I don't use my Discover cards much for purchases (I don't have enough brain cells left to focus on rotating categories). But I do like to use the cards for certain Discover balance transfer offers. I have 2 Discover IT cards.
For the longest time, probably in the neighborhood of 2 years, Discover has been turning me down for CLI's. Also for the longest time, they haven't been giving me balance transfer offers. For the past 6 to 12 months the reason given for turning me down was not the old standard "insufficient experience with current limit" but a new reason I haven't seen before: "insufficient use of account".
I've always wondered whether Discover considers the balance transfers sufficient use of the account, or whether they only meant to include purchases in the concept of "use".
A couple of months ago some balance transfer offers started popping up, but they weren't the kind I like. Then a balance transfer offer showed up which I did like, so I did go for it, about a month ago.
Today for the first time in a long time, I got a modest CLI -- $500 -- the @AverageJoesCredit special. I got it on the card that was used for the balance transfer. I was turned down for a CLI on the other card.
So it's making me think that use of the balance transfer offers does count as "use" for Discover's CLI monkeys.
Yes, I've always assumed that BTs count as use. I mean....why wouldn't they? 
It's activity on your account that they're looking for, and BTs certainly count as activity. That and payments, of course. I use my Discover card almost exclusively for BTs, as they always offer very good ones. I just used one this week--0% for 12 months, 3% fee. (I don't currently have any 0% fee BT offers at any card, or I would've used that instead.)
Congratulations on your CLI, small though it may be. At least it's a sign that they're not shutting you out completely. Trying again in a few months may yield another pleasant surprise.
