Goals for SomeRandomUser AOR 1.0
1. BT Money for HYRC and bonuses based on whichever has a higher expected value
2. Increase emergency only cash reserves (with bt interest) for my rental properties while I wait for my current single-family to sell.
3. Get something w/ 5% off gas ... possibly with 10%+ promo period and load up on gas cards, and other improvements to CashBack on other categories, but not a priority.
4. Establish relationships with major card issuers for later AORs and improve chances of being able to get or manufacture large lines

Credit Profile
Age: 25
Income: 108k (putting 99k on apps)
Credit History: 6 Yrs 6 Mos
Utilization: <1% as reported for AOR
RE: 1 active mortgage $300/mo
Installment: 1 secured loan (2.5 Yrs), 1 paid auto (6.5 yrs)
Credit Cards: 10.5k (3 yrs) US Bank, 6.5k (1 Yr) Countrywide Visa (chase), small citi gas card (6.5 yrs as AU)
Inquiries (all/over 1yr): 0 TU, 3/2 EX, 3/1 EQ
FICO Scores: TransUnion 768, Equifax 765, Experian 774*
*A USB BT posted to EX. I'm not sure when; only that it was after I started the AOR since I pulled immediately before submitting the first app.
Business: 5 yrs 55k income, 120k revenue, sole-proprietor

Other Considerations
I took advantage of a 0.99% for life offer on my US Bank card due the fact that it is expiring soon. It will not report until after this AOR.

PreAOR
1. Order ChexSystems report just to make sure I don't have any problems with #2.
(Done, looks good.)
2. Set up some destinations (perhaps some temporary since some banks pull hard) for the funds.
(Done, but need to follow up with new banks test deposits.)
3. Aggressively pulling with CK, CIDP, possibly others.
(Done, 6 inqs bumped from TU to 0. EQ bumpage before AOR probably not happening.)

Target Accounts
1. 50k to 6.01% rewards checking (open)
2. up to addt'l 100k to current online savings (open), funds will be moved to HYRC eventually
3. addit'l HYSA (opened - waiting for verification deposits), funds will be moved to HYRC eventually

Trigger Date: 10/2

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APPS

14) Citi® Platinum American Express® Card (3% off everything first 24 months, 15k TY after $300 within 90 days, $125 annual fee after first year free) link

3) CitiBusiness w/ 15k TY (12 mo 0%, $0 first bt w/in 12 mo, $0 annual, need to make one purchase) link

1) Citi Associated Bank Visa (12 mo from date of transfer w/in 12 months @ 0%, $0 first bt w/in 12 mo, $0 annual) link

21) CitiBusiness(R) AAdvantage(R) MC (25k AA miles w/ $750 in purchases w/in 4 months, $75 annual fee after first year free) link

2) 1P Citi Professional Card w/ 15k TY after first purchase (12 mo 0%, $0) glitch99's link

5) ... if approved for 4, Chase United Mileage Plus (25k miles after $250 in purchases, first yr free) link

22) Chase Mileage Plus Business (20k miles after 1st purchase, first yr free) link

4) Chase Disney, capped 0%! not many left at Chase (12 mo [first 12 cycles] / 0%, 3%/$75) Link

11) Discover (0% thru Oct '09 on BTs, 3%/$75, free Digi Cam) link

20) Discover Business (12mo 0% purchases, blah bt not using, $100 Cash Back after $1000 in purchases within 3 months, +$40 cardoffers [must activate]) link

7) Advanta Kiva (first 15 billing cycles 0%, 3% $90cap, $50 via Cardoffers) link

9) B of A Platinum Plus MC (first 12 statement closings 0%, $0 BT) link

10) ... if approved for 8, B of A NFL Extra Points (LI for platinum plus, $50 @ nfl.com, $30 card benefit, must spend $75 in 90 days) link

6) Bank Atlantic Biz (first 15 billing cycles 0%, 3%/$75) link

12) Juniper I Fly $15 credit, (first 12 billing cycles 0%, 3%/$50) link

13) Wells Fargo (9mo 0%, $0 BT w/in 30 days) link

15) National City Visa w/ 5k NC points (6mo 0%, $0 w/ app?) link
=> save T&C at time of application, can't see it

16) National City Visa Business w/ 5k NC points (6mo 0%, $0 w/ app?) link
=> save T&C at time of application, can't see it

