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Setting your *2022* Card Strategy

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notmyrealname23
Established Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy


@Anonymous wrote:

@notmyrealname23 wrote:

Basically unchanged from getting the Bilt card in Q2 (which has turned into something like 30k Hyatt points and $1k worth of upcoming hotel stays , oooooowheee, this is a seriously underrated card IMO, I have no regrets burning a 5/24 slot on it).


Have played/will play the upgrade/downgrade game with AMEX. Next is upgrading a Green to Gold and downgrading a Vanilla Plat to Green, and picking up 15k MR.


Going to 4/24 happens next year. I will probably start structuring my AMEX card renewals in a way that I can start shedding AFs in Q3/Q4 2023 if that is what I desire. May go from this:

 

AMEX Plat/VentureX/AMEX Gold/AMEX Green/Bilt/C1 SavorOne/AMEX Marriott Brilliant/AMEX Hilton Aspire/Citi AA Mileup

 

to this by Q4 2023:

 

CSP with SUB/Citi Premier with SUB/Citi Custom Cash/VentureX/Bilt/SavorOne/Aspire/AMEX Green

 

(Stretch goal: 2x Custom Cash for dining/groceries, one signup and one PC.)

 

Trade out $755 in annual fees for two cards with 150k or so in transferrable points. Then 2024 can be spent on acquiring some Chase Hyatt/Marriott/Southwest and Citi AA cards, lightly churning as I go along.

 

(If you're wondering "why AMEX Green?"- my use cases work well with a low AF card that covers rental cars + insurance + rideshare + transit earning 3x plus I dig CLEAR a lot. YMMV.)

 


Bilt??! You mean this?

'Travel
Transfer your points 1:1 to one of our many world-class partners.'

 

Which partners I wonder.

 

'Partners include IHG Hotels, American Airlines AAdvantage, Aeroplan, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Emirates Skywards, Flying Blue, Turkish Miles&Smiles, Virgin Points, Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles, United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.'

 

Too bad I can't pay rent via cc: but huh??!

 

'Even if your property only accepts checks, you can still pay with your card through the Bilt Rewards app and we'll send a check on your behalf'

 

How does that even work? Mine is not a commercial property..if it works it'll be great.

 

It can be used with virtually any landlords...!! AND primary CDW??!  Why did I find this out now 😆

 

Are you ditching other cards too on your sig? Fintech, Delta, Disco etc.

 


Delta Gold is actually Delta Blue- I do have a 5k SkyMiles offer to go back to a Gold but... meh. I don't really feel the need to dump cards that are no AF like Petal, even though they are dominated sock drawer cards by others in my lineup. My Disco card gets love every so often since I evaluate a 3x card right around 5% cash, so using a DiscoverIt for my lunch at work isn't really hurting me.

 

And you never know, my CU card, FirstTech, comes out with an interesting promo every now and then. 

First Tech FCU Choice Rewards World MC 35k | AMEX Hilton Aspire 17.5k | Chase Southwest Priority Visa 15.5k | AMEX Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant 15k | Bilt Rewards MC 14k | Capital One Venture X 13k | Fidelity VISA Signature 11.5k | Citi AA Platinum Select 11.9k | Charles Schwab AMEX Platinum NPSL | Amex Platinum (I know) NPSL | Amex Gold NPSL | Citi Premier 8.9k | Chase Fredom Unlimited 9k | SoFi MC World Elite 8k | Capital One SavorOne 7.5k | PayPal Synchrony MC 6.4k | Citi Custom Cash 6.9k | DiscoverIt Cashback 5k | Amazon/Synchrony 5k | Hotels.com 5k | AMEX Delta Gold 3k | Apple Card 3k | Target 800 | Ch 13 filed 12/13 discharged as paid 1/19
Message 251 of 259
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy


@Anonymous wrote:

I'm gonna app for Bilt after some inqs wear off(1yr not 2yrs) on the 17th. Did know it when it came out but it was March, so wouldn't have been approved anyway(recent card additions). Rent, primary CDW with no AF and FTF, this card might not last long lol. Now might be a good time to waste EX HP.

