# I'LL STAY IN THE MAJOR LEAGUES



## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself. 

Then I applied for an Amtrak *CHASE* Mastercard credit card, and I got that, but it came with a credit limit of $3,500. ??? 

At a credit limit of $3,500 the card would be of little use to me, since most of my long distance train trips involve a fare over $5,000, so I called *Chase* to have the credit limit increased, and they refused.

I'll just cancel that Amtrak minor league *CHASE* Mastercard, and stick with my Major League AMEX and AOL *CHASE* Visa cards. I've had the AMEX card since 1964, and the AOL *CHASE * Visa card since 1998. There's no credit limit on the AMEX card as long as I pay it off each month, and the AOL *CHASE* Visa card (credit limit $25,000) has never been stretched.

Are most Amtrak Guest Reward players Minor League Players? :huh:


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## BeckysBarn (Mar 24, 2010)

Nope. I'm in my own league :lol:


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## Bob Dylan (Mar 24, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself.
> Then I applied for an Amtrak *CHASE* Mastercard credit card, and I got that, but it came with a credit limit of $3,500. ???
> 
> At a credit limit of $3,500 the card would be of little use to me, since most of my long distance train trips involve a fare over $5,000, so I called *Chase* to have the credit limit increased, and they refused.
> ...


I'm SHOCKED!SHOCKED! Sounds like someone messed up big time with a credit worthy new customer! I know Banks have been down grading customers left and right on credit limits etc. but anyone with a valid AMEX card and a High Limit CHASE Visa or MC shouldnt have been given such a low ball credit limit!Mine was $14,000 which is lower than the others but plenty for Amtrak trips! (Even High Bucket Bedrooms cant exceed that! :lol: )

I used to be in the Majors back in the day, still have a CHASE VISA and the AGR MC with fairly high credit limits and Low interest rates, Since retiring I dont run up business travel expenses and the major purchase days are pretty much over so guess I'm finishing out my career in Triple AAA! :lol:

Learned from the_traveler to charge such unecessary things as gas/food/utilities etc. to the AGR card, pay if off monthly as they say! In a year Ive had 3 AGR trips and plan 4 more this year so it's working for me! I woiuldnt think with your cards there's any need for anymore, @ one time I had 5 including an AMEX, the question is why?  Wow, how many Major Leaugers and Rec-League Players do we have?


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## Sue in KY (Mar 24, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself.
> Then I applied for an Amtrak *CHASE* Mastercard credit card, and I got that, but it came with a credit limit of $3,500. ???
> 
> At a credit limit of $3,500 the card would be of little use to me, since most of my long distance train trips involve a fare over $5,000, so I called *Chase* to have the credit limit increased, and they refused.
> ...


Don't think so .... I wonder if maybe it's because banks are really tightening up on credit? When we got our Chase AGR World card, a couple of years ago (just before the Big Bailouts), they started our credit line at about $8000, but I figured that was because (a) we're retired, with no "fixed" income other than small pensions and Social Security (how are they to know how much 401(k) income we do or don't draw each month?), and (b) because we have several other credit cards -- one of them also with Chase -- with very high limits, which we very rarely use, and then just to keep them open.

But, even though perhaps only once have we NOT paid off our balance each month (the sort of customers credit-card issuers hate!), Chase has raised our credit limit fairly substantially a couple of times in the past two years on the AGR card, without our asking.

I have noticed that we no longer get handfuls of junk mail every day from every credit-card issuer imaginable, offering to open huge lines of credit if we'll just sign up!

Perhaps you should check your credit scores -- sometimes some sort of anomaly occurs that you'd want to know about and fix?


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## RRrich (Mar 24, 2010)

@ThayerATM, I would call the jerks at chase and request that they more $10K from your AOL card to your AGR card.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

Sue in KY said:


> ThayerATM said:
> 
> 
> > You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself.
> ...


I have Equifax checking for any inquiry as to my credit rating all the time. My credit scores have remained in the high 700's to low 800's for years. Any time there is a change, or even an inquiry, I get a notice. I was notified when Chase checked for my credit for the Guest Rewards Mastercard on Trans Union. I'm not worried about my credit rating.

