spree.

 

Here is where I am now:

 

CU Visa: $0/5000

Capital One Venture One Mastercard (Product change): $0/4750

Chase Slate Visa: $0/1500

Discover More: $3900/5500

AMEX Gold: NPSL

WalMart Discover: $0/1800 free FICO Smiley Wink

  

Total: $3900/18550 = 21%. My total utilization is way down with my expanded credit and I transferred the balance from my CU Visa to my Discover More to freeze the interest while I pay it down over the next few months.

 

The AMEX Gold and the Discover came in the mail today Smiley Happy. I'm still waiting on the Walmart Discover.

 

Before I start gardening, would it be worth the hardpull at this time to ask for a CLI on my Chase Slate, or possibly a product change?

 

My goal is to get an AMEX revolver next year, so I'm going to pass all my spending and all my bills through my AMEX Gold to build a relationship. Everything else is going in the sock drawer. Any tips on how often I should use the other cards to keep them active?

 

Thanks for providing such a great resource.

 

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 1 of 13
12 REPLIES 12
Revelate
Moderator Emeritus

Re: Anything else before I garden?

Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.

 

I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.

 

Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation.  Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package.  Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.

 

Congrats on the new cards.

 

Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.

 

 




        
Message 2 of 13
bobomb01
Established Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@Revelate wrote:

Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.

 

I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.

 

Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation.  Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package.  Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.

 

Congrats on the new cards.

 

Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.

 

 


I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others Smiley Happy

Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.

 

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 3 of 13
RockinRay
Valued Contributor

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@bobomb01 wrote:

@Revelate wrote:

Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.

 

I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.

 

Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation.  Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package.  Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.

 

Congrats on the new cards.

 

Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.

 

 


I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others Smiley Happy

Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.

 


Yep - small purchases are just fine. I do this on my SD'd cards from time to time just to keep them active.

Ray

** Every Card has a Job, and Every Card does its Job **
Message 4 of 13
bobomb01
Established Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@RockinRay wrote:

@bobomb01 wrote:

@Revelate wrote:

Not really regarding the Chase CLI; depending where you live you may want to keep that EX report as pretty as possible for Amex revolver later and most likely you won't want that Slate card forever anyway since you didn't use it for the BT which I presume you did to the Discover.

 

I think you acquired a good group of cards with a decent strategy behind it.

 

Make some random purchases once or twice a momth on the additional cards would be my recommendation.  Certainly use the Disocver for it's revolving rewards package.  Other than that there'sno real magic trick to it if the Amex is your goal, I think you have the right idea already for what you need to do.

 

Congrats on the new cards.

 

Edit: Pay the Discover balance down before apping for the Amex revolver, but you have some time on that, just make consistent progress on it as Amex will likely be tracking such things with their SP policy.

 

 


I'll be putting a little more than $500 towards the Discover each month until it is paid off. It will be in the sock drawer with the others Smiley Happy

Does it matter the dollar amount on the random purchases for the other cards? Can they be like a pack of gum? I want to earn as many points as possible on the AMEX.

 


Yep - small purchases are just fine. I do this on my SD'd cards from time to time just to keep them active.


Thanks!

 

I also just noticed my math was way wrong in my OP. Smiley Embarassed

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 5 of 13
kulamrazool82
Valued Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?

Congrats. You have a nice line up. 

 

I would take a chance with the CLI in Slate if not going for a Product change, possibly a Freedom card? or even a Amex BCE. 

 

Just have a look at your CR before apping for both. If your inquiry count is less in TU & EX, I think you may either get Freedom or BCE or both, YMMV



Scores: 723 (EX CITI Pull 11/09/13), 669 (CK 11/21/13), 680 (EQ Duck Card Score 11/11/13) 664 (Walmart TU FICO Nov '13)
Duck Card - 12K | Amex BCE - 2K | Amex Costco - 1.2K | CITI TY Pref - 6.5K | Chase Freedom - 3K | DCU Visa - 5K | Genisys CU Visa - 2K | Discover More - 4.5K | Cap1 Q Silver - 1500 | Cap One Hassle Free - 1500 | Amazon Store - 1900 | Walmart Store - 800 | Kohls - 300 | Macys - 800
Message 6 of 13
bobomb01
Established Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@kulamrazool82 wrote:

Congrats. You have a nice line up. 

 

I would take a chance with the CLI in Slate if not going for a Product change, possibly a Freedom card? or even a Amex BCE. 

 

Just have a look at your CR before apping for both. If your inquiry count is less in TU & EX, I think you may either get Freedom or BCE or both, YMMV


I do plan on going for a BCE once I have an established payment history with AMEX, but not right now. 

 

What CRA does Chase use? I would be interested in a CLI, and now would be the time to do it if I had a good chance of approval. That way all my recent INQ would fall off at roughly the same time.

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 7 of 13
bobomb01
Established Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?

UPDATE!

 

Well I thought I would give it a go with a CLI or PC from Chase. So I called them and spoke with a US rep named Jason.

 

 

.....and

 

 

I got both!

 

Credit increase from $1500 to $5000, and they are sending me a Chase Freedom Platinum Mastercard in 3-5 business days!

 

The best part? I get to keep my 11.9% APR from the Slate card!

 

OK OK.. I swear I'm done now!

 

TO THE GARDEN I GO! 

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 8 of 13
Razeus
Frequent Contributor

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@bobomb01 wrote:

UPDATE!

 

Well I thought I would give it a go with a CLI or PC from Chase. So I called them and spoke with a US rep named Jason.

 

 

.....and

 

 

I got both!

 

Credit increase from $1500 to $5000, and they are sending me a Chase Freedom Platinum Mastercard in 3-5 business days!

 

The best part? I get to keep my 11.9% APR from the Slate card!

 

OK OK.. I swear I'm done now!

 

TO THE GARDEN I GO! 


holy smokes!  Great job!

My Wallet:
AMEX Platinum | Discover It $20.3k | Chase Sapphire Reserved $16k | Chase United $12k | AMEX SimplyCash Plus Business $11.6k | AMEX Schwab $9k | AMEX BCEP $8.2k | Citi Costco Anywhere Visa $8k | Chase Amazon Visa $8k | Chase Sapphire Preferred $7k | Chase Freedom $5k | Citi Simplicity $5k | Paypal Extras Platinum $5k | Wells Fargo $5k | Citi Best Buy $4.2k | Citi Visa Signature $3k | Care Credit $3k
Message 9 of 13
bobomb01
Established Member

Re: Anything else before I garden?


@Razeus wrote:

@bobomb01 wrote:

UPDATE!

 

Well I thought I would give it a go with a CLI or PC from Chase. So I called them and spoke with a US rep named Jason.

 

 

.....and

 

 

I got both!

 

Credit increase from $1500 to $5000, and they are sending me a Chase Freedom Platinum Mastercard in 3-5 business days!

 

The best part? I get to keep my 11.9% APR from the Slate card!

 

OK OK.. I swear I'm done now!

 

TO THE GARDEN I GO! 


holy smokes!  Great job!


Thank you!

 

I figured it was a shot in the dark - guess not!

FICO: 754, (Walmart TU, 9/4/13)
Wallet: AMEX Gold, and cash.
Chase Freedom (5000), Capital One Venture1 (4750), CU Visa (5000), Discover More (5500), Walmart Discover (7500), Barclays Visa (2000)

Message 10 of 13
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