 

After that probably gonna gun for Barclays Aviator Red(TU). If I get it, that'll be it, but if not, might consider Citi MileUp(20k offer, fixed APR, EX, pity it's not EQ like Citi BB store card), and if thsose 2 fails, Amex Delta Gold(EX, TU). It's only HP so doing it for science lol. Already got 5400 CLIs across 4 cards, so..

Already canceled 2 cards, C1 Secured Plat and Citi Best Buy store card, and Amazon Store card and Tomo should be next on the chopping block.

 

Further plan, which includes next year and then some; it'll be ideal if I could get both Bilt and Aviator Red or MileUp this month(Aviator as a Barclays card still might be unrealistic but who knows lol). Originally thought much of Autograph what with gas/phone bill/transit, key categories that I haven't covered, but Bilt is just too enticing right now what with rent/primary CDW/transfer partners like AA. I still would like to get Autograph in the future to cover those categories.

 

Problem is all those cards are MC lol, whereas I don't have a Visa. I would eventually like to PC Citi DC to CC but even that is MC lol.

If I can PC that Citi card, I need another 2% card, so possibly Penfed PCR but I need to park $500 in checking account for that, and the sub is meh. Or I can just add CC later, leaving DC as it is. Or FNBO Evergreen? Affinity CR sub is 'daunting(but generally CU subs aren't enticing anyway, why bother to fulfill it)' but is a good rotator including Amazon, and like PenFed, a Visa. For diversification I would like to have a CU card. 

 

I really rue that I canceled USB Cash + secured, it's such a good category card and would've covered gym(Disco does cover it 1 qtr). Just made ALL the wrong choices!  Eventually want to get that too, but can I 'again' app for the secured version lol. This will ideally round out my cash back lineup.

 

I was very disappointed in C1 S1 not covering IW tennis tournament as entertainment, which was the main reason I apped for it(it carded as club membership, ludicrous lol, or did IW make it that way). One of the reasons I'm thinking Citi CC is that it might cover it. Anyway aside from using S1 for car rental(CDW), well grocery 3% is nice I guess. 

 

CFF HAS been very useful, what with easy sub(Free round trip to Florida) and UR points(again used the points to cover upcoming Florida flight again next month for the same tennis tournament). As a rotator hard to beat(What with CDW, fixed 3% categories like dining, and of course 5% using travel portal). But 500 toy limit just won't do, can't even use CDW lol. Now imagine if I axe that..! Then my ideal future card lineup will be;

 

Disco it CB

Citi DC(or Penfed PowerCash or FNBO), CC

WF Bilt, Autograph

Barclays Aviator(if not, then Citi MileUP. I decided for now that AA is better for me than Delta; cheaper! Already have vastly more miles on the rewards program, compared to Delta miles)

USB Cash +

Affinity CR?

BOA Spirit(my main domestic airline lol)

 

Autograph, USB and Affinity are all Visas, satisfying my diversification goal.

 

I would like to eventually add more rewards/travel cards, like Citi Rewards, BOA Travels, Disco Miles. Citi and Disco have been good to me so wanna have more products with them. That'll be like total 10 new cards lol, this should be a multi year long-term project!  I'm not particularly anxious to get Amex, and of course Chase is out of the question what with 5/24, and that's ok and might be even better in the long term to get higher SLs in the far~away future lol(will I have use for Amazon though. I would like to get Aeroplan eventually. Maybe United card too?).

 

What a total revamp; just means my apps for last year was such a disaster lol, getting store cards and useless ones like Tomo crazed by wanting a 2k SL lol. In fact C1 S1 this year too. And CFF being stuck at toy limit.

 

Maybe should get checking/saving accounts from Barclays or Affinity or DCU or else.

Message 252 of 259
Remedios
Credit Mentor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy

@Aim_High quit slacking, time for 2023 thread.