My point is (and I guess it's about the new economy) that any new card issued has a low credit limit, and thus, this new Guest Reward Mastercard is of little use to me. I'll cancel it as soon as I've gotten the "first purchase" bonus. Other than that I'll use my AMEX, which also gives "bonus certificates" for Amtrak travel. Fewer points, but points none-the-less.

his whole gimmick is to get me to make purchases that I wouldn't otherwise have made. I was just looking for rewards for stuff that I would have done in the first place.

The Amtrak Guest Rewards Mastercard is just another gimmick.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

RRrich said:


> @ThayerATM, I would call the jerks at chase and request that they more $10K from your AOL card to your AGR card.


Back in the day (the 60's) I would have raised hell with Chase. Today I just make the formal requests, and if denied, I move on to a competitor. I no longer feel like fighting city hall. :lol: I'm spending most of my time waltzing with IRS, my 401K, and my IRA's. Just today I've been dancing with my tax accountant (CPA) and my financial advisor about how to arrange my manditory distributions from the IRA's to fit into my 2010 income. Life used to be simple, and I had the time to go over AGR points and fight the good fight.

Today I just want to take a train to wherever and enjoy the trip.


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## the_traveler (Mar 24, 2010)

I can't understand some of the bank's practices, I had an AX *BUSINESS* card that had a $20,000 limit!  But AX decided they were going to *LOWER* the limit (on my *BUSINESS* card) to *$2,000*!  The *VERY SAME* month, Chase decided to *RAISE* my limit by a few thousand! :blink:


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## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

the_traveler said:


> I can't understand some of the bank's practices, I had an AX *BUSINESS* card that had a $20,000 limit!  But AX decided they were going to *LOWER* the limit (on my *BUSINESS* card) to *$2,000*!  The *VERY SAME* month, Chase decided to *RAISE* my limit by a few thousand! :blink:


I've been reading bits and pieces of new laws going into effect. I have to admit that I don't know any details, but I'm inclined to bet that the banks are trying to maximize their profits and minimize their liabilities before the new laws kick in, when ever that date might be. I'm thinking that is the reason I was held to a $3,500 credit limit on the Guest Rewards *CHASE* card. Frankly, I'd stick with AMEX entirely if everybody took it. Sadly, that isn't always the case. <_<


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## Guest (Mar 24, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself.
> Then I applied for an Amtrak *CHASE* Mastercard credit card, and I got that, but it came with a credit limit of $3,500. ???
> 
> At a credit limit of $3,500 the card would be of little use to me, since most of my long distance train trips involve a fare over $5,000, so I called *Chase* to have the credit limit increased, and they refused.
> ...


Spending $5K on domestic travel just seems silly.


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## rrdude (Mar 24, 2010)

I've been bumped from the MAJORS, to the MINORS, to SEMI-PROS, to LITTLE LEAGUE, to BANNED FROM BASEBALL!


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## AlanB (Mar 24, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> Other than that I'll use my AMEX, which also gives "bonus certificates" for Amtrak travel. Fewer points, but points none-the-less.


If you're enrolled in Amex's Membership Rewards program, you may be better off by not taking those gift certificates that they offer. It's a bit more work but you would probably be better off by transferring those Membership Rewards miles to Continental's One Pass program. Then from Continental, you can transfer the points into your AGR account.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

Guest said:


> ThayerATM said:
> 
> 
> > You folks talked me into signing up for Amtrak Guest Rewards. I did, and got numbers for both my wife and myself.
> ...


I sure agree with that.

It's sad that I just don't have the time to linger and smell the flowers in every town that Amtrak goes through. I would love to spend a week in Minot, or Winter Park. I just don't have enought time to do it.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 24, 2010)

AlanB said:


> ThayerATM said:
> 
> 
> > Other than that I'll use my AMEX, which also gives "bonus certificates" for Amtrak travel. Fewer points, but points none-the-less.
> ...


All I want to do is ride the rails and visit places. I don't want to play CPA or stock broker.


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## Guest (Mar 25, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> AlanB said:
> 
> 
> > ThayerATM said:
> ...


Come on now, it is not that bad. OnePass is much more reliable than AGR. You can either play the games or pay out the you know what.


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## Ispolkom (Mar 25, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> It's sad that I just don't have the time to linger and smell the flowers in every town that Amtrak goes through. I would love to spend a week in Minot, or Winter Park. I just don't have enought time to do it.


