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@creditfan wrote:I guess perhap OP cares more toward chip & pin ability
The store card is one of the few true chip and pin cards available in the states.
I too really do not see much appeal in the Mastercard version unless you were in a position where you could not qualify for any other better cards. But most people can do better than 2% dining/gas, 1% all else. Plus it's paid out on a Target gift card only once a year and not redeemable for cash. In short the rewards are not competitive even for no AF.
The main reason to have a Redcard is 5% off at Target and you already get that. The upgrade is nice, but I don't see why it would be a dealbreaker. I would think most people around here who got the upgrade still do not use the card outside of Target anyway.
Like you note, mixing emotions and cards is not a good idea. A lender is not going to take it personally if you SD the card out of anger, no more than you should take it personally if they cut your limit etc.
@creditfan wrote:I guess perhap OP cares more toward chip & pin ability
I think the Target Debit card offers the same thing?
I'm not sure, but maybe the Target MC is chip+pin even outside of Target?
In most of the posts about this Redcard over the past year tend to show Target is very conservative with the CL. I believe a few posts had mentioned how even the top tier credit score holders were surprised when there credit line was low and CLI very little approval. I got approved last year for the Redcard at $500 CL and have used it monthly since to get the 5% sometimes almost maxing it out but paying it off monthly. I can say I wish I would go up to $1000CL because I have been eying going to a 70" tv and would like to use the card for that and I also like the CS at Target a lot easier to deal with then Walmart. I agree I don't think the MC version is worth it be happy you have the CL you have that's a pretty substantial amount IMO
Given that there was already one case of Target point of sale systems being hacked, I could see an argument for preferring that the store card not be upgraded to a MasterCard or Visa.
Being a store card does not stop fraud but does at least limit it a bit.
Please do not make me work.
Thank you
@kdm31091 wrote:I'm not sure, but maybe the Target MC is chip+pin even outside of Target?
that is why MC is there for
I tested at usps and yes it did ask me pin
So here's my somewhat more succinct interpretation of your statement and question:
"I've been using my Target store card in a limited manner for 10 years. I haven't gotten a good CLI or upgrade to the MC version. Even though I know it's not supposed to, I wonder if that would p**s anyone off? I'm going to start using it more, in hopes of getting a CL/upgrade to the MC version. If I don't get either of those, I'm going to go back to using it in a limited manner. Is there anyone else who would do the same?"
Short answers: Yes, there are most certainly people who would react emotionally, even to the extreme, to the lack of CLI or upgrade to a credit card. I'm not one of them. Regardless of emotions, I think your suggested actions are reasonable.
Longer answer: I also have a Target store card with a measly limit that I rarely use, and it's also one of my older cards at ~10 years. It's on the chopping block for closing by customer (me). 5% is nice, but with low usage, when I do the math, the savings just aren't significant enough to matter or to justify holding it, and the monthly effort to monitor it. I have several other old cards so I'm not too concerned about the age of credit ding, and it should stay on my report for ~10 years anyway.