I keep looking at my approval and still can't believe it's true! I even called to confirm! They even approved a limit higher than my credit union visa, which is my highest card. 5% cash back! A first for me! Also, today I was automatically preapproved to upgrade my Banana card to the visa and my limit tripled. Took the offer for utilization, but don't really use the card much. Earlier this week I was approved for the Barclaycard Finance Visa when I purchased an iPad. Won't use that one much either.
Is it time to close BB Rewards MC, Orchard and Hooters? All have given me small increases and Hooters has been a good rebuilder, growing with me, but oh, the interest and fees! I also have a $200 Zync (limit at my request so I won't get in over my head with a charge card), and my credit union visa. Some store cards, but will keep this for now.
Rebuilding is slow, but can be done! I am proof! Please advise me what to do!
Congrats!!
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Congrats! Do the rebuilder cards all have fees or just Hooters?
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i don't mean to hijack the thread, but i would love to know how all these people get hooters to give them CLIs...i'm probably going to close it even though there's no AF on mine because they just won't budge.
i opened it in december 2008 (yes, over three years ago) when i was only a few months out from my last bad payment (march 08) with a $400 limit...called at six months for a CLI and they told me they don't do customer-requested ones, just periodic reviews. since then i've added psecu 20k, navy (started at 8500, now at 10k with an unrequested CLI) and amex BCP $13.7k. hooters sits there, untouched, at that same $400 limit i opened it at. it's maddening.
i also have a separate merrick card that they've done the exact same thing to me on...and that one has been open even longer (over four years). stuck at the same $418 limit it had when it was opened.
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Congrats! Would close fee laden cards off before AF comes due in general...could keep the Hooters (or any other that may be compelled to lose the AF) for some time if you feel like they have benefits, or are amenable to reward you somehow.
[side note: Going forward, rethink arranging a hard/low limit directly with an issuer, better to set a 'personal hard limit' and stick to it, if at all possible. A ccc is likely to believe it when informed by a card holder that they are unable to comfortably handle open end or high CL product(s) and it is a poor precedent to set at any stage of re/building.]
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Yes to fees on Orchard ($500 limit, $59 fee, I think). About the same for BB, but has a $400 limit. Hooters is $49. Discover gave me over $5,000 and Banana more than quadrupled my limit for its Visa! Whoop! Maybe I should keep the toys for my teens to carry for emergency purposes.
Should I try for an Amex credit card since my luck is good or just stop while ahead? I have the Zync so I can always just call.
Re Hooters growth. It took a long time. I have had it and the others since 2005. Hooters has only grown to $1,700, started at $1,000, but at least it is growth. It was my highest limit card before my credit union visa and these new approvals. Hang in there, it will come. It has taken years, and I read a lot on here, which helped.
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WOw, nice improvement in leaps and bounds!
Ideally wouldn't try for another Amex while having an official 200 hard limit on Zync in place. YMMV.
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at this point, it likely won't happen for me...as i build up more high limit cards i'm probably just going to close both of them. merrick started charging an AF on my other card after 4 years, i don't want to leave hooters open and have them do the same and then end up with lates on my reports because i didn't realize it. those two cards are completely useless to me once i have a few more high limit cards (i only keep hooters on me right now because it's MC and i need a MC to use at sam's club. while my navy card is MC also, i have a BT on it right now so i don't like to use that for purchases. once i can get myself another high limit MC, both hooters and merrick become completely useless and will as such be closed down.
congrats on your approvals, though!
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Thanks for your encouragement and advice!
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Congrats ! same thing happened to me last year, I was elated! I considered this to be my holy grail card.
I had to go through a manual review and they gave me $5000.
I just asked for a CLI today and got another $2500 (I requested that amount).. did the CLI request online, did not have to talk to a real person.
When I paid off my Capital One MC, this past March, I closed it before the $60 AF was due in April, I had no rewards at all. This was my oldest card with a $7500 limit.
I now have Discover More ($7500), Orchard aka Capital One as of May 1st ($3800) no AF, 2% cash back; and Target VISA $7000 - no AF, 5% discount at Target stores.