A week in Minot, that might be a bit too much. A week in Williston, visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park, though, would be a great trip. I remember a "Washington Post" travel writer mentioning that he was amazed at how beautiful the scenery of western North Dakota was, and how bad the food was. (The latter was his own fault. He ordered vegetables.)



> All I want to do is ride the rails and visit places. I don't want to play CPA or stock broker.


To each his own. I hate leaving money on the table, though I'll grant you that some of my hare-brained schemes are more a symptom of OCD than a sensible use of my time.


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## SCrails (Mar 25, 2010)

Devil's advocate here: even with only a $3,500 limit, a Chase cardholder can still charge (and pay off) $3,500 worth of AGR points every month. That adds up to $42,000 per year of gasoline and groceries and other goodies - and AGR points. It seems worthwhile to me.

Am I just missing something in the original post?


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## ThayerATM (Mar 25, 2010)

SCrails said:


> Devil's advocate here: even with only a $3,500 limit, a Chase cardholder can still charge (and pay off) $3,500 worth of AGR points every month. That adds up to $42,000 per year of gasoline and groceries and other goodies - and AGR points. It seems worthwhile to me.
> Am I just missing something in the original post?


I always pay off my credit cards each month. My disappointment is that with a $3,500 credit limit on my *CHASE* Guest Rewards card there's no way that I can charge my whole train fare (+/- $5,000) on it, as well as hotel charges during the two-day stopovers in LAX and SEA.

I'm going to take the trip anyway. I'll just miss lots of AGR points. After I get home the whole trip will be paid off. *CHASE* Card services logic has me scratching my head. Booking 11 months out, my train fare would be paid for way ahead of time, and already paid off.


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## Ryan (Mar 25, 2010)

Chase's decision is based solely on their analysis of your credit. How much your trip is going to cost and when you book your tickets have nothing to do with the equation.


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## amtrakwolverine (Mar 25, 2010)

Ryan said:


> Chase's decision is based solely on their analysis of your credit. How much your trip is going to cost and when you book your tickets have nothing to do with the equation.


hes got 2 cards with over 15,000 and 35,000 he only missed a payment once always paid if off in full and they refuse to increase the AGR MC....stupid.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 25, 2010)

Ryan said:


> Chase's decision is based solely on their analysis of your credit. How much your trip is going to cost and when you book your tickets have nothing to do with the equation.


I can't really buy that *CHASE* bases their decision on my credit rating alone. As I've said before, I've had an AMEX card since 1963 with *no * credit limit, and a *CHASE * Visa card since 1998 with a $25,000 credit limit. Both of those cards are paid off each month. I'm 70 years old and have a credit history going back to 1963. My credit score has never been below 780, and currently hovers around (depending on the phase of the moon :lol: ) 812.

With that track record *CHASE* really surprised me, and this Amtrak Guest Reward Mastercard is of very little use to me. As I said, as soon as the "first purchase" points are posted to my AGR membership, I'll just cancel the minor league card. I just don't need it.


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## AAARGH! (Mar 25, 2010)

amtrakwolverine said:


> Ryan said:
> 
> 
> > Chase's decision is based solely on their analysis of your credit. How much your trip is going to cost and when you book your tickets have nothing to do with the equation.
> ...


I agree.

Unless there is something else hurting his credit rating, 3,500 is too low. Just by the fact he has $50K in credit on his other two cards (that are in good standing) should be enough. I would think Chase would want him to stop using the other cards and start using theirs.

Perhaps they are thinking $50K is near the max of what his credit situation will allow and thus won't give him more.


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## DivMiler (Mar 25, 2010)

I'm not sure why the original poster (OP) did not follow *RRich*'s advice to request a transfer of some of his AOL Chase credit card's credit limit to the AGR credit card.

I have a credit score in the low 800s. I haven't been alive as long as *ThayerATM* has had credit cards, but my experience with Chase credit cards is


I opened a United Mileage Plus Credit Card. I was accepted and got a credit card with an obscene credit limit of $25,000.

About six months later, I opened a Continental OnePass Credit Card. I was accepted and got a credit card with an almost obscene credit limit of $20,000.

I transferred the Mileage Plus credit limit to the OnePass credit card with a phone call.

I cancelled the Mileage Plus credit card.

