Data points, patterns and theories for CLI

[Anonymous]

Hi All,

I am new here but this forum has been my go to place for years. Today, I mustered up the courage to open an account and start adding value for us all.

My total CL is $119,150. For starters, here are my data points.

Card: Barclays Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2015.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness.

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied - They keep sending me letters saying "Your minimum payment is too low". Possibly because the APR is 25.49% and I don’t use this card at all.

Card: Discover

Frequency of CLI: 6 months

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness and FICO.

Auto CLI's are better than manual requests.

Pay more than min due; make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months

Card: Chase Freedom

Frequency of CLI: 6 - 12 months

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP

Recognized patterns:

Auto CLI's are better than manual requests.

Pay more than min due; make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months.

Card: BOA Cash Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (new, they used to do HP)

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 50% bump

Card: Synchrony Store Card

Frequency of CLI: No idea

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP and SP

Recognized patterns:

No patterns, these guys are sporadic.

Customer service says HP and SP.

Card: Capital One QS Visa Sig.

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2015.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (Verified by cust. Service)

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness.

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied

Card: Chase Reserve

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2016.

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP

Recognized patterns:

I think all Chase products follow this rule -

Pay more than min due, make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months

Card: Citi Dividend

Frequency of CLI: One increase since I opened this account in 2011.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied

Card: Amex Blue Cash

Frequency of CLI: One increase since I opened this account in 2011.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 10-15% bump.

My CL is at 34.5k, no POI or FR

What patterns have you seen?

[Anonymous]

Thank you for sharing your datapoints and experienced patterns for obtaining CLI's on your personal accounts. I think some lenders definitely check your spending behavior more than your scores and credit profile, they use that the most to decide whether or not the CL you have is sufficient for your type of spend. I noticed that with Discover. It seems like they want me to spend more, although I was spending about 20-25% of the limit per month last year, and I only have 2.3K limit on the card. But my growth with them has reached a halt after my last increase in Sept. every month I tried to hit the CLI button but it keeps getting denied for Insufficient Experience with the current limit. So I guess that is them telling me that what I have right now is enough for my type of spending and since I pay in full every month. They don't see much profit in me, since they seem to like people who carry balances and pay interests. AMEX is my current DD. I have three cards with them and I rotate my monthly spend on all three which they seem to like. I have had more luck in growing with AMEX more than I have with Discover. 

[arkane]

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@Anonymouswrote:

Card: BOA Cash Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (new, they used to do HP)

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 50% bump

---

Are your sure it's a SP? Have you pulled all 3 CRAs yet? Or did you get an invite to request a CLI? Coz those rare offers are known to be SP.

If you didn't get an invite and it's a true SP, I really need to start smashing that luv button hard LOL

[Anonymous]

OP, it sounds to me based on some of the language that you used that you're carrying balances (paying interest) on many of your cards.  You referenced "minimum payment" a bunch of times and/or making a "big payment" at times.  I would strongly suggest adopting a different philosophy here all together, which is paying in full [your statement balance] every cycle.  By doing so, you are exhibiting the behavior of a Transactor, which is someone viewed as far less risky than a Revolver.  Not only will you no longer be paying interest, but with all of the lenders you mentioned viewing you as a less risky borrower, your chances of receiving CLIs would increase significantly.

From a practical financial standpoint here, you goal should be to be paying no interest, as it's throwing money away.  I don't mean to come off as abrasive here at all, so please don't take it that way, but if you are paying interest and not paying your cards in full every month it's only because of 1 of 2 reasons.  One, you have the money and ability to do so and just don't care or feel it's important, which comes down to simply rethinking and adopting a different philosophy as I stated above.  Two, you don't have the money and therefore aren't able to pay off your cards, thus meaning you have to pay interest.  Whether or not someone falls into number One here or number Two, the last thing they really need is their credit limit(s) to be increased.  Lenders of course know this when assessing risk and act accordingly most of the time.

[simplynoir]

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@Anonymouswrote:

OP, it sounds to me based on some of the language that you used that you're carrying balances (paying interest) on many of your cards.  You referenced "minimum payment" a bunch of times and/or making a "big payment" at times.  I would strongly suggest adopting a different philosophy here all together, which is paying in full [your statement balance] every cycle.  By doing so, you are exhibiting the behavior of a Transactor, which is someone viewed as far less risky than a Revolver.  Not only will you no longer be paying interest, but with all of the lenders you mentioned viewing you as a less risky borrower, your chances of receiving CLIs would increase significantly.

From a practical financial standpoint here, you goal should be to be paying no interest, as it's throwing money away.  I don't mean to come off as abrasive here at all, so please don't take it that way, but if you are paying interest and not paying your cards in full every month it's only because of 1 of 2 reasons.  One, you have the money and ability to do so and just don't care or feel it's important, which comes down to simply rethinking and adopting a different philosophy as I stated above.  Two, you don't have the money and therefore aren't able to pay off your cards, thus meaning you have to pay interest.  Whether or not someone falls into number One here or number Two, the last thing they really need is their credit limit(s) to be increased.  Lenders of course know this when assessing risk and act accordingly most of the time.

