@UncleBwrote:
@longtimelurkerwrote:As some of the other answers indicate, the problem is that the "cost" of an HP varies greatly depending on the circumstances. Before a mortgage app, an HP for a CLI is probably almost never a good idea (I would take an HP only for a great new card, if it was likely time-restricted and couldn't wait for closing, but not for a CLI). For those with a thick file and few HPs, there maybe almost no cost.
IMO, I view CLIs as valueless (unless, as Loquat says, the low CL makes it hard to use the card as you wish), so I would never use an HP for a CLI, even if my HP cost was low!
+1... I've been at this ^^^ point for a while.
I now have limits that are sufficient for me to spend what I need/want without causing a utilization ding, so my reality is that there's no meaningful difference in my existing credit lines and having them doubled (or even $100k each for that matter) - in either case my spending is limited by my income/resources, and additional credit won't change that.
I no longer can tell a difference when I take a HP, but I still try to be thoughtful about using them since there's always a chance something new might come out that interests me, and I want my profile to be ready just in case.
The reason I harp on about "CLI are worthless" is (apart from I like to be annoying) is there is too much of a stress here on getting them and we see people close USEFUL cards because they don't "grow". A card that usefully earns rewards is putting money/points in your pocket, a CLI does nothing (except in the case where you have to pay multiple times a month to use the card). So a $500 Freedom can still be useful, a $1,500 is all you need to maximize rewards without paying more than once). Unlike many, I don't even count utilization padding as a feature, because a) you don't always need to maximize your score, and b) when you do you can pay before reporting
So, IMO, less focus on growing and total CL might help people make more profitable decisions.