About six months later, I applied for the AGR MasterCard. I got a phone call about my OnePass credit card with the $45,000 limit. I told them that I wanted the AGR card, and asked them to transfer all but $500 to the AGR credit card, which they did (approving me over the phone for the AGR credit card in the process).

After I received the AGR credit card and received the 16,000 first time bonus points, I cancelled the OnePass credit card, leaving me with a truly asinine $44,500 credit limit on my AGR credit card.



It was _easy_ to transfer the balances.

I only kept the huge credit limit because I read that lowering the credit limit will increase the percentage of credit used and will lower my credit score. That doesn't mean too much to me, because I pay off my credit cards each month and almost never charge more than $500 in any given month, so my "percentage used" is close to zero anyway.

Because it is a free card, I keep it, and almost only use it for Amtrak purchases (and now it is even better with the 10% off AGR train trip redemptions).

I strongly suggest *ThayerATM* call Chase and ask to transfer $1500 (or more) from his AOL card to the AGR card, if it means so much to him to be able to charge the train trip.

If he doesn't, I'm pretty sure he can charge $3500 of an Amtrak purchase to the AGR card and the balance to another credit card. He lives in/near Rochester, New York; the Rochester station is a staffed station. He probably could even do it over the phone. It'd be worth 7000 AGR points for the purchase -- and that is nothing to sneeze at.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 25, 2010)

AAARGH! said:


> amtrakwolverine said:
> 
> 
> > Ryan said:
> ...


I might be able to shed some light on that.

There's no way I've ever approach that 25K credit limit on the *CHASE* Visa any month. I've never ever gotten anywhere close to that. My most recent check with Equifax indicates that my debt to asset ratio is way below national averages. I'm in the top 2%.

There's something else going on. I don't know what it is, and I'm really not interested in spending the time to find out. As I said, I don't *need* that *CHASE* Guest Rewards Mastercard. I'll just cancel it after I get the "first purchase" points and carry on with AMEX for another 47 years. :lol:


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## ThayerATM (Mar 25, 2010)

DivMiler said:


> I'm not sure why the original poster (OP) did not follow *RRich*'s advice to request a transfer of some of his AOL Chase credit card's credit limit to the AGR credit card.
> I have a credit score in the low 800s. I haven't been alive as long as *ThayerATM* has had credit cards, but my experience with Chase credit cards is
> 
> 
> ...


DivMiler,

I'll tell you why I haven't followed the advice of RRich---

I got "dissed" by *CHASE* Mastercard. Certainly AGR points are nothing to sneeze at, but dealing with a card service that looks at (credit) numbers that I'm unaware of is not high on my list of things to do.

I think I'll be able to get the AGR points anyway. Maybe just not the bonus points.


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## SCrails (Mar 25, 2010)

> I always pay off my credit cards each month. My disappointment is that...


I see what you mean now - that makes sense.


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## Ryan (Mar 25, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> DivMiler,I'll tell you why I haven't followed the advice of RRich---
> 
> I got "dissed" by *CHASE* Mastercard. Certainly AGR points are nothing to sneeze at, but dealing with a card service that looks at (credit) numbers that I'm unaware of is not high on my list of things to do.
> 
> I think I'll be able to get the AGR points anyway. Maybe just not the bonus points.


Business is business - my credit is very similar to yours, and I was offered a similar limit. Times have changed, and credit isn't as forthcoming. Rather than take my ball and go home, I'll take whatever they're willing to give.


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## JayPea (Mar 25, 2010)

I was given a credit limit of $3500, though my credit score stands in at 778. I didn't and don't care as I never spend anywhere near that much. I have other credit cards that total to almost $20,000 and that's way, way more than I care to have, really, but I guess it's nice to have it in case of dire emergencies. Funny thing, I have always heard that if you have too many accounts you don't necessarily use they rate your score down. I was rated down because I don't have ENOUGH accounts. Since my credit rating is excellent even with a poor rating for number of open accounts I don't think I'll be opening any more any time soon.


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## Trogdor (Mar 25, 2010)

What I've basically learned about credit scores is, you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.

Have several credit accounts open? Bad.

Have very few credit accounts open? Bad.

Have high credit lines? Bad.

Have low credit lines? Bad.

Carry high balances? Bad.

Carry low balances? Bad.

Have absolutely nothing change with your financial situation from one month to the next? Bad.