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Took the words right out of my mouth. If the goal with this strategy is to increase your chances of getting a CLI especially on reward cards like the Freedom and CSR then you're doing rewards earning wrong and I don't think it's necessairly worth it in the long run. Any interest you have to pay for just paying the minimum negates any rewards accrued. Unless you need higher limits to faciliate your spending there's nothing wrong with multiple payments to free up more money to spend more. I just can't agree with a strategy that has you paying interest on balances in the small hopes of getting something that's not even a guarantee to get when that would be considered risky behavior by a lender even if you do make a big payment every few months or so.

[mkhan1093]

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@arkanewrote:

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@Anonymouswrote:

Card: BOA Cash Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (new, they used to do HP)

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 50% bump

---

Are your sure it's a SP? Have you pulled all 3 CRAs yet? Or did you get an invite to request a CLI? Coz those rare offers are known to be SP.

If you didn't get an invite and it's a true SP, I really need to start smashing that luv button hard LOL

---

Yeah I saw this too and went immediately to my Cash Rewards CLI page. But sadly this was written: "By clicking the "Submit" button, you authorize us to obtain a copy of your credit report and review your credit and employment histories and any other information that allows us to process your request, service your account and manage our relationship with you. Upon request, we will inform you of the name and address of any consumer reporting agency that provided reports to us."

So I guess it's still a HP

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymouswrote:

Hi All,

I am new here but this forum has been my go to place for years. Today, I mustered up the courage to open an account and start adding value for us all.

My total CL is $119,150. For starters, here are my data points.

Card: Barclays Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2015.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness.

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied - They keep sending me letters saying "Your minimum payment is too low". Possibly because the APR is 25.49% and I don’t use this card at all.

Card: Discover

Frequency of CLI: 6 months

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness and FICO.

Auto CLI's are better than manual requests.

Pay more than min due; make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months

Card: Chase Freedom

Frequency of CLI: 6 - 12 months

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP

Recognized patterns:

Auto CLI's are better than manual requests.

Pay more than min due; make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months.

Card: BOA Cash Rewards

Frequency of CLI: None

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (new, they used to do HP)

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 50% bump

Card: Synchrony Store Card

Frequency of CLI: No idea

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP and SP

Recognized patterns:

No patterns, these guys are sporadic.

Customer service says HP and SP.

Card: Capital One QS Visa Sig.

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2015.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP (Verified by cust. Service)

Recognized patterns:

They use their own matrix to gauge creditworthiness.

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied

Card: Chase Reserve

Frequency of CLI: None since I opened this account in 2016.

HP/SP - If requested manually: HP

Recognized patterns:

I think all Chase products follow this rule -

Pay more than min due, make a BIG payment once every 4-6 months

Card: Citi Dividend

Frequency of CLI: One increase since I opened this account in 2011.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

All my requests for CLI's (every 6-7 months) get denied

Card: Amex Blue Cash

Frequency of CLI: One increase since I opened this account in 2011.

HP/SP - If requested manually: SP

Recognized patterns:

Request manually using website, got a 10-15% bump.

My CL is at 34.5k, no POI or FR

What patterns have you seen?

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I disagree with some of your observations.

In my experience, e.g., Barclays & BOA are HP's not SP's, Discover doesn't have any discernible patterns,

Synchrony is SP and relatively generous, Chase auto CLI's are rare.

I haven't found any patterns with any lender.

[AverageJoesCredit]

Yeah, Boa is usually hp , only sp we see here are those who were invited to cli or perhaps a select individual or two who perhaps Boa enjoys their financial means with them and chose to do a sp.

[arkane]

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@Anonymouswrote:

OP, it sounds to me based on some of the language that you used that you're carrying balances (paying interest) on many of your cards.  You referenced "minimum payment" a bunch of times and/or making a "big payment" at times.  I would strongly suggest adopting a different philosophy here all together, which is paying in full [your statement balance] every cycle.  By doing so, you are exhibiting the behavior of a Transactor, which is someone viewed as far less risky than a Revolver.  Not only will you no longer be paying interest, but with all of the lenders you mentioned viewing you as a less risky borrower, your chances of receiving CLIs would increase significantly.

From a practical financial standpoint here, you goal should be to be paying no interest, as it's throwing money away.  I don't mean to come off as abrasive here at all, so please don't take it that way, but if you are paying interest and not paying your cards in full every month it's only because of 1 of 2 reasons.  One, you have the money and ability to do so and just don't care or feel it's important, which comes down to simply rethinking and adopting a different philosophy as I stated above.  Two, you don't have the money and therefore aren't able to pay off your cards, thus meaning you have to pay interest.  Whether or not someone falls into number One here or number Two, the last thing they really need is their credit limit(s) to be increased.  Lenders of course know this when assessing risk and act accordingly most of the time.

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The one notable exception is Discover, who admits to targeting "prime revolvers". (article) Transactors like me get no luv at all.

[Anonymous]

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@arkane

The one notable exception is Discover, who admits to targeting "prime revolvers". (article) Transactors like me get no luv at all.

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Yes and no.  I agree that Discover doesn't necessarily fit the mold like the majority of other lenders, as can be seen in many threads on this forum.  What works for one person won't work for another, for example.  Your statement above is a good reference point for that, as I'm a strict Transactor as well and have received plenty of luv from Discover, having taken my limit up to $34,800 in 1.5 years without ever paying them a penny of interest.