@tcbofade wrote:With lots of input and help from various of you, I believe I have figured out why I don't get any luv from GE.
My util sucks. Both with them, and across the board in general.
I am changing how many dollars we send to which cards this month, in order to get DW's total utilization under 50%, AND make sure that no one card is over 80%.
(Currently, she has a few that are maxed, a few at zero, and a few in the middle...)
My thoughts are that getting her total utilization under 50% should improve her FICO score.
Making sure that ZERO of her accounts are at or over 80% should improve her FICO score.
I'm not sure how long I'll be able to maintain BOTH of those, but there should be a point in time, early in June, that both will be true, and reported to all three CRA's at the same time.
In other news, her fourth statement on her Walmart card will cut on about May 26th.
Her fourth statement on her PayPal card will cut on or about June 5th.
We'll ask for CLI's on both of them, if they don't appear automatically.
Right?
I guess i am alarmed by this statement and a few others. I understand the desire for an incresed credit limit, but why would you want to increase your ability to accrue debt when you struggle to handle what you already have? How about taking 6 months to focus on cutting that util. By then neither you or the banks will be as stressed about the CLI. As you know there is only 2 ways to cut util, one by you and one by the banks, I have had zero luck relying on the banks for this. Good Luck.
Starting Score: 617 EQ 10-17-11
@Anonymous wrote:If I remember correctly, tcbofade is trying to lower his balances and simultaneously getting CLI's so that the utilization is reported as lower.
It's a legitimate strategy. I did the same recently and acquired lines that shot me from 28% to about 10%.
Just don't ask T to list all his cards and balances lol They have 30+ between the two of them.
Valid points, and all three of you are correct.
Whether "proper" or not, my wife was out of work for a significant amount of 2011, and we ran up a LOT of credit card debt.
We are in the process of paying that mountain down, and have made measurable progress thus far this year.
As Frugal pointed out, lowering our util increases our credit scores...increased credit scores allow for more 0% BT offers...0% BT's help us pay off our debt faster...
Yes, we do have 30+ between us... 7 of which have a zero balance....6 others have zero interest...the rest of them, I'm working on...
As shallow as it may seem, this thread was intended to be more about GEMB.
As you read this board, they are very generous with CLI's for everyone...except me.
Our oldest GE card is a JCP that we opened in September of 2010, and we have not received a CLI yet.
We've got a Walmart card that we opened in December of 2010, and had one rather small CLI in May of 2011.
Seems like everyone's GE cards are growing except ours, and I'm hoping that by reducing HER utilization and improving her score, that maybe HER newer GE accounts will see some luv...
Maybe not.
As mentioned, we don't "need" it....just want it. 
@tcbofade wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:If I remember correctly, tcbofade is trying to lower his balances and simultaneously getting CLI's so that the utilization is reported as lower.
It's a legitimate strategy. I did the same recently and acquired lines that shot me from 28% to about 10%.
Just don't ask T to list all his cards and balances lol They have 30+ between the two of them.
Valid points, and all three of you are correct.
Whether "proper" or not, my wife was out of work for a significant amount of 2011, and we ran up a LOT of credit card debt.
We are in the process of paying that mountain down, and have made measurable progress thus far this year.
As Frugal pointed out, lowering our util increases our credit scores...increased credit scores allow for more 0% BT offers...0% BT's help us pay off our debt faster...
Yes, we do have 30+ between us... 7 of which have a zero balance....6 others have zero interest...the rest of them, I'm working on...
As shallow as it may seem, this thread was intended to be more about GEMB.
As you read this board, they are very generous with CLI's for everyone...except me.
Our oldest GE card is a JCP that we opened in September of 2010, and we have not received a CLI yet.
We've got a Walmart card that we opened in December of 2010, and had one rather small CLI in May of 2011.
Seems like everyone's GE cards are growing except ours, and I'm hoping that by reducing HER utilization and improving her score, that maybe HER newer GE accounts will see some luv...
Maybe not.
As mentioned, we don't "need" it....just want it.
As of the first of the year (2012) NONE of our cards were paid off...we're working on it. 
@bichonmom wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:If I remember correctly, tcbofade is trying to lower his balances and simultaneously getting CLI's so that the utilization is reported as lower.
It's a legitimate strategy. I did the same recently and acquired lines that shot me from 28% to about 10%.
Just don't ask T to list all his cards and balances lol They have 30+ between the two of them.
By saying things in his post like:
total util over 50%, over 80% on some cards, maxed out on some cards, and if he pays down util to under 50%, he says, "I'm not sure how long I'll be able to maintain BOTH of those, but there should be a point in time, early in June, that both will be true, and reported to all three CRA's at the same time."
He makes it sound like he barely treading water. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's how it sounds to me.
BTW, that's not a judgment. I've been in that kind of situation. It's just to make the point that increasing the CL isn't necessarily the solution.
No worries, I appreciate your input, and we're not in as bad of shape as we look....
Util. is a big big factor in getting GE CLI's. I would say below 9% is perfect.
