What cards grow?

[amakol]

Everyone says it's good to have something that grows with you, but reading these forums it's more of a YMMV to me than anything. Some people report auto CLIs with Chase, Discover, Citi, Barclays, BofA, sometimes multiple and some very big, and others have had no auto luv whatsoever over many years. What's a general consensus on good cards to keep in your wallet that will build themselves up over several years?

Amex has SP CLIs so I'm assuming that would be one. Capital One also apparently never gives a CLI to people without EO involvement so that wouldn't. What about the guys in between?

[Mailak]

Hehe, I suppose it is YMMV. Or in my case, Other people's MMV. Mine is constant: zero. Last time I received an auto-CLI was in 2001 maybe. I have heard Discover gives people CLIs. They wouldn't send me even a $5 starbucks gift card, ha.

[longtimelurker]

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@bonehead88 wrote:

Everyone says it's good to have something that grows with you, but reading these forums it's more of a YMMV to me than anything. Some people report auto CLIs with Chase, Discover, Citi, Barclays, BofA, sometimes multiple and some very big, and others have had no auto luv whatsoever over many years. What's a general consensus on good cards to keep in your wallet that will build themselves up over several years?

Amex has SP CLIs so I'm assuming that would be one. Capital One also apparently never gives a CLI to people without EO involvement so that wouldn't. What about the guys in between?

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It's a mixture of YMMV, income, and where you start out.  As far as I remember, I have only had one auto-CLI (Barclays) but that was on my lowest CL card.   If an issuer starts you off with a high CL, that, along with the rest of your accounts and records, correlates well with your income, they may see no need to increase, at least until your income increases substantially.

So I think a lot of people get auto-luv at the lower levels of credit, and less so say at the $20K, although I'm sure we will be told of exceptions!

[myjourney]

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@bonehead88 wrote:

Everyone says it's good to have something that grows with you, but reading these forums it's more of a YMMV to me than anything. Some people report auto CLIs with Chase, Discover, Citi, Barclays, BofA, sometimes multiple and some very big, and others have had no auto luv whatsoever over many years. What's a general consensus on good cards to keep in your wallet that will build themselves up over several years?

Amex has SP CLIs so I'm assuming that would be one. Capital One also apparently never gives a CLI to people without EO involvement so that wouldn't. What about the guys in between?

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Each person is different because each file is different 

I have no problem with CAP1 they have given me CLI's on 2 accounts twice now by way of EO 

No different than reaching out to a CSR or calling in ....it's just their way of doing business

Barclay did an Auto CLI hoping for another this month 

Discover is turning 6 months and if no auto I will call for a SP CLI

My plan was to get mostly SP CLI lenders recently to save on future HPs' to grow my lines so I got

FNBO,Discover,Amex, GE

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that get what suits you and when getting cards think of the long term...Policy of CLI's Lender, Growth potential, Rewards, Promo, Bonus

Then get at least one of each lender and network and work your plan

[longtimelurker]

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@myjourney wrote:

So I guess what I'm trying to say is that get what suits you and when getting cards think of the long term...Policy of CLI's Lender, Growth potential, Rewards, Promo, Bonus

Then get at least one of each lender and network and work your plan

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Yes, and in my "Way too much concern on CLI"-mode:   In the longer term, you can always get new cards.  As with many things in life, you get better deals as a new customer than being loyal.    So, go for the cards that suit you now, as myjourney says, in terms of rewards, bonuses, promos and APR, acceptance abroad (if needed) etc, and, presuming that your credit records improve and your needs grow, there will be other cards waiting for you when needed.

Planning to keep cards for the long term is probably not optimal in many ways.

[Platinum]

Discover was never able to grow with me. I gave them so many chances.
American Express was willing to always give me what I wanted.

[takeshi74]

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@bonehead88 wrote:

Everyone says it's good to have something that grows with you, but reading these forums it's more of a YMMV to me than anything.

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Of course it is.  Credit in general is a YMMV thing as each person's credit varies.  With growth it's not just a matter of the card but one's credit as well.

[Apinzon2374]

I think it'll almost always be a YMMV type of situation. For example, my CapOne card has grown with me and I love it where as other people absolutely hate them and want nothing to do with them.

So far the only card I have that I haven't gotten a CLI with is Chase Freedom but it's not even a year old so we'll see what happens in the future.

[Pworld]

For me. Discover and Amex have been very willing to let me grow with them. Discover giving me the most CLI and a huge HP release (more than i was asking for).  Amex easily letting me move into other cards after initially establishing a year of solid use of their charge cards. 

Chase? im growing with them, but it takes more effort on my end. 

[too-much-time]

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@bonehead88 wrote:

Everyone says it's good to have something that grows with you, but reading these forums it's more of a YMMV to me than anything.

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It certainly feels that way, doesn't it! Lenders would in the good pre-recession times hand out evergrowing credit left and right hardly asking for your income, but now of course growth often follows it rather strictly, which is not so attractive for most, as the "Average income for the bottom 90% of American families fell 1.2% since 1983, ... after adjusting for inflation."