I love credit cards so much! v4.0 - 2021 (see first page for add'l details)

[CookieandOatmeal]

Mine just turned 15 months and I didn’t think it would start this early. Says no to us all the time and yells at us if he doesn’t get his way. Also has started slapping his hands on my back and thinks it’s funny. Throws food at every single meal and has been doing it for months no matter what we’ve tried. He’s a joy

He morphed into a terror on Thursday. First time that I ever had to remove him from a place. Mortified!

 

[Hoosier John]

I'm still new at this but I'm wondering how many cards is too many?

I have 9 cards with an average CL of $16000. Half of my cards are 15 years old. There are a few I will never use again as they were mainly Balance Transfer cards when we were young and had debt to pay off. Now that we're older and carry no balances, is it bad if I close some of them?

If they have no fees, I'd just keep them (and even spend something on them a couple times a year), as they help with your Average Age of Credit (one of the lesser important factors of your credit score).
For new Chase applications, the guidance is to keep your Chase line of credit across personal + business + cobranded cards below 50% of income and below $70-80k

 

[WVMomof3]

Teenage years- how God prepares you to be not terribly sad they moved out for college.

True story.

 

[nhgirl]

My DD is 17 and an only child. I remember her trantrums when she was little. Oh boy those days were hard. She had always been strong willed. Now she is a typical teenager. We recently went to Maine and she argued with me while we walked down the beach as the sun was setting. Not quite the tranquil experience I was hoping for. For whatever reason I prefer the unruly teenager over the terrible 2’s or 3’s. Nevertheless, still challenging either way. Hanging in there and doing the best I can.

 

[miztressuz]

I'm still new at this but I'm wondering how many cards is too many?

I have 9 cards with an average CL of $16000. Half of my cards are 15 years old. There are a few I will never use again as they were mainly Balance Transfer cards when we were young and had debt to pay off. Now that we're older and carry no balances, is it bad if I close some of them?

I don't think it's bad to close some you'll never use again to make room for more useful cards. You just want to make sure whatever changes you make don't radically change your credit profile if you can help it.

Closed cards stay on your report for 10 years and contribute to your age of accounts for FICO scoring. So even if it's your oldest account you shouldn't have to worry to much. That said I try to avoid closing my oldest accounts to help my average age of credit. It's easy for me because my oldest cards have no fees and are actually useful to use occasionally. I wouldn't pay a fee just to keep their age though. And you don't need many of them. One or two should be sufficient.

Another thing to consider when closing cards is how much CL you'll be giving up and how will that affect your utilization ratios. If you have multiple cards with the same issuer you may be able to move credit to a card you plan to keep before closing it, if needed. This helps your utilization as well as approval chances for some cards. For example, Chase likes to see that you have higher individual limits before approving some of their higher end cards. So if you were going for a CSR which has a minimum CL of 10k for approval, they like to see that you already have similar limits - well, for some people at least. But showing that you can be responsible with higher limits tends to help your profile.

As for number of cards, there are many people with great credit scores that have many cards, 20+. So the number of cards you have is more a personal preference for what you are comfortable managing. If you feel like 9 is too many and closing some won't negatively affect your credit, go for it.

I think I have 15 or 16 active cards currently, with a few more closed just aging out on my reports. I still have excellent credit scores and, knock wood, people still like to give me more cards. And I'm small potatoes in the CC points game

 

[Hoosier John]

We booked with our CSR but I’m not sure if it actually gives us insurance or not. The no cancellation has always stopped us from renting but we’re local now. If we for some reason get really sick or something like that I guess we just don’t go

I'm not sure how the professional companies work, but I rented a reservation to a family who ask about rebooking later due to a pending hurricane (which I did, and we used the room ... this was the hurricane that hung off the coast for an extra 5 days). Then she asked to cancel the second reservation due to illness, which I moved for her. Third time was a charm.
It looks like I will be trying to rent out reservations through someone like Davids for the first time, next time.

 

[chattadisser]

I think in some ways teens are like toddlers--navigating their independence while their brain chemistry is rewiring itself.

I love this! I think it is so true and will try to remember it.

Teenage years- how God prepares you to be not terribly sad they moved out for college.

True story.

I also think about this often!

To keep this on CC's, we are using these times to build her credit foundation, teach her how to use CC's and of course, she helps us meet these MSR's!

 

[havaneselover]

DD is off to WDW with two friends as a final hurrah before they start college. Hoping for the best. Their flight this morning is delayed and the weather doesn't look great.

 

[alryan]

Has this been proven with these cards though? It's switching from a mc to a visa and will give you a new card number.

1 DP shows new account date (presuming would add to 5/24?):

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/o5ikkp/_/h2p6ian

1 DP shows old account date (should not add to 5/24):

https://www.reddit.com/r/churning/comments/o5ikkp/_/h2qfqr4

You would be a good data point as well, if you can check your credit report to see what the account opening date shows as?

Haven't been on here for a few days, but I also pc'd my CSR to CFF last December and the opening account date did not change, Chase Credit Journey and Credit Karma both have the original date of 6/2018.

 

[*WDW*Groupie*]

OMG with the Caymans. I have rescheduled our trip 3 times, and finally just canceled our Oct trip and got my money back that I deposited in 2019 (like $6k)!!! We were bringing a big group and staying in the Kimpton Seafire’s bungalows, so I was really, really wanting it to happen, but it’s not to be.

We did book a few standard rooms on points for Easter 2022 and it would be nice if that would come to fruition.

SW has reopened flights to the Caymans, as well.

Anyone else starting to question if 2022 travel will actually happen or if borders will begin shutting again due to the variants?

