Tell me about voluntary CLDs with Citi

[Gunnerboy]

The last CLI Sound Credit Union gave me bumped my limit to $19,125.  It bugged me so much I SD'd it for four years. I won't CLD it nor would I waste an HP for an increase. I'm used to it now and use it every few months.

[longtimelurker]

As someone with a child with real OCD (which is seriously ife-impacting) my advice is one of:

1) if you really have OCD, then this is probably the least of your issues

2) If you don't, please stop using it as meaning "a mildly annoying issue"  I'm sure we would see more complaints if I said something like "It really gives me breast cancer when I receive a notification for a card I no longer have"

[Curious_George2]

I'm sorry. I hadn't thought about that as hurtful phrasing. I will do better going forward. 

[FinStar]

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@Curious_George2 wrote:

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.  

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I have yet to experience any adverse effects from any voluntary CLD with any issuer, especially Citi.  My voluntary CLDs weren't due or tied to a psychological or emotional stance, though.  Simply a strategy to acquire other products once a certain threshold or ceiling was reached at a point in time.

The voluntary CLD action should not "ice" your account from potential or future CLIs all things considered for your profile.  Though, keep in mind the current economic environment and lenders (including Citi) tightening the reins a bit for a variety of accountholders.

[Curious_George2]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@AverageJoesCredit wrote:

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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

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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. 

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Update: I followed BBS's advice. I'm about halfway through my statement cycle now. I requested a CLI today and they gave me $1500, bringing my CL up to $10,790. I immediately called in and requested a CLD down to $10,500. They granted that request and the new, round(er) limit showed up in the mobile app immediately. 

The rep specifically warned me that doing the CLD would make me ineligible for a CLI for six months. That's irrelevant in my particular situation, but it might matter to someone else. 

Thanks for the good advice, BBS and everyone else!

[SweetCreditObsession]

Congratulations, @Curious_George2  and thank you for that CLD data point.