What was your accidental credit lucky moment? What did you app or not app for that ended up being a big win for you in your eyes?
Last year, I decided I wanted a card in the travel/dining section. I ended up comparing the cards below. Inevitably, I decided to not go with the best option based on my spend. By not selecting Uber (I went with Marvel), I ended up being saved from the terrible terms change they made some months later. That card would be getting almost no use from me at this point and I feel lucky not having chosen it.
Projected Spend Returns this Year:
| Chase Freedom/Freedom Unlimited (Current) | 178.5 | |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | 198.75 | |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred | 152.5 | |
| Uber Credit Card | 256.4 | |
| Marvel Mastercard | 235.5 | |
| WF Propel | 237 |
This was sort of a gut feeling that I could maybe make more consistent use out of the entertainment bonus as opposed to the travel bonuses of Uber and Propel. This year, pandemic...no travel, lots of extra digital spending. I really feel like I won a small personal lottery.
How about you?
Must garden until 2/1/2022 to hit my goal AAOA. 
I would say two major events. NASA FCU preapproval mailer in 2015 that helped me to get started on paying off massive revolving debt. Then Amex SPG in 2017 that I knew would be good, but didn't realize just HOW good until later; I earned $8000 or so in rewards in a 12 month period. Don't imagine I'll ever be able to do that again, but it sure was fun while it lasted!
@K-in-Boston wrote:I would say two major events. NASA FCU preapproval mailer in 2015 that helped me to get started on paying off massive revolving debt. Then Amex SPG in 2017 that I knew would be good, but didn't realize just HOW good until later; I earned $8000 or so in rewards in a 12 month period. Don't imagine I'll ever be able to do that again, but it sure was fun while it lasted!
Holy cow! I don't think I could dream up enough spend to earn $8K in anything. That's amazing. Congrats on your wins, especially getting your debt down!
A big win for me was getting the 5% cashback on groceries for a year added to my recently-opened CFU. I app'd a week before the 5% offer was announced, and was pretty bummed. But fellow posters mentioned I should contact Chase, so I did, and they added on the promotion to my card.
@TSlop wrote:A big win for me was getting the 5% cashback on groceries for a year added to my recently-opened CFU. I app'd a week before the 5% offer was announced, and was pretty bummed. But fellow posters mentioned I should contact Chase, so I did, and they added on the promotion to my card.
That's sweet! That's why I love these forums...you learn so much from people simply trying to do something that there isn't an expectation set for yet. And it works more often than would would think on their own.
The turning point for me was 2015, I took the dive and applied for the CSP, not really sure what they would offer me, I had been a Chase customer since 2010, but had no credit cards with them. They approved me for 5K (their minimum amount). This was after I ran into troubles in 2008 and it wasn't until 2014/2015 that I really started to take credit seriously. Their trust in me though opened my doors to other lenders and I started getting offers.
I don't know if I was lucky, but in a weird way getting that card really lit the fire for me to start doing the right stuff to maintain banking relationships and expand my credit worthiness. Waiting for one BADDIE to fall off EQ. It has been a fun journey.
March of 2019 . . .It's after the holidays and I needed a good balance transfer card. My scores were teetering close to 700. I needed at least a $5000 limit. I think my highest credit limit at that time was 3,500. I decided to apply for the Navy Federal Platinum card. I thought calling would be better because I thought if I could calmly explain to the rep what I wanted to do, he would give me some consideration. After taking all of my information, he said I was approved for $25,000. All I actually heard was "I am approved". The $25,000 I thought I heard incorrectly, after all I had been under a lot of stress worrying about my finances. I actually thought he meant $2,500. So I decided to take it. Later I checked my email and it said $25,000. I sat frozen in front the computer reading it over and over. I still thought it was a mistake. I assumed he signed me up for an auto loan. A few days later, the card came in the mail. I activated it and the limit was truly $25,000. I was so happy, I was bursting at the seams and I wanted to share this fantastic news with someone, but I couldn't. To this date, I haven't told my husband, family, friends. . . I know they would be envious and would want me to 'share' my credit.
I guess it was a little bit of luck that Chase added 3% dining & pharmacy to the CFU a month after I got it. I'd only really signed up for the SUB, but now I can justify it as a flat % rewards card AND a dining card. 