24) US Bank - targeted NWA Worldperks Visa (20k miles after $500, first year free)
=> have paper app, but save T&C at time of app anyway

8) US Bank Linux link

17) AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest (10k starwood points after ?? [or transfer to airline miles], $45 annual fee w/ first year free) link

23) AMEX Starwood Business (10k starwood points after first pruchase [or transfer to airline miles], $45 annual fee w/ first year free) link

18) IberiaBank Visa (0% for first 6 billing periods for first balance transfer: must make w/in 90 days, $0) link

19) M&T Business Rewards (0% for 6 cycles on BTs transferred app) link

dropped) Citi AAdvantage MC (25k AA miles w/ $750 in purchases w/in 4 months, $85 annual fee after first year free) link
dropped, uncapped is dead) Chase | Chase Business Rebate Visa® Card - (15mo 0%, 3% $99 cap) link
dropped, uncapped is dead) Chase Platinum MC (12 mo 0%, 3% bt 75max, $0 annual, $25 from cardselection) link
dropped, better? offer) Discover Miles (0% thru 04/09, 3%/$75, free nuvi, 12k miles) link
dropped) Associated Business (Citi? visiting branch for info) link
Stopped in ... seemed to be vanilla LOC w/ a card, but no one there seemed to know what they were talking about. YMMV.
passed: Wachovia, RBS, FNBO (not very AOR friendly?) HSBC, WAMU (small lines)
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COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

Is a general "get the 0% BT card, then go for bonuses and reallocate" a solid strategy?

Citi Plan is to reallocate the 0% for BT, and for the AMEX use the Glitch99 method. In case this fails somehow, I may get 2 0% cards so I will have a 0% BT offer as a backup. Since its a 24 month promo, I will get a new 0% offer during AOR 2.0 just in case.
As for the professional card, I'll try to get creative, unless I axe it (too many citi apps even w/ buckets?).
Do I need a 0% card on both the business AND personal side, or should I just be able to reallocate?

Plan with Chase is to reallocate united and countrywide to platinum mc.

US Bank ...
How are they likely to respond to an app when I have 89% uti on my current USB card?
My current plan is to just take the miles if they want to give them to me and reallocate to reduce my uti.

Should I add some other minors?

I appreciate any better offers people are aware of, app order advice, or any other general advice. In the mean time, I'm going to keep scouring for offers and ideas.

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CONCLUSIONS

Automatic form-filling programs are good.
My strategy of putting off the lower half of my likely TU pulls until the first half do their temporary disappearing act may have gotten me an extra approval or two.
Citi may approve 2 business apps and uses the first pull for the second app.

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B*

Before C* 10/18
FIRST ADVANTAGE CREDCO/ 10/16/08, 10/15/08, 10/13/08, 10/12/08, 10/11/08, 10/10/08, 10/08/08, 10/06/08, 10/05/08, 10/04/08, 10/03/08, 10/02/08
CREDITEXPERT 10/17/08, 10/16/08, 10/15/08, 10/14/08, 10/13/08, 10/12/08, 10/11/08, 10/10/08, 10/02/08
TRUELINK 10/16/08, 10/15/08, 10/13/08, 10/12/08, 10/10/08, 10/08/08, 10/07/08, 10/05/08, 10/04/08, 10/03/08, 10/02/08
+ CK pulls daily on TU

10/17 TU B* (9 inq -> 8)
10/18 TU B* (8 inq -> 5)

After C* 10/18
10/19 Pulled (EQ CWG, TC, CK, TC, CCT) 10/19 4pm and saw EQ C* (10/18), EQ CWG stopped
TU - 4 inqs (no B*, rather CK hard disappeared again)
Pulled Providian pfico (793)
10/20 pulled CK CCT NC TC CIDP
10/21 pulled CK CCT NC TC(tu only) CIDP - TU B* AM pulls (5 inq -> 2)
10/22 pulled CK CCT NC TC CIDP
10/23 pulled CK CCT NC TC CIDP- TU B* AM pulls (2 inq -> 1)
10/24 pulled CK CCT - TU B* AM pulls (1 inq -> 0 ... yet CK score plummets, lol)
10/25 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT
10/26 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123, pulled eq free denial credit report
10/27 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
10/29 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
10/30 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
10/31 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
11/01 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
11/03 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
** pulled EQ report for denials again between these, confirms PG NC TC stack
11/04 pulled NC TC CCT PM123 PG - b*: first two pulls (72 and 73 since 10/02 after c*) knocked off two inqs (7 EQ INQS -> 5)
11/05 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123 - b* 77 -> 4 (mortgage inq!)
11/06 pulled NC TC CIDP CCT PM123
11/07 pulled all - 2nd pull - b* -> 3, 3rd - b* -> 2, 4th b*-> 1, 5th b* complete!! 0 Inqs on TU and EQ!!

