Credit Card Programs - My fiance has been building her credit for 10 months... Time to pull the trigger?

She got a secured credit card 10 months ago to move from zero credit to wherever she is at now. If she tries to make a pull, who should she go with first, and if she does get approved, should she keep going on a couple more cards? All thoughts are welcome....thanks!

Check the score first. Try the free services that give you a "FAKO" and if she's in the ballpark for an entry level card, most people would suggest the Chase Freedom. She can earn UR points (at a great rate) and then either wait until she can get a Sapphire Preferred or transfer them to you if you have one (or an Ink Bold) for higher cpm redemptions.

First thing is first... Check the score and see if she's built enough yet. You should also obviously try recon line if she is initially denied... Just say the stuff they want to hear like building a relationship with Chase etc

Just going to throw this out there-

I managed to get a Citi AA card last year with a CreditKarma score in the mid-600s. Might want to go straight to that if the score is around there.

Just going to throw this out there-

I managed to get a Citi AA card last year with a CreditKarma score in the mid-600s. Might want to go straight to that if the score is around there.

That's weird. My wife has not been able to get a Citi card with 750, first due to a "short credit history" and second due to the "limited number of accounts" for a long time.

Just going to throw this out there-

I managed to get a Citi AA card last year with a CreditKarma score in the mid-600s. Might want to go straight to that if the score is around there.

Your FAKO score may have been in the mid 600s but how long is your credit history?

To OP, usually prime issuers (Chase, Citi, etc.) want to see at least a year of history with at least 1, preferably 2+ accounts.

Well, here are details if it helps:

Before the AA card I had two accounts.

One was a Discover on which I was an authorized user, open about 3-4 years, closed about 6 months before the Citi AA application (but, for some reason, still shows on my CreditKarma report as if it was active- no idea what that's about).

One is a Costco AmEx opened the year before the application. Still have it.

Score: 660-something.

Very odd. This actually put in my mind the impression that Citi was a loose issuer (I tried Chase at that time as well and they wanted a copy of my tax return- dropped it and waited until after my score went above 700 and poof, approved).

I was in a similar position a year ago. No credit basically and got rejected for a basic Cap One card too. Got a Bank of America secured card and used it for 6 months. Then applied for a Amex PRG. Instant approval which really surprised me. Since its a charge card I'm assuming they were more liberal with the approval.

I think she'll get it, as long as she has something to put for income.

When I was 18 I had a Discover for 6 months before going after another card...........then another one....and another one....and another...then I started to get rejected....

I didn't know much better back then, but it didn't really matter

I think she'll get it, as long as she has something to put for income.

When I was 18 I had a Discover for 6 months before going after another card...........then another one....and another one....and another...then I started to get rejected....

I didn't know much better back then, but it didn't really matter

Okay, so that is when it gets sketchy... She left the workforce in january to go back to school and she now waits tables a couple days a week... I guess i should have mentioned that :confused:

That's weird. My wife has not been able to get a Citi card with 750, first due to a "short credit history" and second due to the "limited number of accounts" for a long time.

Add her as an authorized user to just a couple of your credit cards with a long credit history.