I'm ready to tell lies about what I'm not going to apply for 😐

Message 253 of 259
okurosetta
Regular Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy

Then (November 2021): “2022 for me will mostly be setting myself up for Chase in early 2023. I got into no AF cashback cards before joining here/Reddit and was at 5/24 when I learned what it was, so I decided to get basically every other card I wanted before circling back around to them.”

 

This is half true - the biggest change is that we are likely to do a new mortgage next summer, thus I want to garden for a year, which pushed back when I’ll care about 5/24 until late 2023. I was going to limit myself to two new personal cards but this changed it such that I could add four and still be under 5/24 not long after our next mortgage.



Then (November 2021): “Several cards on the chopping block: P2 is letting her BoA card close to inactivity, I am AU and not bothering removing myself before then, will be soon enough. I'm going to close my vanilla Platinum in January 2022. I'd be open to a good retention offer but won't be upset if I'm not offered one.”

 

BoA card is still unused but hasn’t been closed yet - have read that BoA can take a while. I did get a 40k MR retention offer on the Platinum.



Then (November 2021): “I'll likely close my no AF Hilton card at some point, maybe summer 2022, to free up an Amex card slot, and would even consider grabbing the Hilton business card if I'm not in pop-up jail.”

 

Both of these happened, just in a different order: Amex had previously denied me for a 5th revolver, with the reason listed being I was at the maximum number of cards (at the time), so I thought I needed to close one first. I decided to give a 5th revolver another shot and they approved me for the Hilton Business in January 2022. I then closed the no AF Hilton card in April 2022.



Then (November 2021): “Will request a CLI on Propel in January and on my MCP once it is old enough.”

 

Both of these were successful - Propel hit $3k which is low but my use of the card is low, $3k “fits” with it getting 3% so I’m just going to leave it there. First MCP went from $2k to $4k.



Then (November - December 2021): My plan was Custom Cash -> second MCP, but in December 2021 it changed to Kroger card and then either Custom Cash or second MCP, depending on who US Bank pulled.

 

I did apply for a Kroger card first, but was denied due to not being in the market area. There was no hard pull and so I went for Custom Cash, then Green, second MCP, and USAA Cashback Rewards Plus.



Then (December 2021): “I'm also adding my Rakuten Visa to the chopping block.”

 

I wavered on this and eventually the decision was made for me, though I very rarely use a 2% card as I use Surpass/BBP for non-category and am debating closing this too.



What became part of the plan

 

More business cards, while avoiding new personal accounts - got the Hilton Business, Marriott Business, and then Business Platinum, eyeing BoA Alaska and may give Business Gold a go in 2023.

 

P2 being open to cards for us, just not for her - P2 doesn’t like juggling cards, so she typically isn’t open to one that would complicate her set-up, but she has been more open to cards that would benefit our travel habits. P2 gave Venture X a shot, which may be our long-term plan, but no dice. P2 did score a Marriott Business card of her own.

 

Drop More Rewards? - Recently began debating closing NFCU More Rewards. It is a solid card but the $50 redemption minimum is a tall order given that I reliably get better on dining, gas, and grocery and it is tied with Propel on transit. Based on how often my EZ-Pass replenishes, it would take 3-4 years to reach the $50 redemption minimum.



Future P2
Chopping Block Chopped
Message 254 of 259
TheRedHat
Established Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy

I'm burnt out. lol Closed one of my rebuilder cards, the Petal 2 Visa. Riding this out into the new year. Will post my next strategy in the 2023 thread. Smiley Happy

Last update: 2/12/2024
Chopping Block:

Goal Cards
Message 255 of 259
Aim_High
Super Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy


@Remedios wrote:

@Aim_High quit slacking, time for 2023 thread.

I'm ready to tell lies about what I'm not going to apply for 😐


I can take a hint.  Smiley Wink  

Consider it done, @Remedios.

