@ JustMe77
It really depends on your spending and what type of purchases you make the most. I LOVE my Citi Forward card so I would choose that as the next card if I were in your shoes. The reason I say that is because I make a bunch of purchases on Amazon all the time. Whenever I need to purchase anything, and I mean anything, I always browse Amazon first because I don't like to shop at stores and also because I don't like to pay sales tax 
. With that said, my Citi Forward gets a lot of use.
Besides purchasing things at Amazon, I also eat out a lot and I'm also a big movie buff, so again thats where the Citi Forward comes in with the 5x per dollar rewards. So far I've gained $300 back in gift cards.
My go to card for all outside bonus category purchases is my AMEX Blue Sky because of the 1.33% redemption rate vs 1% on all other cards. Points never expire so I can always apply them towards trips in the future.
@JustMe77 wrote:I am not planning to apply for my next card until January 2013. I've narrowed down the 3 cards that I ultimately want to apply for in the future: Amex BCP, Amex Blue Sky, and Citi Forward. I just don't know which one of the 3 I am going to apply for first (I just want to apply for one in January).
My account ages are:
- Bank of America (closed in 2008, payment activity through 2009): 8/2002
- Orchard (closing soon): 8/2010
- Banana Republic (closed): 3/2011
- Capital One: 9/2011
- Banana Republic Visa: 10/2011
- Chase Freedom: 12/2011
- American Express Zync: 12/2011
Since I would be applying in January, the Amex cards would (with backdating) automatically have approx. 2 years of history. On the other hand, the earlier I open the Citi card, the better, since I could open the American Express cards later and still get the backdating? I do plan on closing the Capital One account sooner rather than later, and will close the Zync card once I get another American Express.
Which would you open first? Citi or one of the Amex cards?
We just recently decided to refinance our mortgage this year (had I known this, I wouldn't have opened so many accounts last year but too late now), but this would be after the refinance. Other than that, no big purchases planned.
If you didnt have an account with American Express already I would have said BCP, but since you already have backdating ability you could open that BCP at any time in the future and get the same benefit. I think you should go with the Citi Forward personally, adds diversity to your portfolio and starts that relationship ASAP, sooner its open, sooner your AAoA will recover!.
Starting Score: 770
You wont be able to app for any card in 2013. The world ends in Dec 2012; havent you seen the news ??
kidding kidding....
I agree with the other posters. You can get the BCP anytime for backdating. The Forward seems a like a good choice.