Have several changes to your credit in a short period of time? Bad.

I'm subscribed to a service where I can check on my credit rating pretty much whenever I want. Every few months, they'll revise my credit rating with each agency. There are months where my rating will go up at one agency, and down at another agency. And I'm sure they'll find some way to make that fact bad for my credit, as well. Hell, I'm sure my credit rating will drop a couple of points just for me making this post.


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## sechs (Mar 25, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> I'll just cancel that Amtrak minor league *CHASE* Mastercard, and stick with my Major League AMEX and AOL *CHASE* Visa cards. I've had the AMEX card since 1964, and the AOL *CHASE * Visa card since 1998. There's no credit limit on the AMEX card as long as I pay it off each month, and the AOL *CHASE* Visa card (credit limit $25,000) has never been stretched.
> Are most Amtrak Guest Reward players Minor League Players?


I'm pretty sure that it's just you. My card came with a respectable $14k limit when I opened it.
To be honest, if you have $25k in credit from Chase and don't use it, why should they give you heaploads more? Credit that they give to you cannot be given to someone else, who might use it in a more profitable way.

Furthurmore, you have to consider that they already have risk exposure to you. By their analysis (right or wrong), a total of $28.5k is what they can safely risk on you; that's nothing to sneeze at. But you've already got most of that on another card. Simple subtraction leaves you with how much they can give you on your new application. If you'd canceled your existing Chase card and then applied, you'd probably have received a larger limit.

I'll also point out that AmEx charge (not credit) cards do have limits; American Express just won't know what it is until you get there. Also, the AGR World Mastercard has a set credit line, but no preset spending limit; Chase won't know what your real limit is until you get there.


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## Ispolkom (Mar 26, 2010)

I've had Chase cards for several years, and have churned through a few, as rewards programs and my interests changed. A couple of years ago a Chase clerk told me that I was allowed $50k in total credit, however divided on the 3 or four cards I had then. At that time I moved credit limits around as DivMiler described.

I look at the total credit limits on the cards my wife and I now have, and for each of us they total between $25k and $30k, not the $50k I was told back before the beginning of the great recession. Maybe $28k is the new $50k. It's Chase's choice, after all.

In any case, each of us has our limits to what we'll put up with. I won't rebook my loophole trips to get the new 10% off because in each case I don't want to risk losing my bedroom on the sold-out Portland sleeper. Heck, 20 years ago I wouldn't have paid for a sleeper on Amtrak. If ThayerATM doesn't want to bother with a card that has irritated him, more power to him, even though I personally would try a different solution. Give Chase business? No way, I give them the business instead.

One thing though. As a big baseball fan, why all the hate for the minor leagues? Dollar for dollar, going to a minor league game gives me much better enjoyment, watching players who actually seem to want to be there.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

Ispolkom said:


> I've had Chase cards for several years, and have churned through a few, as rewards programs and my interests changed. A couple of years ago a Chase clerk told me that I was allowed $50k in total credit, however divided on the 3 or four cards I had then. At that time I moved credit limits around as DivMiler described.
> I look at the total credit limits on the cards my wife and I now have, and for each of us they total between $25k and $30k, not the $50k I was told back before the beginning of the great recession. Maybe $28k is the new $50k. It's Chase's choice, after all.
> 
> In any case, each of us has our limits to what we'll put up with. I won't rebook my loophole trips to get the new 10% off because in each case I don't want to risk losing my bedroom on the sold-out Portland sleeper. Heck, 20 years ago I wouldn't have paid for a sleeper on Amtrak. If ThayerATM doesn't want to bother with a card that has irritated him, more power to him, even though I personally would try a different solution. Give Chase business? No way, I give them the business instead.
> ...


I didn't mean to belittle the minor leagues. It's an expression I started using while training pharmacy technicians. After a few months of training, when I thought they were ready, I'd tell them that they were now ready to be a "major league starter." That meant they were able to keep up the pace in a store that filled 3,000-5,000 prescriptions a week. It was a significant accomplishment for them, and they seemed to like the appelation.

My analogous use of the term with the *CHASE* card, and my other cards just reflected the same thinking. A $3,500 v/$25,000 credit limit really *did* strike me as Minor League. The *CHASE* Guest Rewards Card credit limit told me that I was still Minor League.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

rmadisonwi said:


> What I've basically learned about credit scores is, you're damned if you do, you're damned if you don't.
> Have several credit accounts open? Bad.
> 
> Have very few credit accounts open? Bad.
> ...