I say keep any cards that don't charge you an Annual Fee.
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at this point, it likely won't happen for me...as i build up more high limit cards i'm probably just going to close both of them. merrick started charging an AF on my other card after 4 years, i don't want to leave hooters open and have them do the same and then end up with lates on my reports because i didn't realize it. those two cards are completely useless to me once i have a few more high limit cards (i only keep hooters on me right now because it's MC and i need a MC to use at sam's club. while my navy card is MC also, i have a BT on it right now so i don't like to use that for purchases. once i can get myself another high limit MC, both hooters and merrick become completely useless and will as such be closed down.
congrats on your approvals, though!
Congrats OP!
Matty8199, is that the AMEX card that have 6% groc. If it is you
could buy a walmart GC at a walmart groc. for any amount and use
it at Samsclub. I just tried it with my Chase Freedom Visa, will see
if the Walmart gets counted as groc. for the 5%, that would be better
for me than my Samsclub card that gets no rewards or using a MC that
will only get 1%.
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congrats!
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Thanks, everyone! One last question. Re the hard limit I requested for my Zync (I was denied the regular about 5 or 6 mos. ago and offered the $200 or $500 and I chose $200 bc I knew I could manage a full payment of that amount), in light of my Barclaycard, Banana Visa upgrade, and Discover approvals, is it safe to call to ask Amex to increase limit to $500 or ask of I qualify for another product now? Or is it best to lay low due to these new limits and wait for Amex to invite me? Thanks!
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at this point, it likely won't happen for me...as i build up more high limit cards i'm probably just going to close both of them. merrick started charging an AF on my other card after 4 years, i don't want to leave hooters open and have them do the same and then end up with lates on my reports because i didn't realize it. those two cards are completely useless to me once i have a few more high limit cards (i only keep hooters on me right now because it's MC and i need a MC to use at sam's club. while my navy card is MC also, i have a BT on it right now so i don't like to use that for purchases. once i can get myself another high limit MC, both hooters and merrick become completely useless and will as such be closed down.
congrats on your approvals, though!
Congrats OP!
Matty8199, is that the AMEX card that have 6% groc. If it is you
could buy a walmart GC at a walmart groc. for any amount and use
it at Samsclub. I just tried it with my Chase Freedom Visa, will see
if the Walmart gets counted as groc. for the 5%, that would be better
for me than my Samsclub card that gets no rewards or using a MC that
will only get 1%.
It is, but Walmart doesn't count as grocery. I'd have to find an actual grocery store that sells Walmart gift cards...
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at this point, it likely won't happen for me...as i build up more high limit cards i'm probably just going to close both of them. merrick started charging an AF on my other card after 4 years, i don't want to leave hooters open and have them do the same and then end up with lates on my reports because i didn't realize it. those two cards are completely useless to me once i have a few more high limit cards (i only keep hooters on me right now because it's MC and i need a MC to use at sam's club. while my navy card is MC also, i have a BT on it right now so i don't like to use that for purchases. once i can get myself another high limit MC, both hooters and merrick become completely useless and will as such be closed down.
congrats on your approvals, though!
Congrats OP!
Matty8199, is that the AMEX card that have 6% groc. If it is you
could buy a walmart GC at a walmart groc. for any amount and use
it at Samsclub. I just tried it with my Chase Freedom Visa, will see
if the Walmart gets counted as groc. for the 5%, that would be better
for me than my Samsclub card that gets no rewards or using a MC that
will only get 1%.
It is, but Walmart doesn't count as grocery. I'd have to find an actual grocery store that sells Walmart gift cards...
I was reading on FW where some of the walmart's were getting counted
as groc. The one I went to is a actual groc. store food market.
I will see if it makes it with Chase. Amex I closed and really don't
care for them. If it's counted that is the way I will be shoping at
Sams every groc. store quarter.
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Amex and visa have different categories I believe...
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Don't forget to update credit pulls. I noticed people are lax in that department.