Tell me about voluntary CLDs with Citi

Curious_George2 · ‎11-19-2020

I have a Citi card with a CL of $9,290. The non-roundness of that number bothers my OCD side. Will there be any adverse side-effects if I ask them to decrease it to $9,000?

I know they do HP for reallocating limits between cards, but they aren't crazy enough to do them for CLDs are they?

Would this ice me out from CLI for 6 months? Longer?

Those are the only possibilities I can think of, but maybe there are others. I would love to hear from anyone with experience.

Anonymous · ‎11-19-2020

Strange that you have an odd number in the tens place value on your limit. Not sure I've ever seen that. Odd hundreds all the time, but not tens unless a CLD already happened or something. How did yours end up like that?

I don't think a self-initiated CLD of a couple hundred bucks to ease your limit-related OCD would be a big deal. I personally would probably time it with a CLI however... like wait until your next CLI opportunity and after pulling the trigger if they raise you to $10,xxx or $11,xxx immediately call them up and make the change at that time. This way the new CL reports as your rounded off value and there would be no history on your CR of a CLD.

BetterMoves · ‎11-19-2020

I do not think it would be an issue either. They may also raise it $10.

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wasCB14 · ‎11-19-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
Strange that you have an odd number in the tens place value on your limit. Not sure I've ever seen that. Odd hundreds all the time, but not tens unless a CLD already happened or something. How did yours end up like that?

I don't think a self-initiated CLD of a couple hundred bucks to ease your limit-related OCD would be a big deal. I personally would probably time it with a CLI however... like wait until your next CLI opportunity and after pulling the trigger if they raise you to $10,xxx or $11,xxx immediately call them up and make the change at that time. This way the new CL reports as your rounded off value and there would be no history on your CR of a CLD.

I had a Brooks Brothers card that started as $1,260 and went to $1,560. Citi left it at that when they took over the program from GE.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
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wasCB14 · ‎11-19-2020

No one can really guarantee you that the CLD won't attract the attention...and closer scrutiny...of other lenders.

I'd only bother to request a CLD if you wanted a new account and were at risk of being denied for having too much existing credit with Citi.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select

Curious_George2 · ‎11-19-2020

@Anonymous wrote:
Strange that you have an odd number in the tens place value on your limit. Not sure I've ever seen that. Odd hundreds all the time, but not tens unless a CLD already happened or something. How did yours end up like that?

I don't think a self-initiated CLD of a couple hundred bucks to ease your limit-related OCD would be a big deal. I personally would probably time it with a CLI however... like wait until your next CLI opportunity and after pulling the trigger if they raise you to $10,xxx or $11,xxx immediately call them up and make the change at that time. This way the new CL reports as your rounded off value and there would be no history on your CR of a CLD.

As for how I got here: balance chasing several years ago following a mortage default. Not quite as glamours as a Brooks Brothers account.

I love your suggestion for when & how to do it. I'm going to follow your advice. Thank you!

@wasCB14: I appreciate your concern about CR ripple effects, but if I use BrutalBodyShots's technique, there's no way other creditors could know there'd been a CLD, is there?

Anonymous · ‎11-19-2020

Nope, no way they'd see it as they would only see your CL increase from one cycle to the next.

AverageJoesCredit · ‎11-20-2020

@wasCB14 wrote:
No one can really guarantee you that the CLD won't attract the attention...and closer scrutiny...of other lenders.

I'd only bother to request a CLD if you wanted a new account and were at risk of being denied for having too much existing credit with Citi.

I was recently CLD by Home Depot/ Citi and the aftereffects were / are horrendous.....no clds, 1 increase and a Penfed card.

AverageJoesCredit · ‎11-20-2020

@Curious_George2 wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
Strange that you have an odd number in the tens place value on your limit. Not sure I've ever seen that. Odd hundreds all the time, but not tens unless a CLD already happened or something. How did yours end up like that?

I don't think a self-initiated CLD of a couple hundred bucks to ease your limit-related OCD would be a big deal. I personally would probably time it with a CLI however... like wait until your next CLI opportunity and after pulling the trigger if they raise you to $10,xxx or $11,xxx immediately call them up and make the change at that time. This way the new CL reports as your rounded off value and there would be no history on your CR of a CLD.
As for how I got here: balance chasing several years ago following a mortage default. Not quite as glamours as a Brooks Brothers account.

I love your suggestion for when & how to do it. I'm going to follow your advice. Thank you!

@wasCB14: I appreciate your concern about CR ripple effects, but if I use BrutalBodyShots's technique, there's no way other creditors could know there'd been a CLD, is there?

Yes, if they sp your report and notice a decrease in available credit. Doesnt seem illogical for lenders to have algorithms that search such data

Anonymous · ‎11-20-2020

@AverageJoesCredit wrote:
Yes, if they sp your report and notice a decrease in available credit. Doesnt seem illogical for lenders to have algorithms that search such data

If anyone were to SP his report (or HP, doesn't matter) they would see the last reported limit on that account. Using the suggestion I gave above, no lender would ever see the CLD. Example: His limit/reported limit in November is $9200. After his statement cuts for this month and the account reports ($9200 limit) he goes for a CLI and get's one to $11,200. He immediately calls them up and says they can keep the $200, as he only wants a CLI to $11,000. Next month his December statement cuts and the credit limit that his his CR is $11,000. Any looks at the credit report at any time would show a $9200 limit increasing to a $11,000 limit from one month to the next, so no visible self-initiated CLD.

I should add that the OP should implement this tactic just after the account reports for a cycle.