With the NZ border still closed to tourists and not expected to open until early 2022 at the very earliest, I don't think that our (ds and I) ABD NZ trip in March will be a go. Not sure when I could re-book since I had to book the flights at the 355 day mark. I really, really want this trip to go, so I will try remain optimisitc.

 

[LynnTH]

I am trying to decide what card my 18yr old should get first. I had been planning for the student Discover card with the extra money for good grades but maybe we should go for a Chase card instead, possibly the Disney card? Did your DS22 start with a Chase card?

DS22 1st Card was the Chase Freedom Unlimited in January 2019. He was then approved for the CIP in July 2019. (That card is now closed). Then Chase Disney in March 2021 and also Amex Delta Gold in April 2021 and now CSP in July 2021. Of course, I met the spend on most of them for him.

Both kids have credit scores in the 800's. They have been AU's on our accounts for quite a while now.

 

[georgina]

[.

 

[LynnTH]

Got an email to upgrade my AMEX Delta Gold Biz card to the Platinum Card. 50,000 Points plus $200 statement credit after $3000 spend in 6 months. Is this a decent offer. Have been in AMEX purgatory for a while so thinking this might not be a bad offer...

Just finishing up DH's Chase Ink Preferred Biz with $15,000 spend. Using DD's tuition to meet spend on both kids CSP. So that leaves me without a MSR. I am 5/24 until October. DH is 4/24 - so am open to other BIZ cards besides Chase right now.

 

[AndreaDM]

So with all the recommendations for the Hilton Aspire, I decided to go for it. Had P2 send me a referral link and got the dang popup! I only have one AMEX at this point, the gold that I got in Feb. 21. Is it just too soon for me to be applying for another? P2 also got the gold on my referral in March. So wonder if Amex sees it as us just referring each other? I'm really annoyed because I need a MSR and have some big purchases coming up.

Oh and I also have the Park 'n Fly offer and noticed when pricing it out, the price through the Amex link was less than going to the Park 'n Fly website FYI.

 

[elgerber]

Got an email to upgrade my AMEX Delta Gold Biz card to the Platinum Card. 50,000 Points plus $200 statement credit after $3000 spend in 6 months. Is this a decent offer. Have been in AMEX purgatory for a while so thinking this might not be a bad offer...

Just finishing up DH's Chase Ink Preferred Biz with $15,000 spend. Using DD's tuition to meet spend on both kids CSP. So that leaves me without a MSR. I am 5/24 until October. DH is 4/24 - so am open to other BIZ cards besides Chase right now.

I am working on that Delta upgrade spend right now, for both dh and my cards.

 

[IFlossU]

So with all the recommendations for the Hilton Aspire, I decided to go for it. Had P2 send me a referral link and got the dang popup! I only have one AMEX at this point, the gold that I got in Feb. 21. Is it just too soon for me to be applying for another? P2 also got the gold on my referral in March. So wonder if Amex sees it as us just referring each other? I'm really annoyed because I need a MSR and have some big purchases coming up.

Oh and I also have the Park 'n Fly offer and noticed when pricing it out, the price through the Amex link was less than going to the Park 'n Fly website FYI.

It’s not too soon for another card. Sometimes I think the pop up may be related to the support link. Would you be willing to apply for it again without the support link? I was getting the pop up for my DH as well until I applied without the support. Something to consider.

 

[AndreaDM]

It’s not too soon for another card. Sometimes I think the pop up may be related to the support link. Would you be willing to apply for it again without the support link? I was getting the pop up for my DH as well until I applied without the support. Something to consider.

Yeah I can do that, but sucks because Amex is the one pushing us to use those links!

 

[wanderlust7]

Got an email to upgrade my AMEX Delta Gold Biz card to the Platinum Card. 50,000 Points plus $200 statement credit after $3000 spend in 6 months. Is this a decent offer. Have been in AMEX purgatory for a while so thinking this might not be a bad offer...

Just finishing up DH's Chase Ink Preferred Biz with $15,000 spend. Using DD's tuition to meet spend on both kids CSP. So that leaves me without a MSR. I am 5/24 until October. DH is 4/24 - so am open to other BIZ cards besides Chase right now.

Nice! If you've had the Delta plat biz before (and won't lock yourself out of the SUB), that's a great offer! I think the Delta biz upgrade offers are less common than the personal ones.

 

[Bigmace]

Should no longer be at 5/24 by the end of the month, should have 2 spots open. If I already have a Freedom Visa can still get the sign up bonus for the Freedom Flex Master Card? Also looking at getting Chase Hotel card as well. Looking for one that can get me the most nights at a standard room, not necessarily a couple nights a fancy hotel. Possibly interested in a United chase card instead but United is my least favorite airline. Goal is just for free nights and free flights. (Already have CSP, CFU, CF, & SW Plus cards).

 

[wanderlust7]

So with all the recommendations for the Hilton Aspire, I decided to go for it. Had P2 send me a referral link and got the dang popup! I only have one AMEX at this point, the gold that I got in Feb. 21. Is it just too soon for me to be applying for another? P2 also got the gold on my referral in March. So wonder if Amex sees it as us just referring each other? I'm really annoyed because I need a MSR and have some big purchases coming up.

Oh and I also have the Park 'n Fly offer and noticed when pricing it out, the price through the Amex link was less than going to the Park 'n Fly website FYI.

Whenever I see a DP of someone with only 1 Amex get the pop-up, it makes me think it's because Amex has less data to go off of. There's a theory of the pop-up that I think makes a lot of sense - Amex calculates some sort of customer profitability score (spend seems to matter a lot). The SUB also gets a score based on how much it costs them. Using a support will cost them more. The 2 scores get compared, if the customer score isn't high enough, then pop-up. So some people can get some SUBs but not others. Others are too deep in and hole and just get pop-up on everything.

If it still makes sense to you to get it without the support, hopefully that works!