 

See this link for the >2023 Card Strategy<

 

Pleased to see that this has turned into a popular forum tradition! 


Business Cards


Length of Credit > 40 years; Total Credit Limits >$850K
Top Lender TCL - Chase 156.4 - BofA 99.7 - AMEX 95.0 - CITI 94.5 - NFCU 80.0
AoOA > 30 years (Jun 1993); AoYA (Aug 2023)
* Hover cursor over cards to see name & CL, or press & hold on mobile app.
Message 256 of 259
cws-21
Established Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy


@cws-21 wrote:

I was recently approved for the AOD Visa Signature and Affinity Cash Rewards cards so I am very happy with my current cash back setup provided below. Honestly, I do not see myself applying for another card for the foreseeable future unless something new and intriguing catches my eye. I could see myself closing a couple of cards that have been replaced by the AOD (Citi DC) and Affinity (Chase Amazon Visa) in my lineup. I would consider product changing my Propel if Wells Fargo comes up with something more interesting in 2022 as long as it has cellphone protection. Lastly, I will continue trying to grow my current credit limits.

 

  1. American Express Blue Cash Preferred ($42,900 at 12.99%): mostly 6% cash back on groceries, but also Amex Offers
  2. Citi Custom Cash Card ($10,800 at 13.99%): mostly 5% cash back on dining, but also on groceries, to complement BCP, or gas, if ever my Ducks Unlimited goes away
  3. First Bankcard Ducks Unlimited Rewards Visa Card ($25,000 at 19.99%): mostly 5% cash back on gas (inside convenience stores and at the pump, but also 5% cash back on sporting goods
  4. Target RedCard Credit Card ($2,200 at 22.90%): 5% cash back at Target and, hopefully, no foreign transaction fee Mastercard in the future if converted
  5. Affinity FCU Cash Rewards Visa Signature Credit Card ($21,800 at 12.50%): 5% cash back at Amazon and bookstores, Hi5 rotating categories, and no foreign transaction Visa
  6. Wells Fargo Propel Amex Card ($25,000 at 16.99%): mostly cellphone protection, but also 3% cash back on transit and travel as well as Amex Offers and Wells Fargo Deals
  7. AOD FCU Visa Signature Credit Card ($10,000 at 7.49%): 3% cash back on everything else and no foreign transaction Visa

I mostly stuck to my 2022 strategy quoted above. I did end up closing my Citi Double Cash and Chase Amazon Prime Rewards as I had been thinking about. I did not product change my Wells Fargo Propel, but I attempted to do so. Wells Fargo was not allowing product changes of the Propel at the time. Instead, I applied and was approved for the Wells Fargo Autograph, cashed in on the $300 SUB, moved my Propel credit limit of $25,000 over to my new Autograph giving the latter now a $50,000 limit, and closed the Propel.

 

I have continued to grow my credit limits on all of my cards; however, I am no longer able to get credit limit increases with soft pulls on my Amex Blue Cash Preferred ($42,900), FNBO Ducks Unlimited ($25,000), and likely Wells Fargo Autograph ($50,000). Honestly, I am okay with that. My preference would be to increase the credit limits on all cards to $25,000, but I don't care all that much if they go beyond that as I don't need beyond $25k (or even $25k in the first place).

 

Lastly, I did apply and was approved for a new card, two counting the Autograph, which is the U.S. Bank Altitude Go. This obviously goes against my "I do not see myself applying for another card for the foreseeable future unless something new and intriguing catches my eye." I decided that I no longer wanted to worry about going over the $500 monthly cap of the Citi Custom Cash for dining, which my family of five did somewhat frequently, and I wanted to establish a relationship with U.S. Bank.

Message 257 of 259
Aim_High
Super Contributor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy


@Aim_High wrote:   <<edited for brevity.  Read my entire posting <HERE< at thread message 164.>>

... My long term goals have been to boost and keep my FICO scores very high, update my rewards cards to include adding travel cards for DW and I use for travel in retirement, and to boost both individual and total credit limits while household income is high before it stabilizes at a lower level in retirement.    And my goal is a collection of cards well-diversified among solid prime lenders.  

