Citi Custom Cash Credit Line Decrease (CLD -$6.3K)

[dfwxjer]

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

I beat em to the punch and voluntarily CLD'ed them to $1000 CL on day 1, before they get reported.  Don't even remember what the SL was, but it was some ridiculous number I would never utilize.

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I'm just curious, what benefit do you get from requesting a credit line decrease? Is it a mental thing to prevent you from accruing debt? 

otherwise I don't really understand requesting a CLD. 

Occasionally the Citi offers have valuable promos that give me a reason to use the card above the $500 in monthly 5% spend. 

[ElvisCaprice]

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

I beat em to the punch and voluntarily CLD'ed them to $1000 CL on day 1, before they get reported.  Don't even remember what the SL was, but it was some ridiculous number I would never utilize.

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I'm just curious, what benefit do you get from requesting a credit line decrease? Is it a mental thing to prevent you from accruing debt? 

otherwise I don't really understand requesting a CLD. 

Occasionally the Citi offers have valuable promos that give me a reason to use the card above the $500 in monthly 5% spend. 

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1.  To avoid an involuntary CLD, opening this thread, from  lack of utilization of the CL or for other reasons, at a timing that may not be good for your overall credit file.   Better to take a CLD at your timing and choosing, preferably upon issuance before the SL hits the credit agencies.

2.  To maintain an adequate overall CL for proper utilization but no more than needed.  You don't benefit from too much CL, but I have seen application denials from too much CL.

3.  Too stay under the radar.

You can always PIF before statement if you spend more than proper utilization.

[bs1234]

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

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2.  To maintain an adequate overall CL for proper utilization but no more than needed.  You don't benefit from too much CL, but I have seen application denials from too much CL.

3.  Too stay under the radar.

You can always PIF before statement if you spend more than proper utilization.

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Yes, these two can be key.   When a great card appears (e.g. Smartly pre-nerf) if your overall CL is too high, you might get denied or receive a too small SL.   If you have cards with that institution they MAY offer a rebalance (i.e. we will give you a $10K limit but will take $5k from your other card) but not always and it may be a new lender for you.

Staying under the radar can me different things, here I assume @ElvisCaprice means don't have a limit that stands out in any way 

to avoid being a potential target.   If you are doing other things that lenders don't love, such as MS, you want a decent limit but always avoid asking for CLIs to avoid the dreaded "eyes on the account"

[AndySoCal]

My first reaction to this post was to check my Citi credit limit thankfully no change. My Citi credit card limit when I first got the card was around 6000 with two or the credit limit increases it is what it is now at 11100. I have not asked for a  CLI in years. The larger the limit there is an expectation by the lender the spending will match or come close to matching to justify that credit limit.

All that said I have a rule for myself to only  ask for. CLI if the month over month spending on that card is > 10%. As a result of this rule with a couple of exceptions I have not asked for a CLI in years. The CLI requests were both denied. I do not care what my total credit limit is when all my credit card limits are added up. 

[dfwxjer]

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

I beat em to the punch and voluntarily CLD'ed them to $1000 CL on day 1, before they get reported.  Don't even remember what the SL was, but it was some ridiculous number I would never utilize.

---

I'm just curious, what benefit do you get from requesting a credit line decrease? Is it a mental thing to prevent you from accruing debt? 

otherwise I don't really understand requesting a CLD. 

Occasionally the Citi offers have valuable promos that give me a reason to use the card above the $500 in monthly 5% spend. 

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1.  To avoid an involuntary CLD, opening this thread, from  lack of utilization of the CL or for other reasons, at a timing that may not be good for your overall credit file.   Better to take a CLD at your timing and choosing, preferably upon issuance before the SL hits the credit agencies.

2.  To maintain an adequate overall CL for proper utilization but no more than needed.  You don't benefit from too much CL, but I have seen application denials from too much CL.

3.  Too stay under the radar.

You can always PIF before statement if you spend more than proper utilization.

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That doesn't make sense to me and rather self defeating, but if it works for you then more power to you. 

[MachoHombre]

@NoMoreE46 wrote:

Thanks for the DP @MachoHombre.   

Given that you rarely > $500 per month  and just spend on 5% CB of fuel, the CLD isn't a total surprise.

Since day 1, your account has been a loss for Citi.

Citi gets ~ $13 in interchange fees but rewards you with $25.  Their monthly net from you is about $12 Loss.   Over the course of four years, the Loss is $576...

We have two CCC and use them mostly for the 5% cats.  We also PIF.   I wont be surprised if our $14000 and $15000  limits are reduced at some point soon.

