Do you focus on certain cards for a CLI?

[Revelate]

When you are attempting to build or rebuild a credit report from next to nothing in terms of positive tradelines, even I'd recommend obtaining a card that is generous with CLI's.

There's some truth to the old adage that current CL's beget future CL's and as such pushing on one account isn't a bad idea and I did that with an Amex revolver back in the day (1k -> 3k -> 9k where it sits today in the SD).

Once you establish limits it doesn't really matter: any approval in the last 3 years for me have come in the 10k+ variety for the most part, and several of those were 25k.  There isn't much rational need for most people including yours truly to have more than that, so what's the point of CLI's?

[longtimelurker]

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@wasCB14 wrote:

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@UpperNwGuy wrote:

CLIs are overrated.

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I think it's worthwhile to distinguish the "I'm spending $6k a month on my $10k CFU" cases from the "I make $60k a year and have 1% util but want a $30k Barneys card" ones.

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Maybe!   I think the clear example of when a CLI is needed is more "I spend $1000 on my $500 BCE"  (although getting a CLI there might be hard!)   Basically if you HAVE to pay more than once a month to free up the CL, then yes.

$6K on $10K also has a case if you think at some point you will charge more, but otherwise IMO it's fine.

But I agree, many of the discussions here are more of your second type, I need the card to "grow" because, well, it needs to grow.

[wasCB14]

I'm certainly not in the AZEO crowd, but I'd also be a little uneasy about carrying a big balance at 0% APR with 90% single-card util one month, 85% the next, then 80%, etc.

0% is also nicer when there's a big associated CL.

[masscredit]

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@Revelate wrote:

When you are attempting to build or rebuild a credit report from next to nothing in terms of positive tradelines, even I'd recommend obtaining a card that is generous with CLI's.

There's some truth to the old adage that current CL's beget future CL's and as such pushing on one account isn't a bad idea and I did that with an Amex revolver back in the day (1k -> 3k -> 9k where it sits today in the SD).

Once you establish limits it doesn't really matter: any approval in the last 3 years for me have come in the 10k+ variety for the most part, and several of those were 25k.  There isn't much rational need for most people including yours truly to have more than that, so what's the point of CLI's?

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This is what I'm thinking!  I was super excited to be approved for a Target card with a 3K limit when I started rebuilding in 2012. Now I expect my starting limits to be in the $7500-$10K range and then grow from there. I sometimes spread my spending around based on the card's benefits and sometimes just to give a card that's been in the SD some use. I like to have limits as high as possible incase I need to carry a balance someday. That cushion comes in handy.