My math says that you'd have to charge $2,600 on the QS1 to break even on the annual fee. Someone please correct me if I'm missing something. 
The QS1 definitely isn't a keeper card. If one keeps utilization in check and pays on time, better cards will become available relatively soon. Within a year or two of obtaining one, it should be product-changed into a QS, combined into another Capital One card, or closed.
QS1s are notoriously hard to upgrade. My gut says that you'll probably have to absorb at least one annual fee before Capital One will offer one. I can't guarantee that there's a connection, but I was offered upgrades on my two QS1s after approximately twelve consecutive months of usage. If you're hoping to upgrade, I'd suggest using the card each and every month and calling in each month to check for offers.
That said, go ahead and close if you'd like. Given that all of your cards are new, nothing's going to change much once the card eventually drops off of your report. The concern would come in if the QS1 were several years older than your next oldest card.
@accjohn1990 wrote:I have the following cards with no annual fee. Walmart cc 800 ebay cc 1000 amex everyday 1000 amex blue cash 500 discover chrome student 750. My quicksilver one has a cl of 750 and an annual fee of $39. The 1.5% cashback is good, but only .5% higher than the walmart cc. I would have to charge almost $6,000 a year to the card to cover the cost of the annual fee and i just dont see that happening. But, i am concerned about adverse credit effects from cancelling. The annual fee is due in december and i am leaning towards cancelling the card before that. I appreciate any advice you all have regarding this decision. The QS1 is my oldest card and it will be 1 year old in December
If it were me. id try for a fee waiver or half fee waiver but not untill after i try again next month and the month after to upgrade it to a QS....
QS 1 is a pay to play card... but many folks seem to be able to get upgraded in the first year... Its not a card thats designed to cover its AF. it realy is an alternative to build and rebuild credit vs the subprime and more predatory lenders and high fees and deposits... Seriously id give this card a little more time.. .. Think this card has room to convert and grow a little bit if you work with it..
Does the credit score or AAoA get affected when you ask to merge the QS1 with another card?
@HeavenOhio wrote:My math says that you'd have to charge $2,600 on the QS1 to break even on the annual fee. Someone please correct me if I'm missing something.
Both of you are off (don't know where OP got "almost $6k"), you have to account for opportunity cost of using another card with no AF, since most reward cards has a base reward of 1%, you have to use .5% instead of 1.5% in your calculation, $2600 is only correct if this is your only card.
X = amount to break even
X * .005 = $39
X = $39/.005
X = $7800
Furthermore, this is the most conservative estimate assuming all spending are general spending that do not fall into special categories, if enough fall into those categories or if you have a 2% card, you would never break even on the QS1 AF no matter how much you spend.
@Anonymous wrote:
@HeavenOhio wrote:My math says that you'd have to charge $2,600 on the QS1 to break even on the annual fee. Someone please correct me if I'm missing something.
Both of you are off (don't know where OP got "almost $6k"), you have to account for opportunity cost of using another card with no AF, since most reward cards has a base reward of 1%, you have to use .5% instead of 1.5% in your calculation, $2600 is only correct if this is your only card.
X = amount to break even
X * .005 = $39
X = $39/.005
X = $7800
Furthermore, this is the most conservative estimate assuming all spending are general spending that do not fall into special categories, if enough fall into those categories or if you have a 2% card, you would never break even on the QS1 AF no matter how much you spend.
This nails it! I have been wanting to PC my limited credit bucket QS1 for a while now. If Cap1 doesn't waive my AF on my QS1 this November I am going to cancel. If Cap1 ever charges me an AF I am going to cancel. I have a significant enough total CL that I don't need Cap1 any longer. I want to PC to a no AF QS but Cap1 would rather keep me in the limited credit bucket and potentially lose me as a customer than PC me. The only other option I see is to apply for a QS when I get out of the garden then transfer my QS1 CL to the QS and close the QS1, however, I would be closing my oldest TL. Fartnugget! I thought I had this figured out.
There's only 1 thing the QS1 is good for. And the Plat for that matter. Rebuilding. It was my 2nd card out of BK. BK wasn't even a year old. CLI after a month. Fast growth. I didnt combine. Wasn't educated enough back then. I just wanted that sucker out of my life. 8 months was long enough. Kept it long enough to get the QS WEMC and closed it. It was Prime Time now. There were no 6 month app or cli restrictions then and they were more generous back then too compared to nowadays. $2000 CLI in 30 days now? Unheard of. I was thankful for the jump start. But I wont say they suck. It is what it is. Rebuilder card.
@accjohn1990 wrote:I have 29 inquiries in the last 6 months, but 9 of those are between 5/25 and 5/30. Other cards have been accepting me even with having so many inquiries, but cap1 is not inquiry tolerant
29 Inq means you need to stop applying for a while. If you are getting cards with that many Inqs they are most likely cards you don't want. Are any of these inqs from mortgates or car loans that might be lumped together? Let these age to at least year before you apply again.
As to the QS1 I was able to PC mine to a QS after 6 months of usage, I did initially pay the $39 AF so not sure if that had anyting to do with being able to PC . I used it and PTZ several times a month. I agree with others if you can't PC or get the AF waived I would close it.