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Great post @NoMoreE46 .  *Agreed, I'm getting the best of Citi, and staying in my designaged lane while doing so.   I totally understand.   *Groovy our math, I had no penciled it that sharp.    *Best of luck that they don't CDL your cards.  

[MachoHombre]

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@Drifter73 wrote:

I have x2 citi custom cash as well and pif. I tap the $500 max cb every month on both most times between groceries and dining spend.

Last year they both got cld as well, but it was to be expected since I only do roughly the $500 spend on each.

Since i pif, I'm not bothered with it. Besides the $25 cb x 2 = $50 per month gets ACHed to a HYSA to stack. I like that feature.

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Thanks for the Info.   You and I the same, but your 5% spend more than mine.   Bummer on your CDL but you, like me don't care much.   Interesting on your auto rewards allocation.   Mine just stacking up, never have used.   (thanks for the reminder!)

[MachoHombre]

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@MJ-san wrote:

Same thing has happened to both me and my husband... that last paragraph is true, a simple phone call and usually they will increase it right back. This is their way of letting you know they would love to see more usage.

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Interesting @MJ-san     I didn't initially condering making a phone call but your post prompted me to.    It was weird, they were very defensive and a bit scolding that I wasn't using the card enough.  I just said I'm politely asking for reinstatement of the credit limit.      They said it would be under review and a letter mailed with the result.   LOL,  I'm not to optimistic and truth is I don't care much.    thanks for your info.

[ElvisCaprice]

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

I beat em to the punch and voluntarily CLD'ed them to $1000 CL on day 1, before they get reported.  Don't even remember what the SL was, but it was some ridiculous number I would never utilize.

---

I'm just curious, what benefit do you get from requesting a credit line decrease? Is it a mental thing to prevent you from accruing debt? 

otherwise I don't really understand requesting a CLD. 

Occasionally the Citi offers have valuable promos that give me a reason to use the card above the $500 in monthly 5% spend. 

---

1.  To avoid an involuntary CLD, opening this thread, from  lack of utilization of the CL or for other reasons, at a timing that may not be good for your overall credit file.   Better to take a CLD at your timing and choosing, preferably upon issuance before the SL hits the credit agencies.

2.  To maintain an adequate overall CL for proper utilization but no more than needed.  You don't benefit from too much CL, but I have seen application denials from too much CL.

3.  Too stay under the radar.

You can always PIF before statement if you spend more than proper utilization.

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That doesn't make sense to me and rather self defeating, but if it works for you then more power to you. 

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Self defeating?  LOL

It is working for me.  I'm not the obsessive American that feels, more is always better, thus, the more credit one gains , regardless of utilization/needs, the more one is winning.  What?  Have no idea.  Sounds self-delusional!

[dfwxjer]

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

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@dfwxjer wrote:

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@ElvisCaprice wrote:

I beat em to the punch and voluntarily CLD'ed them to $1000 CL on day 1, before they get reported.  Don't even remember what the SL was, but it was some ridiculous number I would never utilize.

---

I'm just curious, what benefit do you get from requesting a credit line decrease? Is it a mental thing to prevent you from accruing debt? 

otherwise I don't really understand requesting a CLD. 

Occasionally the Citi offers have valuable promos that give me a reason to use the card above the $500 in monthly 5% spend. 

---

1.  To avoid an involuntary CLD, opening this thread, from  lack of utilization of the CL or for other reasons, at a timing that may not be good for your overall credit file.   Better to take a CLD at your timing and choosing, preferably upon issuance before the SL hits the credit agencies.

2.  To maintain an adequate overall CL for proper utilization but no more than needed.  You don't benefit from too much CL, but I have seen application denials from too much CL.

3.  Too stay under the radar.

You can always PIF before statement if you spend more than proper utilization.

---

That doesn't make sense to me and rather self defeating, but if it works for you then more power to you. 

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Self defeating?  LOL

It is working for me.  I'm not the obsessive American that feels, more is always better, thus, the more credit one gains , regardless of utilization/needs, the more one is winning.  What?  Have no idea.  Sounds self-delusional!

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Apologies, not meant as a slight, and if it works for you then great. By self-defeating I mean you took adverse action yourself to "beat them to the punch". One's credit line should match their credit profile and needs, and sounds like you're good at self-managing that. 

I wouldn't frame having high limits as an "obsessive American" trait. I assure you, Europeans and the rest of the world that operate on credit views it the same way from a macro level lol. 

I don't want low limits on my profile because it will influence any new accounts I open in the future and just because I'm not currently using my Citi CC's $55k limit to the max doesn't mean I won't PC it to a more useful daily driver card in the future. I recently PC'd to it from an AA Platinum card where I was running $5-15k a month through it depending on my travel. Remember, high limits beget high limits when applying for new accounts.