It’s been a while since I applied for a new round of credit cards. Over the last few years, I had myself a pretty religious routine of applying for new travel credit cards every 3 months. After all, credit card sign-up bonuses are one of the fastest and easiest ways to earn a boatload of miles and points if you have good credit and are a responsible spender.
I believe I am pushing 20+ credit cards now, and believe it or not, my score has actually increased as a result of that simply because I always pay my bills on time and pay my balances in full each month. I will admit that it’s getting difficult to track all of these cards though. For that reason, I make it a point to log into each account at least once a week to make sure that I don’t miss a payment or let any fraudulent charges slip by.
While my usual round of apps have previously consisted of 3-5 new cards at a time, this time I only opted for two, and I’m ok with that.
I am getting picky about which cards I am attracted to. Sure, the next best thing will always be blogged about and pushed, but I’m more on the laggard side of life to begin with. The two cards I applied for today have been around for a while, but they are incredibly strong offers, and I wanted to get them before they disappeared.
The first card I applied for was the Ink Bold Business Charge Card. I have been an Ink Plus Business Credit Card holder for a little over a year now, and I have luckily been able to ask for a retention bonus that made it “worth it” to pay the $95 fee. My retention bonus was 10,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points if I was able to spend $5,000 on the card within 3 months.
Since my Ink Plus is a MasterCard and a business credit card, I knew I would have no problem getting approved for the Ink Bold since it is a charge card and a Visa. Many people ask if they can get both the Ink Bold and the Ink Plus, and the answer is yes, since they are considered different products.
As expected, I received a pending further review notification after applying for my new Ink Bold. Within minutes of applying, I called the Chase reconsideration line and spoke to a live agent. I must say that this was the longest and most in-depth call I have experienced. The call lasted over 25 minutes and she asked very detailed questions about the nature of my business, asked me to reference my tax returns, etc. The good news though was that I was approved. And the even better news is that I got the card at the right moment.
The next card I applied for (instant approval) was the Barclays Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard®, where I will be earning ~$440 in free travel after completing the minimum spend. I chose this card because it is the best cash back card for everyday spend, in my opinion, because you earn 2 miles on every purchase and miles that a redeemed for travel statement credits earn 10% of the points back.
I’m very excited for my two new additions. Now that my wallet is getting heavier, it’s almost time to think about which cards will be on “death row” before their annual fees are due.
What new credit cards have you added to your wallet recently? Have you taken advantage of any of the increased sign-up bonuses?
I have the Bold and applied for Ink Plus a few weeks ago and no instant approval. I had a difficult time and a long interview to get the SW Business so I did not believe it worthwhile to call again. But surprise! Yesterday I received an email saying I was approved.
Applied using your link because I heart you. Pending now but will call on Monday.
I just got the Barclay Arrival Card, as well. Excited for it!