Took 90-100 pulls total.

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LINKS

General | SIS AOR FAQ w/ links to other FW AORs | Why you should get Business Credit for your AOR | CC Issuer FAQ | Credit Cards that allow shiftage/reallocation | Creative BT Harvesting Ideas | Citi Reallocation Denied | App Status | US BANK BT to Checking | (dated) Card Coversion Options |
Credit and Bumpage | CK Free Scorewatch | 90 Day EQ Trial | Free Annual Reports |
Credit Card Offer Lists | 0% offers sorted by BT profit | What card should I get? FAQ | Discover Free Gift Offers | More 0% and Bonus offers @ thecreditcarder.com | CC Signup Bonuses Thread | Polar's 120 Apps List | Small Biz Credit List
CC Referral Sites | Cardoffers, Cardbenefits, Cardselection, Hotelmagician
Target Accounts | HYSA List | Rewards Checking | Daugter of the Mother | Heloc FAQ | Who Counts Push as ACH |
Various Loyalty Program Redemption Threads | Citi TY Points | Starwood |
CLI | CLI w/o Hard Pull |
0% for Existing Customers | BOA | Chase & Discover |

Some links lifted from jackcrawfish's aor w/ EQ bumpage & EX freezage

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RESULTS

For me: freeze EX (for upcoming bankorama)

Preliminary Results (in actual app order):

EQ Associated Bank Visa - 15k instant
EQ Citi Professional - 6k instant
EQ Citi Business - deferred, approved 10k
TU Chase disney - deferred, approved 11k (always pulls TU for me, Wisconsin) *will attempt CLR
?? bank atlantic - deferred, approved ???
TU advanta - deferred, approved 6500
EQ(soft 10/2) us bank linux - deferred, DECLINED, available credit (becuase of nwa below?), will attempt shiftage
EX bank of america platinum plus - 14.9k instant
NO bank of america nfl - deferred, approved 2500
EX discover camera offer - approved instant, 8000
TU juniper i fly - deferred, approved 5000
EX wells fargo - deferred, DECLINED, too much variation in WF account balance, insufficient WF account balance I'll call, but I guess the moral here is don't apply for WF unless you actually use the account a decent amount, even if its been open for years.
EQ citi platinum AmerExpr - deferred, declined, possible attempt minimal shiftage mainly for TY points, but probably not
EX starwood preferred guest biz - declined, too many inquiries, will call for reconsider
?? iberia - deferred, app went mia, didnt receive the request for financials, not going to persue
TU m&t biz - 15k instant
EQ(soft 10/3) discover biz - deferred, approved 7500
NO citi biz aa - deferred, approved 15k
NO chase mileage plus biz - deferred, declined, insufficient history, late payments (I don't have any?)
EQ(soft 10/2) us bank nwa (targeted)- 15k instant

late apps
TU national city - approved instant, 7.5k
TU next day pull national city biz - deferred, approved 10k
TU wamu espn - instant 3k
TU 10/4 chase united mileage after being approved for disney, deferred, approved 2500, later denied? (see post), opened via CLR

NO Rec'vd an unsolicited Discover Business offer (by phone) with my personal card application confirmation.
The phone rep mentioned that I said I was self-employed in my app. Apply for your personal card BEFORE your biz card if you want a similar offer.

