cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Chase Freedom card owner i have question

tag
UncleB
Credit Mentor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Here's the question that I would have to think about it was me paying off Kay...

 

Assuming the store will accept a payment by running a charge on a credit card, if you're not able to PIF when the Chase bill arrives, there might be better alternatives, even if rewards are lost.

 

If you plan to carry a balance anyway, many times you can get a true balance transfer with a 0% APR period, which would likely be more profitable than earning the rewards and paying interest.  Of course, if you plan to PIF the Chase bill none of this matters, and getting rewards is the obvious best way to go. 

 

If you plan to let the balance on the Chase card 'ride' for a few months, though, you might want to do the math and see which method will be the most lucrative for you.  Smiley Wink

Message 11 of 20
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Thanks for all the help guys...Reward and cash back are not my biggest concern on this, i just wanted to know if I will be rewarded or not thats all.

 

The MAIN reason why I am doing this is to lower my utilization and raise my score.  Here is what I have in mind, please let me know what's your thought and this may work?

 

Right now I have credit limit of $4,000 with KAY, I charge $3,500 back in Dec. 2014 and I have been paying it down to $2000 balance now.  With this being balance my utilization is 50% out of $4,000 which is high.  My way of thinking is using my Chase Freedom to paid OFF KAY balance.  My Chase Freedom have $12,500 credit limit and I have  0 balance.  With that being said, I want to paid it off with Chase, now that will bring my KAY card to 0% and my Chase card around 16% utilization.

 

Does this make any sense? good or bad ideas?

Message 12 of 20
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Well, it sounds like you would get some points. I guess Kay must just process it differently.

What is the APR you are paying on the Kay card now? What is the APR on the Freedom card?

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765
Message 13 of 20
OmarGB9
Community Leader
Super Contributor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Makes sense and in theory a good plan, but does your Freedom have a 0% promo on purchases right now? I'm assuming you're gonna ride out this balance for a bit, and if you don't have a 0% promotion on purchases, the interest accumulating on that balance will negate any rewards you get out of it.

Last App: 1/10/2023
Penfed Gold Visa Card

Currently rebuilding as of 04/11/2019.

Starting FICO 8 Scores:




Current FICO 8 scores:


Message 14 of 20
UncleB
Credit Mentor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question


@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for all the help guys...Reward and cash back are not my biggest concern on this, i just wanted to know if I will be rewarded or not thats all.

 

The MAIN reason why I am doing this is to lower my utilization and raise my score.  Here is what I have in mind, please let me know what's your thought and this may work?

 

Right now I have credit limit of $4,000 with KAY, I charge $3,500 back in Dec. 2014 and I have been paying it down to $2000 balance now.  With this being balance my utilization is 50% out of $4,000 which is high.  My way of thinking is using my Chase Freedom to paid OFF KAY balance.  My Chase Freedom have $12,500 credit limit and I have  0 balance.  With that being said, I want to paid it off with Chase, now that will bring my KAY card to 0% and my Chase card around 16% utilization.

 

Does this make any sense? good or bad ideas?


It does make sense to me, and I commend you're taking 'control' of the situation and actively managing the situation.

 

Now, the 'question of the hour' is will your action have the desired effect?

 

Honestly, I'm not sure it will make a difference.  It's said that credit scores are generally impacted by overall utilization, i.e. over all of your accounts combined.  That's while many folks will hang on to cards with high credit lines knowing they'll never use it... they want it to 'pad' their utilization, thus making their numbers more attractive to lenders (and the scoring algorithms).

 

What you're describing is moving the debt from one lender to another, but it's the same debt.  Unless having the debt on your Chase card will make it easier for you to get the debt paid off (like with a lower APR, or a possible 0% APR offer like I mentioned in a previous post) I'm not sure I would bother.  Of course, I have no idea what kind of APR you're being charged by Kay, and if it's like most store accounts it's probably high... in that case, moving the debt to Chase will help you save interest, but as for scoring it will likely make little (or no) difference at all.

 

There's a time to actively manage your score (getting ready for a mortgage, etc.) and there's a time to be more concerned about APR and saving 'real' cash.  In this case, unless you are about to start working on a mortgage, I would do whatever it took to help work on the balance... if that means moving it to Chase, then I would do so.  If that means doing 0% APR balance transfer, I would do that.

