@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:Other than for Freedom I do not have to worry about utilization on my US cards due to the high limits but I have used Freedom to 95% already but not to carry a balance just to report a balance. I love my European credit cards for this purpose as you can max out the cards without any punishment... they do not have the strange scoring system
You can really use up the full credit line without any consequences as long as you pay minimum payment and on time. There the CL is the real CL and average APR is about 10%.
Aren't they more highly regulated?
Kind of ... lenders are not allowed to hand out these crazy limits as it has to be in relation to your income. As for the "credit reports" there is a less info that is kept. On my Swiss ZEK register (similar to CRA) there is simply nothing and this is a good sign as Switzerland will only register debt above a certain amount and negative payment info. German Schufa is as far as I know similar but I never bothered to check what is registered on my file there. Maybe I should look at that file one day just to find out what is kept there. Possibly a little bit more than Switzerland
Hmm.
Maybe I should look into establishing EuroCredit.
Especially that you do not have to be resident for certain German cards .
UK is a mission impossible though as you need tax ID
You MUST tell me more about these german cards.
I have not applied in Europe for at least 8 years and there is a card on my radar for 48EUR AF - the Hilton Gold status
http://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/hilton-honors/
I will send in an app in a few weeks but not sure what the outcome will be...worth an attempt because I do not like Citi or Amex in the US so this would be an alternative.
My favorite European card is the Cembra money bank WMC formerly GE Moneybank card from Switzerland....the only no AF card with cash back 
..otherwise the Swiss cards are really lame. Germany is slightly better as much lower AF.
@Lyythine wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:Other than for Freedom I do not have to worry about utilization on my US cards due to the high limits but I have used Freedom to 95% already but not to carry a balance just to report a balance. I love my European credit cards for this purpose as you can max out the cards without any punishment... they do not have the strange scoring system
Aren't they more highly regulated?
Kind of ... lenders are not allowed to hand out these crazy limits as it has to be in relation to your income. As for the "credit reports" there is a less info that is kept. On my Swiss ZEK register (similar to CRA) there is simply nothing and this is a good sign as Switzerland will only register debt above a certain amount and negative payment info. German Schufa is as far as I know similar but I never bothered to check what is registered on my file there. Maybe I should look at that file one day just to find out what is kept there. Possibly a little bit more than Switzerland
Hmm.
Maybe I should look into establishing EuroCredit.
Especially that you do not have to be resident for certain German cards .
Really? Im surprised - I have a LLoyds Bank International account and I had no issues setting it up. I can issue checks or make purchases in Pounds, Euros or US dollars. I also have their credit card, however, I have been told that the credit is extended based on my income and account balances, not on any credit scoring model.
I have an appointment in March to get my Italian citizenship through my grandfather, so once I get that, I am totally hitting up some European banks
Thanks. It looks that Lloyds would indeed accept EEC residents/citizens but unfortunately nothing applies to me. Live in center of Europe but not in a Europen Union member state 
You need to be aged 18 years or over, a UK resident and either an EU national or have permission to stay in the UK for at least 12 months.
As part of this process we will refer your details to a credit reference agency.
Does your Lloyds CC report to the UK Equifax ? I was looking for accounts that start build UK credit but not even Cap1 secured cards can be optained without UK tax ID. Oh well...so far none of the UK merchants have refused to accept US credit card for online shopping
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
@lg8302ch wrote:Other than for Freedom I do not have to worry about utilization on my US cards due to the high limits but I have used Freedom to 95% already but not to carry a balance just to report a balance. I love my European credit cards for this purpose as you can max out the cards without any punishment... they do not have the strange scoring system
Aren't they more highly regulated?
Kind of ... lenders are not allowed to hand out these crazy limits as it has to be in relation to your income. As for the "credit reports" there is a less info that is kept. On my Swiss ZEK register (similar to CRA) there is simply nothing and this is a good sign as Switzerland will only register debt above a certain amount and negative payment info. German Schufa is as far as I know similar but I never bothered to check what is registered on my file there. Maybe I should look at that file one day just to find out what is kept there. Possibly a little bit more than Switzerland
Hmm.
Maybe I should look into establishing EuroCredit.
Especially that you do not have to be resident for certain German cards .
You MUST tell me more about these german cards.
I have not applied in Europe for at least 8 years and there is a card on my radar for 48EUR AF - the Hilton Gold status
http://www.dkb.de/privatkunden/hilton-honors/
I will send in an app in a few weeks but not sure what the outcome will be...worth an attempt because I do not like Citi or Amex in the US so this would be an alternative.
My favorite European card is the Cembra money bank WMC formerly GE Moneybank card from Switzerland....the only no AF card with cash back
My German is very rusty, so I'll have to get that translated.