 

 ...  My 2022 goals are first to continue to grow my limits, primarily with soft-pull CLIs.  I currently have three cards at or above $50K.  By year-end, I hope to at least double that to six or maybe even seven in the range of $50K to $100K.

 

.... So in a nutshell: 

  • Continued CLIs on a half dozen cards
  • New CITI card - TBD
  • Chase INK Business Unlimited ... a hard pull but won't show on my personal report. 
  • Possible new TBD Wells Fargo card
  • Possible new AMEX Blue Business Plus ... hopefully a soft pull and won't show on my personal report.
  • Possible Temporary product change Gold - Platinum ... no hard pull

So far for 2022, I've done pretty well with my original strategy.  Smiley Very Happy

 

One area I fell a little short (so far) is my progress towards more $50K+ cards.  I started the year with three (Chase Sapphire Reserve; Bank of America Premium Rewards; Discover) and hoped to get up to (6) or even (7).  I've added one, the AMEX Bonvoy Brilliant ($75K) which brings me to (4).  In December, I'll be eligible for $8K NFCU CLI on my $42K Platinum which could realistically bring me up to (5).   However, my limit on Chase Sapphire Reserve increased from $55K to $80K and then to $90K when combining limits from my now-closed Freedom and World of Hyatt cards.   I also eeked a little more out of Discover, raising that limit from $50K to $52K.  So two of my $50K+ limits have grown.

 

The others I had hoped to get into the $50K+ range were:

 

  • my new CITI card which I gardened for, giving me a great $30.5K limit but not at high as the $40K+ I had hoped for;
  • my Apple card, which I didn't get around to running sufficient spend on to warrant an increase;  *Maybe in 2023.  Smiley Wink
  • and my PenFed Power Cash Rewards, which I had hoped to sweet-talk PenFed into approving despite their revised policy on credit limits. No go. 

I've gotten numerous SP CLIs this year, as planned, with Capital One, Discover, CITI, NFCU, and AMEX. Check. 😊

 

I was approved the AMEX Blue Business Plus.  Check. 😊

 

I was approved for a new CITI card, the CITI AAdvantage Executive WEMC. Check. 😊

 

Chase INK Business Unlimited will probably be my next application, so it's not off the table yet.  I just need to fulfill my Citi AAdvantage Executive SUB first and let it age at least a couple of months.  (The CITI card jumped the queue due to the enhanced 80K SUB which I didn't know how long it would last.)

 

Another card with Wells Fargo (and combining my Cash Wise limit) is still in the potential works.  While I had planned to apply for PROPEL prior to it ending and AUTOGRAPH is similar, I've decided that I'd rather wait to see if something even better comes along.  Propel or Autograph duplicate other rewards and don't add much value.   If no new card comes along, I may app for Autograph next year. 

 

And I resisted the product change of Gold to Platinum since Platinum just doesn't work for me.  The SUB would have been nice but I would have had to "eat" most of the AF, negating the benefit.  Smiley Sad I actually just closed my Gold card after the AF came due and there was no retention offer.  (Separate post will follow shortly.) 

 

Overall, I've been able to follow my plan pretty closely and it has been helpful! 


Business Cards


Length of Credit > 40 years; Total Credit Limits >$850K
Top Lender TCL - Chase 156.4 - BofA 99.7 - AMEX 95.0 - CITI 94.5 - NFCU 80.0
AoOA > 30 years (Jun 1993); AoYA (Aug 2023)
* Hover cursor over cards to see name & CL, or press & hold on mobile app.
Message 258 of 259
UncleB
Credit Mentor

Re: Setting your *2022* Card Strategy

Since we're over half-way through October 2022 and there's a thread running on Setting your 2023 Card Stategy this therad is now locked.

 

Feel free to post in the new thread.

 

--UB

Message 259 of 259
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