Grantspy said:I was on the phone with MBNA earlier this evening, before I saw this thread, asking about promotional BT offers. The CSR was rather aggressively trying to talk me into a 1% BT until July with a $75 fee,
Found the same to be true with my CSR. When I got home last night my new card had arrived and I called just to activate it. Was caught off guard when CSR offered me that $75 cap. I asked if I could think about it and call back today, So I could get some advise here. CSR told me he would not be in. So I went ahead. I have been working on fixing this. First thing I did was call HSBC because they had called me and mailed several offers for their Premier card since I am a Premier customer. They were pretty nice and handled application right thru Premier banking center in Buffalo. They instantly gave me a $28,000 CL. I told them I was looking for at least $50K. Was referred to credit dept and I still had all the documents at hand that I sent for the last card and faxed them over. Hoping to get that $50k. Only other card I applied for was the Discover 5% Cash Back, Do not currently have a card with them but I did in the past and had a good size limit. Nothing online yet about my cash advance and was told by the CSR it takes 4-6 business days to go thru, So figure these 2 cards should get thru before that happens. I know I have been told I should apply for more cards but I don't want to further damage my score, Figure in the worst case scenario I could pay off right away if I needed to get my score back up. As soon as those transfers do show up I am not taking any chances and even though I see online that my account statement date will be 11/9 I plan on paying at least $10k to bring me under 90% on that card.
My new total CL should be up over $250k making that $90k balance only using about 35% of my total utilization. Hoping all this has fixed my damage. And I promise will not do again till I get advise here first. Speaking of that will this help me down the road in doing a real AOR? Seems I have had to work at getting higher limits because I have no loans, mortgages or any debt showing and now at least I will have had

SIS, thanks for clarifying the bit about Scott's overall credit availability. I didn't get his meaning of "total CL" in my quick read of the OP.


scott1961 it sounds to me like you acted prudently thus far, and will be just fine.

Note that even if your two new lines don't post to your credit before the new MBNA balance does, it will still keep you below 50% overall utilization provided that you pay it down below 90% on that one line, since $90K is less than half of $182k. And by only going for a couple of high-limit lines, you'll further reduce your utilization without generating a flurry of new accounts and activity that might make lenders wonder.

I don't disagree with SIS in that you have a good profile for an AOR at some later date, should you wish. But there is no need to worry!

Take your time, review the various pertinent threads until you feel comfortable. If you do want to do an AOR soon, the main suggestion I'd have would be to do it several days before that MBNA balance posts. I'd also keep it to 3-5 carefully chosen accounts where you can likely get very high limits, as this will keep it simple, keep your score from dipping much, and hence keep your anxiety level lower while still allowing a nice potential for profit.

Update, I got a call Back from HSBC Premiere and even with docs they did not want to budge much over the $28k they gave me. Seems this card also goes thru HSBC Direct Merchants card division and I recently got their HSBC Rewards card with a $25k limit. Told him that card was primarily for wife's shopping and I wanted the Premier card for my traveling. He allowed card to go to $35k and did not have to take anything away from the other.
Also I kind of spaced out that I applied for the CITI 2% rewards card a couple weeks ago and was instantly approved for $8500, At the time I did not care about the low line because it was just going to be used by wife for 2% rewards plus the nice bonus. Card came yesterday and when I called to activate I told them I was unhappy with line and that I had CITI card in the past that had a $20k limit, They instantly bumped me up to that. One lesson I have learned is to always ask for a larger line right away and this way no new inquiry is done.
So have now added $55k to my $182k bringing me to $237k and still waiting for an answer from Discovery, Any input here on what kind of lines they give? Looks like my $90k of cash advance money should not do to much damage.

Just checked the account online and looks like CSR did not lie to me about the $75 cap, I still can't believe they are giving me $100k for over 14 months for just $75. Are that many people screwing up that they can afford to take the chance. Now I see why you guys/gals are addicted to AOR's. Can't wait for 2008 to do a huge AOR

As of October 18, 2006 7:24 EDT


Cash or Credit Available: $75.00

Current Balance: $0.00

Temporary Authorizations: $99,925 (rounded)

Credit Line: $100,000

Nice going Scott! You've already mitigated the dents that the BT will do by negotiating those higher limits.

SIS is right of course...nothing stopping you from grabbing a couple of more. Perhaps, if you have a couple of hours in the next day or two, simply research the best couple of cards you don't have, especially from issuers you haven't applied with, and do them. Call it a "mini-AOR."

With your restraint, and your paying off a hunk of the balance before it expires to keep utilization in check, you really should be fine.

I think Citi and Chase will be your best BT bets, to carry $100k or more per issuer at 0% (you can reallocate) for at least 12 months.

Consider the other issuers mainly to get high limit cards which wont be used for BTs, but will boost your available credit.

heh, by the time this thread is done, Scott probably will have done an App-O-Rama, without really even planning it....

making the thread title very appropriate

theres really no way to predict that... but in my fairly substantial Citi experience, I tend to see high limits given on the Citi Professional and Citi Hilton Hhonors card, even if you have other citi cards and tend to get lower limits on their noncobranded personal cards....

Also which are the best cards there that give instant decision with line, Figure those would be the best to get as calling in few weeks for an increase probably wont work

I don't see Citi Hilton Honors , Should I just go to CITI link to find? Thanks