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what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

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itsxluigi
New Contributor

what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

I have a QuickSilver card (started as a Platinum Mastercard and PC'd to QuickSilver) with a $2,150 limit. It's had this limit for years. I'm HOPING it's a usage issue and not a "cap" since this originally started as a $300 Platinum. I know Cap1 likes seeing usage, and the ONLY thing I use this card for is my iPhone Upgrade Program monthly payment ($54). Just because this is my first/oldest credit line, I'd like to keep it open and try to get that limit up a bit more. What type of usage and for how long should I be putting on this card before they consider me for another CLI?

 

It would definitely be a PIF. Would 20% usage ($400/2150) a month be enough? Do they want to see closer to 50% usage? 3 months? 6 months? Just curious to see if it'd be worth taking my spending from my Citi DC to this card for .5% less cash back for a couple months.






Message 1 of 26
25 REPLIES 25
Traveler101
Established Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

I started mine out at 300 limit. I put everything I could on it. Paid it several times a month so no high util would report. Hit the credit limit increase every 6 months, soft pull and they increased me to 5300. After a year, I checked preapproval and got a venture 15k opening line at better interest. High usage and pay off before it posts high util.
Message 2 of 26
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

Capital One likes organic behaviors. I got my QS as a $300 Plat in 3/2014 and I grew it to $8250 by 3/2018 when I got my last $2K CLI. The thing is, it was my primary card and I didn't actually pay attention to utilization. I made sure to keep it under 80% because I knew that was bad but when I got the card, I would run it up to $200 out of $300 then pay it to $0 multiple times a month and Capital One was the only lender in my pocket from 2014 til 11/2017, having added a PlayStation card 10/2016. My highest balance for the life of the card is only $2125 so it's possible to get at least 75% more than what you actually spend if you look at my example. 

I don't have my full CLI history but my last three were:

 

$1250 went to $3250 12/2016

$3250 went to $6250 7/2017

$6250 went to $8250 3/2018

 

I asked 9/2018 and was denied and haven't asked again. The card went to no spend once I got my new cards March of last year so I don't blame Capital One for not giving me more. 

Message 3 of 26
wasCB14
Super Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?


@itsxluigi wrote:

I have a QuickSilver card (started as a Platinum Mastercard and PC'd to QuickSilver) with a $2,150 limit. It's had this limit for years. I'm HOPING it's a usage issue and not a "cap" since this originally started as a $300 Platinum. I know Cap1 likes seeing usage, and the ONLY thing I use this card for is my iPhone Upgrade Program monthly payment ($54). Just because this is my first/oldest credit line, I'd like to keep it open and try to get that limit up a bit more. What type of usage and for how long should I be putting on this card before they consider me for another CLI?

 

It would definitely be a PIF. Would 20% usage ($400/2150) a month be enough? Do they want to see closer to 50% usage? 3 months? 6 months? Just curious to see if it'd be worth taking my spending from my Citi DC to this card for .5% less cash back for a couple months.


Even if you get it up to $10k or $20k, it's still just 1.5% back. And if your spend on the card falls again, Cap1 could always CLD. Keep it open for history but I don't think there's any reason to fret about a low CL on the card.

 

I got a $20k SL on Savor which was quite sufficient so can't share any CLI experience.

Personal spend: Amex Gold, Amex Schwab Plat., BofA PR+CCR(x2), Costco
Business use: Amex Bus. Plat., BBP, Lowes Amex AU, CFU AU
Perks: Delta Plat., United Explorer, IHG49, Hyatt, "Old SPG"
Mostly SD: Freedom Flex, Freedom, Arrival
Upgrade/Downgrade games: ED, BCE
SUB chasing: AA Platinum Select
Message 4 of 26
itsxluigi
New Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

I'm basically just trying to get some higher CL's on all my cards because you always hear about banks giving lower starting limits if they see you have a bunch of low limit cards. Honestly I'm not even expecting 10k. I'd be happy with 5k, just trying to get most of my cards above that to clean up my profile a bit. If I can't get it raised, honestly I'm not too worried about it.

 

I'm in the process right now of closing a bunch of my store cards that I don't need anymore, or the random ones with < $1000 limits.






