Recommended next step?

[jlpaca]

I have been working on my credit and trying to make a big push forward now. I was just approved for 2 usaa cards, an Amex and MasterCard at $5000 each after 2 years with a secured card, a cu visa secured, a $1000 Wells Fargo rewards visa and a $300 cap1 secured. I have 3 accounts in collections that are about 6.5 years old and 5 or 6 charge offs along with it. I don't know if I should wait them out or start disputing again, as nothing came off after the last time I tried disputing. I would like another card maybe after a few months with the new usaa cards. My goal is for a gold or green Amex and maybe the delta one also and the total rewards visa as I go to Atlantic city and Vegas often. I think that would make me good on cards but the Amex is the real goal.
Any advice is appreciated as to where to go forward with this.

[jamesdwi]

assuming your FICO's are above 650, go ahead and apply for the green or gold i would suggest PRG all charge cards have basicly the same underwriting, and the PRG has no fee for the first year and decent rewards, applying by the end of the year, locks in 2013 as your membership year,  If your EX fico is around the 720 range go ahead and apply for the Delta card,  but if approved for the first card wait till at least january to apply for the second, your second card will appear on your credit report as 10-11 months older than your first thanks to backdating goodness.

[DaveSignal]

Well you got 2 great cards with great limits! Congrats! I would just enjoy the new cards while building history with them and at the same time waiting for the collections to fall off in 6 months... then you should be in great shape for the other cards you want. What are you scores now?

[jlpaca]

Amex doesn't view the open collections negatively and the charge offs? Do you think there's good chance for approval even with those?

[jlpaca]

Usaa cmp scores are 633 ex, 631 eq, 654 tu. I think prior to the new cards they said 629 fico on eq maybe.

[jamesdwi]

if all the baddies are 5-6 years old you stand a decent chance for a charge card, they have low underwriting standards because its only a 30 day loan, and they can monitor and change your internal limit at any time. I got my AMEX charge card with a judgement still reporting it was about 5 years old at the time, if all else is good 5 year old baddies aren't going to effect you much,  and its not a BK, i would try before the end of the year, getting your membership year set is very helpful and you will be on AMEX radar, even if you barely get the charge, in 6 months they may give you a revolver like delta even with a sub-par score and once you are in with AMEX, APs are only a SP unless you are approved.

[jlpaca]

It was a 39 point increase on my ex fako on cmp with the new cards. Do you think green or gold would be the better choice? And maybe I'll apply today. I've been holding off because I was trying to get a cli on the wells card with a soft pull but that kept getting denied.

[jamesdwi]

you want to AP for the AMEX preffered gold, first year AF is waived, after the year is up you can PC to the green or senior green ( not related to age) or Gold when the AF on the PRG is due.

[jlpaca]

We'll I've been approved. Thanks for the push.

[jlpaca]

Should I apply for the delta right now? Is it one hard pull today for multiple apps?