What Would You Do...

[Anonymous]

So I've had the Barclay Visa for Apple since 3/2012, and I was thinking of getting something another big ticket item from Apple in the next 6-8 months. I happened to be looking around online about the BVA, and it looks like the 0% interest for 6,12, 18 months was only in the first 30 days of opening the account, which does me absolutely no good right now (especially since the regularly interest rate is 22.99% -- ridiculous I know).

I called to confirm that with a CSR, who let me know that what I read was indeed true, so I decided to close the card. The person he transfered me to, let me know that Barclay is aware of that being a problem for customers and said that if I purchased something from Apple to call or email them and they may be able to get me the 0% interest. I don't like the MAYBE. She made it seem like, they'd be able to get 0% interest depending on the dollar amount, but I don't like the uncertainty on if they can or not.

After that drawn out explaination, my question is this...

Would you close the card or not? If I close it won't hurt my utilization at all, and I don't use the card often because of the interest rate. The card was meant to only be used at Apple so I could have 0% interest on my purchases there, but since that's being called into question it makes the card moot. Would you risk buying something at Apple and seeing if they can give you the promo or not?

Thanks.

[Arago]

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@Anonymous wrote:

So I've had the Barclay Visa for Apple since 3/2012, and I was thinking of getting something another big ticket item from Apple in the next 6-8 months. I happened to be looking around online about the BVA, and it looks like the 0% interest for 6,12, 18 months was only in the first 30 days of opening the account, which does me absolutely no good right now (especially since the regularly interest rate is 22.99% -- ridiculous I know).

I called to confirm that with a CSR, who let me know that what I read was indeed true, so I decided to close the card. The person he transfered me to, let me know that Barclay is aware of that being a problem for customers and said that if I purchased something from Apple to call or email them and they may be able to get me the 0% interest. I don't like the MAYBE. She made it seem like, they'd be able to get 0% interest depending on the dollar amount, but I don't like the uncertainty on if they can or not.

After that drawn out explaination, my question is this...

Would you close the card or not? If I close it won't hurt my utilization at all, and I don't use the card often because of the interest rate. The card was meant to only be used at Apple so I could have 0% interest on my purchases there, but since that's being called into question it makes the card moot. Would you risk buying something at Apple and seeing if they can give you the promo or not?

Thanks.

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Dump Barclays.  That's what I would do. 

Here's what Barclays did for me after I opened a credit card with them and always "paid as agreed":

- no CLI ever

- additional credit card apps denied without even checking a credit report

- CLD because I dared to dream about other credit cards and Barclays couldn't handle it

- apathetic customer service reps who couldn't care less about keeping me as a customer

To sum up, Barclays is a control freak lender.  It needs to seriously reconsider why it is in the business of issuing credit if it can't handle normal risk.  

[Anonymous]

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@Arago wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

So I've had the Barclay Visa for Apple since 3/2012, and I was thinking of getting something another big ticket item from Apple in the next 6-8 months. I happened to be looking around online about the BVA, and it looks like the 0% interest for 6,12, 18 months was only in the first 30 days of opening the account, which does me absolutely no good right now (especially since the regularly interest rate is 22.99% -- ridiculous I know).

I called to confirm that with a CSR, who let me know that what I read was indeed true, so I decided to close the card. The person he transfered me to, let me know that Barclay is aware of that being a problem for customers and said that if I purchased something from Apple to call or email them and they may be able to get me the 0% interest. I don't like the MAYBE. She made it seem like, they'd be able to get 0% interest depending on the dollar amount, but I don't like the uncertainty on if they can or not.

After that drawn out explaination, my question is this...

Would you close the card or not? If I close it won't hurt my utilization at all, and I don't use the card often because of the interest rate. The card was meant to only be used at Apple so I could have 0% interest on my purchases there, but since that's being called into question it makes the card moot. Would you risk buying something at Apple and seeing if they can give you the promo or not?

Thanks.

---

Dump Barclays.  That's what I would do. 

Here's what Barclays did for me after I opened a credit card with them and always "paid as agreed":

- no CLI ever

- additional credit card apps denied without even checking a credit report

- CLD because I dared to dream about other credit cards and Barclays couldn't handle it

- apathetic customer service reps who couldn't care less about keeping me as a customer

To sum up, Barclays is a control freak lender.  It needs to seriously reconsider why it is in the business of issuing credit if it can't handle normal risk.  

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Thanks for your reply.  I do think it's time to set them free. I had no issues with the card when I first used it and they did give me a CLI, but that whole "maybe we can..." doesn't sit well with me.

[oscar_actuary]

Notwithstanding the above posters experience with Barclays, I'm not sure how closing it would not hurt your utilization?

Do you always PIF otherwise, and beat the statement cutoffs (not that it's relevant unless you are specifically apping that month)

Also, it seems to have a decent limit.  Are you presuming you'll only have used it for items you cannot pay off in < a month?

[Anonymous]

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@oscar_actuary wrote:

Notwithstanding the above posters experience with Barclays, I'm not sure how closing it would not hurt your utilization?

Do you always PIF otherwise, and beat the statement cutoffs (not that it's relevant unless you are specifically apping that month)

Also, it seems to have a decent limit.  Are you presuming you'll only have used it for items you cannot pay off in < a month?

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I assume it won't hurt my utilization because I've never had more than $2000 in credit card debt ever in my life. Right now, my utilization is 2.8%, if I cut out the $2500 b/c of that card, my utilization would jump to 3.15%. And I do plan on buying a few plane tickets in the near future, which shouldn't be more than $1000, then my utilzation would go to (assuming, I don't continue to make payments on my current balances) 6.72%. I'm not a big spender & having too much credit card debt, makes my stomach hurt a little, lol.

But yeah, I was interested in maybe getting a iPad, and I wouldn't be able to PIF, I'd have to carry a balance, and if I can't get 0% interest with that card, I'd be paying 22.99% which does not work for me, and I'd rather put it on my Citi card which has 18mos free interest or my new BoA card which has free interest for 12 months.

[bluescale]

That's an interesting response from Barclay, and different from what a friend of mine experienced.  He opened an Apple card with a $3000 limit and bought a Macbook Air using the 0% promotion.  He paid it off in about 6 months.  A couple months ago he decided he wanted a Mac Mini, so he called (I believe the backdoor number) and asked for they to extend the 0% interest for the purchase.  They agreed without any further questions.  Did you try the backdoor number?

[Anonymous]

I did not try the backdoor number, thanks for the suggestion. I'll may give it a try, I won't lie finding out the 0% wasn't all the time kind of rubbed me the wrong way, but it's my fault for not doing more research in the beginning.

[SnackTrader]

A quick search using the forum's search bar tells me that Barclays does give 0% offers on Apple financing after the first 30 days. It may be YMMV, but I bet if you find the right rep over the phone they could make it happen.

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Barclays-Gave-another-0-Financing-for-Apple/m-p/1452004...