That is exactly what I meant whey I used the term "Phase Of The Moon." There doesn't seem to be any logic (that I can figure out) as to what will affect a credit rating on a monthly basis.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

JayPea said:


> I was given a credit limit of $3500, though my credit score stands in at 778. I didn't and don't care as I never spend anywhere near that much. I have other credit cards that total to almost $20,000 and that's way, way more than I care to have, really, but I guess it's nice to have it in case of dire emergencies. Funny thing, I have always heard that if you have too many accounts you don't necessarily use they rate your score down. I was rated down because I don't have ENOUGH accounts. Since my credit rating is excellent even with a poor rating for number of open accounts I don't think I'll be opening any more any time soon.


Now, you might have just provided some insight into this discussion.

I can pop a charge of $5,000 on a card that has a $25,000 credit limit. That card will be paid off by the end of the billing period, but let's suppose that *CHASE* looked in my credit report while that $5,000 charge was outstanding. That might have spooked them. Maybe that's what happened.


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## Ryan (Mar 27, 2010)

I don't think that it's the $5,000 charge spooked them, but probably the fact that you had the ability to go out and drop another $20k on it, plus whatever you can get on your Amex. Too much available credit is a greater hinderance to getting more credit than people think. Say that Chase were to give you another $25k on the AGR card - suddenly, you've got the ability to go out and run up $50,000 in credit card bills (plus the Amex) in a month. Now it's obviously an assumption that could be wrong, but I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't be able to pay that off at the end of the month! It's all about limiting their exposure to people that will (and have) done it to them.


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## PetalumaLoco (Mar 27, 2010)

Ryan said:


> I don't think that it's the $5,000 charge spooked them, but probably the fact that you had the ability to go out and drop another $20k on it, plus whatever you can get on your Amex. Too much available credit is a greater hinderance to getting more credit than people think. Say that Chase were to give you another $25k on the AGR card - suddenly, you've got the ability to go out and run up $50,000 in credit card bills (plus the Amex) in a month. Now it's obviously an assumption that could be wrong, but I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't be able to pay that off at the end of the month! It's all about limiting their exposure to people that will (and have) done it to them.


But the CC company _doesn't_ want you to pay it off in a month!


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## Ryan (Mar 27, 2010)

No, but they want you to be able to pay it off sometime.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

Ryan said:


> I don't think that it's the $5,000 charge spooked them, but probably the fact that you had the ability to go out and drop another $20k on it, plus whatever you can get on your Amex. Too much available credit is a greater hinderance to getting more credit than people think. Say that Chase were to give you another $25k on the AGR card - suddenly, you've got the ability to go out and run up $50,000 in credit card bills (plus the Amex) in a month. Now it's obviously an assumption that could be wrong, but I'm willing to bet that you wouldn't be able to pay that off at the end of the month! It's all about limiting their exposure to people that will (and have) done it to them.


Ryan,

The way you've just together the logic makes sense to me. I think you might have just hit a bullseye as to what happened.

In light of the current economy I agree that the credit card companies have gotten burned many times.

While I *COULD* pay off the 50K at the end of the month (it wouldn't be easy, but I could pull it off), *CHASE* has no way of knowing that. *CHASE* has no idea what my intentions were, or are.

My philosophy has always been that if I can't pay it off by the end of the month, I can't afford it. But *CHASE* has no way of knowing that.

But back to my original point...

A *CHASE* Amtrak Guest Rewards credit card with a $3,500 limit on it is not really of any particular use to me. I used it for the first time to buy the tickets from ROC to CHI to FMD, and back, which ran $1,700. That charge is already paid off. Our next trip will be from ROC to CHI to LAX to SEA to CHI to ROC. That'll probably run close to $6,000. Obviously I won't be able to use my *CHASE* AGR card. And I'm not about to pick hotels because of their rewards partnership. I pick hotels for convenience of location, so the card won't give me points that way.

It seemed like a good idea at the time, but when the chips fell, and the smoke cleared, it just wasn't working the way I work.