 

Just do the numbers, and whatever saves the most money, that'll be what you want to do.  Once the balance is paid down, then be concerned with the intricacies of your score.  Smiley Wink

Message 15 of 20
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Thanks guys..

 

YES KAY APR are really high 17.99% right now which is why I want to pay if off with Chase.  My Chase is 0% APR and 0 Fee with BT for 15months (I just got the card).  So Yes i want to do which is my original plan.  I would not paid off Chase right a way, just going to pay what I normally pay with KAY to Chase.

 

I am looking for mortage next year, Im trying to lower my utilization before that time come and increase my score.  

Message 16 of 20
OmarGB9
Community Leader
Super Contributor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question

Then you're golden I'd say. Smiley Happy

Last App: 1/10/2023
Penfed Gold Visa Card

Currently rebuilding as of 04/11/2019.

Starting FICO 8 Scores:




Current FICO 8 scores:


Message 17 of 20
UncleB
Credit Mentor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question


@Anonymous wrote:

Thanks guys..

 

YES KAY APR are really high 17.99% right now which is why I want to pay if off with Chase.  My Chase is 0% APR and 0 Fee with BT for 15months (I just got the card).  So Yes i want to do which is my original plan.  I would not paid off Chase right a way, just going to pay what I normally pay with KAY to Chase.

 

I am looking for mortage next year, Im trying to lower my utilization before that time come and increase my score.  


Knowing this, it's a no-brainer... just like you plan on doing, I'd pay off the account using my Chase card, and enjoy both the rewards and the new account 0% APR!

 

Those new account 0% promos are sweet... it's almost worth getting the account just for that alone!  Smiley Very Happy

Message 18 of 20
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question


@UncleB wrote:

Honestly, I'm not sure it will make a difference.  It's said that credit scores are generally impacted by overall utilization, i.e. over all of your accounts combined.  That's while many folks will hang on to cards with high credit lines knowing they'll never use it... they want it to 'pad' their utilization, thus making their numbers more attractive to lenders (and the scoring algorithms).

 

 


Some consensus is that score is impacted by both, i.e. overall utilization but also per card to some extent.  So an overall utilization of 1% with a single card at 95% will still get dinged (presumably maxing out a card can be the beginning of a financial crisis, where you max out one card and move on to the next).

 

But in the OPs case, they reduce high util on one card and reduce interest charges, so certainly a win.

Message 19 of 20
Closingracer99
Valued Contributor

Re: Chase Freedom card owner i have question


@UncleB wrote:

@Anonymous wrote:

Have you guys ever use Chase Freedom card to pay down any store card or balance? If so does you earn point or cash back by doing this?  I have a KAY jewelers store card that I would like to pay down maybe paid off by using my chase freedom, just curious by doing so will earn point or cash back?


If you're paying down the Kay account with a balance transfer, it's doubtful you'll earn any rewards.  (I'm not speaking in definites since I don't have a Chase card, however this is generally universal across all issuers.)

 

However, if you're able to pay on the Kay account by making a 'charge' on the Chase card then it should be treated like any other purchase.  I don't remember if it was you or not (forgive me if it was you) but somebody a few days back mentioned it was possible to pay on a Kay store account by using a credit card, i.e. Kay would accept the actual card for payment.  If this is the case, you should be golden as far as earning rewards goes.


Only card I can think of that might give you a reward is the BoA balance rewards card but that might be just for holding a balance vs a BT?


My Cards: Amex BCE: $9,000, Amex Hilton HHonors: $2,000, Amex ED: $12,000, Barclays NFL extra points: $3,000, Bank of America MLB cash rewards: $17,000, BBVA compass NBA Amex triple double rewards: $17,000, Chase Amazon: $1,000, Chase Freedom: $9,000, Chase Sapphire: $5,000, Chase Slate: $5,000, Chase Disney: $4,000, Citi Double Cash: $5,400, Citi AA plat: $5,500, Citi Simplicity: $3,000, Citi Thank you preferred: $8,800, Capital one GM: $2,000, Capital one PlayStation: $3,000, Gamestop: $1,150, Amazon Store: $5,000, Ebay MasterCard: $5,000, American Eagle Storecard: $750, Macy's: $500
EX: 744, TU:750, EQ: 740
Message 20 of 20
Advertiser Disclosure: The offers that appear on this site are from third party advertisers from whom FICO receives compensation.