Toal New Credit So Far: 150K+
Total BT $$ So Far w/ US Bank BT: 100K+

TransUnion 10/04/2008 FIRST USA NA
TransUnion 10/03/2008 WASHMTL/PROV
TransUnion 10/03/2008 NCBK-SBCC
Equifax 10/02/2008 CITI
Equifax 10/02/2008 CITI USA
Equifax 10/02/2008 CBUSA/CBSD
Equifax 10/02/2008 CITI
Experian 10/02/2008 BANK OF AMERICA
Experian 10/02/2008 DISCOVER FINANCIAL SER
Experian 10/02/2008 AMEX
Experian 10/02/2008 WELLS FARGO BANK
TransUnion 10/02/2008 NCBK-NCCS
TransUnion 10/02/2008 ELAN FINANCI
TransUnion 10/02/2008 ADVANTA BANK
TransUnion 10/02/2008 CHASE
TransUnion 10/02/2008 BRCLYSBANKDE

(add softs here)

So far a total of 13 hard pulls for 24 apps. EX didn't take to bad of a beating. Can't complain too much. EX should be at 5 inqs if there is a 2.0, so I'll probably employ some type of EX minimizing strategy (freeze for part of AOR) if there is a 2.0, but probably not as drastic as an AOR-wide freeze.

US Bank pulled EQ soft for me, perhaps because of my existing card?

My Juniper account is already reporting to Experian. (10/3)
I put in late apps to WAMU and NC while my inqs on TU were temp AWOL. (early 10/3, late 10/2 respectively)
B of A has shown up on experian. (10/4)
USB BT has shown up on TU. (10/4)
Citi has shown up on EX. (10/4)

I'll do a nicer write up later, but some ppl wanted to see this now.

I hope when you say "increase cash reserves for rental properties" you intend on placing dividends only into cash reserves and not principal from AOR, correct?

Good work in getting your target accounts set up in advance.

Kudos also for a list organized by Issuer (Is this the order in which you plan to apply? If so, I'd consider moving your BOA Plat Plus up on the list; also move up Bank Atlantic Biz)

Your most preferred method of 0% is on the biz side but 0% on the personal side is good enough (as with the Discover card case - note that it is 3.9% for Discover Biz BT... the 0.0% is for purchases only)

Do not CLI CHASE card.

Wells Fargo has always been good to me but others have not been as fortunate (you're aware they require deposit account relationship first, right?)

Will you be freezing the unbumpable EXERIAN?

- 4 apps to citibank from zero might be just a bit aggressive. Modest risk of adverse action. It worked great in the old days (last year) but they are sometimes inquiry sensitive.

- If applying for CitiPro, click the "apply now" button, then use the back button, you'll get a "before you go" offer for 15k points instead of 10k.

- When you actually do the apps, do them in order of desirability, not by bank. Later apps have a greater chance of rejection.

- Advanta runs a modest chance of an unusually low CL.

- Avoid Wamoo unless preapproved.

- National City might have a limited lending area? Not sure. Find out if you're in it.

- RBS is fine, but usually doesn't do whopper limits. Wachovia seems to be tight, unless you already have a deposit account with them... (and they might still be tight).

- fatwallet took "cc's" and replaced it with a link to a store called CCS, so you might want to adjust your acronym for credit cards.

- I'll second that citibank reallocation is increasingly difficult, I wouldn't be the farm on it working.

App list has been updated with order shown on the far left. Any suggestions on the remaining minors?
(I'd probably place them between 15 and 16 if I added any more.)

SomeRandomUser said:and for the AMEX use the Glitch99 method. Sorry, but what would that be? I drew on AMEX with Google Checkout when it was fee-free last fall (there's a 2% processing fee now), but skipped AMEX altogether this round.

SomeRandomUser said:"Once the dust settles, I will also revisit Google Checkout, as 3% return is higher than the 2% GCO fee. Yes, the net is only 1% ..."Ah, churning the Citi AMEX for TYPs. I thought you were refering to drawing 0% money off the new AMEX AMEX cards.

Just remembe there is a 150,000 TYP/year cap, of which you'll be using 100,000 to offset GCO fees. So use it for actual purchases (Dollar Coins, gift cards from the grocery store, etc) as much as possible.

If that is true for business, I'll drop the AAdvantage. On the personal side I thought the Citi Associated was a different bucket?

markkundinger said:arkleseizure said:I may be wrong (which would be nice, so I could churn cards faster), but isn't the Citi personal app limit 1 per 60 days and the business app limit 1 per 90 days?
It's historically been 2 personal, 2 business, 1 prof, per 60 days.My AT&T Biz app, the second Citi Biz app, was auto-denied due to it being the second biz app within 90 days. But there was no inquiry, so it wouldnt hurt to add a second one anyways and see what happens.

Screenshot FTW

Edit: Actually I screenshot/print almost everything anyway. Makes life easier.

Chase Business Rebate Visa® Card does not appear to have a BT cap.