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## The Metropolitan (Mar 27, 2010)

It's understandable Thayer regarding the limit's usefulness to you in booking Amtrak travel, but seriously, have you considered the seemingly rational suggestions I've seen peppered through this thread to CALL CHASE and see if you can re-allot your CHASE credit limits so that you have more available under your AGR card?

It makes sense to me that if I could have 12,000 AGR points in my account after purchasing a $6000 ticket purchase through the AGR card, and such an point award could be possible by making one phone call, I'd make that call.


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

The Metropolitan said:


> It's understandable Thayer regarding the limit's usefulness to you in booking Amtrak travel, but seriously, have you considered the seemingly rational suggestions I've seen peppered through this thread to CALL CHASE and see if you can re-allot your CHASE credit limits so that you have more available under your AGR card?
> It makes sense to me that if I could have 12,000 AGR points in my account after purchasing a $6000 ticket purchase through the AGR card, and such an point award could be possible by making one phone call, I'd make that call.


I've already made that call, and received an answer in writing. They aren't willing to budge on the *CHASE* Amtrak Guest Rewards card's $3,500 credit limit. I'm reluctant to really press the issue, and end up screwing up the 25K limit on the other *CHASE* card by turning ugly on them.

And just for the record, while speaking with the young woman, obviously in India, an attempt was made to sell me identity theft insurance, trip insurance, and a dozen other promotions. I had to get rather unpleasant with her in order to get her to shut up. <_< Much as I'd like the AGR points, I'm going to live with the way things are. As you can tell, I'm not really pleased with the *CHASE* AGR Mastercard people. 

There is one other thing I might try in order to same some money. I'm going to call to AAA and see if they can book me a trip on Amtrak on the very first day 11 months out. If any travel agency can snag a bunch of reservations on that very first day (or maybe a few days before as has been suggested) I'm sure that AAA is one of them. It only costs me $25 to have AAA make all the reservations, and if they've snagged low bucket prices I'll be golden. There's no additional charge from that point on, including the time they got me a *full* refund for a trip I had to cancel on the day before I was supposed to start.


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## the_traveler (Mar 27, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> Our next trip will be from ROC to CHI to LAX to SEA to CHI to ROC. That'll probably run close to $6,000. Obviously I won't be able to use my *CHASE* AGR card.


Back a few years ago, my sister and her fiance were away in Asia around tax time. I filed an extension for them, but you need to pay the expected amount owed by April 15.

I paid via my United Airlines Visa - which also happened to be Chase - but I had a "low" credit line (I think like $5,000). Because I didn't have all their information, I wanted to pay too much than not enough. So I wanted to pay like $20,000 just to be sure.

I called up Chase to ask for a "temporary" increase to $26,000 (to cover my other charging). After some review (and within a few days), they increased my limit to $26,000! 

BTW - This "temporary" increase lasted as long as the "temporary" suspension of the SL-East! :lol: I ended it when I closed the account (because I didn't fly as much, and didn't want to pay the IIRC $85 fee).

So all you may have to do, as suggested, is to transfer some of your limit from your other Chase cards. Or ask that it be "temporarily" increased to like $10,000 - so you can use it on this trip!


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## amtrakwolverine (Mar 27, 2010)

The OP said chase wasn't even going to transfer a balance from another card to the AGR card their response was $3500 take it or leave it.


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## GG-1 (Mar 27, 2010)

ThayerATM said:


> It's understandable Thayer regarding the I've already made that call, and received an answer in writing. They aren't willing to budge on the *CHASE* Amtrak Guest Rewards card's $3,500 credit limit. I'm reluctant to really press the issue, and end up screwing up the 25K limit on the other *CHASE* card by turning ugly on them.


Aloha

There is another way to charge more than the credit limit. Send in a payment before so that yoyr balance is negative the account credit plus the limit is more than the charge.


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## RRrich (Mar 27, 2010)

GG-1 said:


> Aloha
> There is another way to charge more than the credit limit. Send in a payment before so that yoyr balance is negative the account credit plus the limit is more than the charge.


I think that ThayerATM has limits on the hoops he is willing jump thru. If *chase* won't be reasonable, why should he kill himseSounds right to me!lf?


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## ThayerATM (Mar 27, 2010)

RRrich said:


> GG-1 said:
> 
> 
> > Aloha
> ...


Thanks. You're exactly right. I needed that.


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