Are High Limit "Catalog Only" Cards Worth Having?

[jbh]

Hey,

I've always wondered if high limit merchant cards (Where you get a $5000-$7500 limit good only for their catalog) are worth having in order to build your report. Would fico 'look down' on these or would having a 10% util on this for 6+ months do my score some good?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

It's basically just like pretty much any other card. I'd advise only to apply for credit you need...but that's just me.

[Anonymous]

Some of these may be coded as consumer finance accounts, in which case they can be looked down upon. Even if they're coded as normal revolving accounts, they will probably be looked upon in the same way on a manual review as other bottom-of-the-barrel sub-prime offerings. They also often carry fees and require the purchase of overpriced merchandise. My opinion: don't bother with them.