Message 5 of 26
NRB525
Super Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

Is your Discover SD? In the quarter where you can get 5% on dining?

DC is SD? Or are those tags out of date?

 

I also would not worry about the CL on the QS.  Keep it on auto charges and it will keep active, aging.  

High Bal Jan 2009 $116k on $146k limits 80% Util.
Oct 2014 $46k on $127k 36% util EQ 722 TU 727 EX 727
April 2018 $18k on $344k 5% util EQ 806 TU 810 EX 812
Jan 2019 $7.6k on $360k EQ 832 TU 839 EX 831
March 2021 $33k on $312k EQ 796 TU 798 EX 801
May 2021 Paid all Installments and Mortgages, one new Mortgage EQ 761 TY 774 EX 777
April 2022 EQ=811 TU=807 EX=805 - TU VS 3.0 765
Message 6 of 26
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

I'm actually surprised to hear about multiple examples of $300 SLs in this thread growing to pretty decent limits when many of those low limit SLs are dubbed starter accounts and never grow.

 

If you're only putting a $50/mo spend on the QS card, clearly it isn't all that important to you.  I would favor the DC to it as well if I were you.  I'd keep your spend on the DC as you have been and just grow that card.  Unlike the QS, the DC will continue to grow and many have limits on their DC cards after many years that are $20k, $40k, even $50k+ and Citi rarely does a CLD for low use where Capital One is known to somewhat frequently.

Message 7 of 26
itsxluigi
New Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?


@NRB525 wrote:

Is your Discover SD? In the quarter where you can get 5% on dining?

DC is SD? Or are those tags out of date?

 

I also would not worry about the CL on the QS.  Keep it on auto charges and it will keep active, aging.  


Yes, those tags are up to date. I'm in the process of paying down cards ATM, while at the same time coming very close to applying for a mortgage on a house. My BofA is the only card I have left with a balance, so I'm trying to keep that as the only card reporting a balance for when I go to the mortgage lender. It's much easier to time pending charges on ONE card (the AmEx) to make sure it reports $0 balance, instead of trying to time pending charges throughout multiple cards. I don't shop at Lowes/Target/Amazon all too often, so I'm not too worried about those reporting. I can work around that.

 

We don't really eat out much, so the 5% on dining honestly isn't a huge deal for me. Normally, the DC would be my Everyday Card with the AmEx just being for Gas/Groceries. For these past couple months though, I'm looking more at reporting/score optimization than I am at rewards.






Message 8 of 26
itsxluigi
New Contributor

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?


@Anonymous wrote:

I'm actually surprised to hear about multiple examples of $300 SLs in this thread growing to pretty decent limits when many of those low limit SLs are dubbed starter accounts and never grow.

 

If you're only putting a $50/mo spend on the QS card, clearly it isn't all that important to you.  I would favor the DC to it as well if I were you.  I'd keep your spend on the DC as you have been and just grow that card.  Unlike the QS, the DC will continue to grow and many have limits on their DC cards after many years that are $20k, $40k, even $50k+ and Citi rarely does a CLD for low use where Capital One is known to somewhat frequently.


Honestly, that is correct. The QS really isn't THAT important to me, besides the fact that if I lost it I'd lose about 13 years of history being my oldest card. That's the only reason I'm keeping that $50 charge on it. I just don't want lenders to see a low limit card in my profile and give me lower starting limits on future cards because of it. I may be worrying for no reason.

 

The DC has been my everyday for about the past year that I've had it now. Last month would have been another 6 months for me to apply for a CLI, but my inquiries are keeping me from getting one. I'm waiting for a few more to drop off my profile and I'm guessing that one will start growing pretty decently again.






Message 9 of 26
Anonymous
Not applicable

Re: what type of activity does capital one like to see when considering CLIs?

Having a few low limit cards IMO isn't going to keep someone from [relatively] high limit SLs or CLI potential on other cards.  Lenders do see your entire CR and can see if/that you have higher limit cards and therefore know you can manage higher limit accounts.  I personally don't think growing the QS would have any impact on any of your other accounts or how other lenders view you.

Message 10 of 26
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