@jlfce1 wrote:
@thelethargicage wrote:I keep hearing the only way to get a CLI is by requesting one (and it costs you a hard inquiry). Is this true? Don't they do auto CLIs at all? What does it take to get one?
I have had my Chase Freedom since 2005 (I was forced into a product Change because it started as something different that they nixed). Anyway, I had the same CL from 2005 until this year in April when they auto'd a whopping $200 increase. I just called yesterday and I was informed at that time that a HP was the only way to receive a CLI by customer request. It's my oldest card so I don't want to close it, but what am I supposed to do with such a low limit ($600). I just received a BofA Visa Siggy at $6,000 starting CL. So-not sure I want to waste the hard pull on an increase or if I have better odds at applying for a new card....but, to answer your questions, it's almost guaranteed it will take a HP.
What other people have done in your situation is applied for a new chase card and they had much better luck getting a higher CL vs what they would have been able to get with a CLI on the freedom. Then maybe you can move that CL over to your freedom, I haven't done this myself but I think others may have done so and posted about it. Has anyone successfully done this?
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Always a hard pull, I did my first one at the 6 month mark, but you do have to utilize it if you want a higher limit. I can tell they use my highest balance spent on others card to give me my initial starting limit, and I had ask a Chase Senior Analyst how to get a higher limit, and he said "I can't really tell you" but try to use the card a lot and pay it down fast, he said the first thing I should do when I first got the card was spend at least 30% of the card (not any higher due to it would put my risk level really high with them, since our credit relationship was really new) [score dropped at least 11 points] and he said use the APR intro rate to pay it down (I did it in 3 months) then piffed the last 3 months, and right when my 6 months was up my credit scores increased significantly (to the 740+) [Thank the Garden 
] I asked for a CLI and they pushed my to 5,000. I then spent the whole 5k as chase reports the high balance and I used it to my advantage as to me when other lendors look at that high balance and they see a $0 reporting on that card but a very high balance I feel you have more leverage with them to respect you enough to give you that starting limit plus more since you showed you could manage it + pay it down rarely fast. (Don't quote me on it, I'm just trying it out, we will see if it works when I go on my spree for my travel reward cards). But as of now I brought it down to 2k and I'm doing the same method, and I will update my results if using the high limit and paying it down in a 3 month spand time then piffing it really works to your advantage when I pull my scores in the next 4 months, ask for my CLI's and go on my app spree. #TheWaitingGame man it gets me mad! 
But the rewards of the garden makes you feel all the better at the end of your journey -LJ
Bottomline: HP, you should be able to get one every 6 months if done right, most likely you will get a higher one if you wait a year. Chase is stingy with their limits, you have to spend and show your responsble, or at least that your able to utilize a higher limit if your given one. Chase is generous if your spending though, and the Senior analyst are awesome! 
I was wondering if it matters how fast I pay down off the balance when Chase looks at the account. I intend to pay off the balance prior to it being reported to the CRAs on the statement date, but would it be beneficial to pay off the balance even earlier than that as I use the card? For example if I have spent $2k on a 3k card would Chase look more favorably on it if I paid the 2k off within a week of the charge or will it all be viewed the same way as long as I pay the balance before the statement cuts and its reported to the CRA?
Well, looks like I'm gonna start using this card for literally everything.
I use my freedom for everything except gas (unless it's the 5% quarter). I only got a $200 bump after 3 months though, so hopefully after a year they'll grow me a bone. I plan on upgrading to a Visa Sig version at 13 months and asking for a CLI at the same time.
@somnipotent wrote:I use my freedom for everything except gas (unless it's the 5% quarter). I only got a $200 bump after 3 months though, so hopefully after a year they'll grow me a bone. I plan on upgrading to a Visa Sig version at 13 months and asking for a CLI at the same time.
How does it work with upgrading a freedom to a visa sig? You call in after having it 13 months and request it? Does it require a HP? I'm hoping to have a CSP by that time, but I would like to grow my Freedom card since its no AF and I want to keep it for the rest of my credit life if possible.
@p- wrote:
red259 wrote: I'm hoping to have a CSP by that time, but I would like to grow my Freedom card since its no AFYeah, I've been drooling for a CSP for a long time, but now that I have the freedom sig I just can't bring myself to take an AF for the other card. But if you are really into miles, the ability to transfer points makes the two cards together a good combo.
Yep, I am trying to build up my travel rewards along with my credit score. Otherwise I would have just kept paying everything with debit!