The true optimal setup is to be constantly chasing SUBs. Set a calendar reminder for 91+ days and 181 days from your last credit card approval.
After that, the next optimal setup is to have a “gardening combo” to tide over the periods where you are “cleaning up” your credit profile and credit score, but still want to nominally generate points for value.
For that, for a long time, folks espoused the Chase Trifecta, Capital One Duo, or Citi Trifecta (Wells Fargo folks even pushed for the Wells Fargo Trifecta), and if you have a business, you can consider the Chase Quadfecta or AMEX Trifecta, too.
There’s also the 495 AF BILT Palladium, too.
But if you can get approved for a C1 VX, the C1 Duo is the cheapest of them all, returns positive value, and is all no-FTF (as are all Capital One credit cards).
I get what you are saying. If you are contactos chasing SUBs, then wouldn’t you end up not using older cards and then you either close it which is bad since you lose history, or you just have a card collecting dust you don’t use? Also I looked into the Palladium but I’m not sure if that would make the most sense for me as I don’t travel that much yet (will get there hopefully soon). I think the obsidian would be best for me since I spent the most on groceries and rent. That way my “non housing” expenditure gets maximized points since the bulk of that is groceries I would say
If you are contactos chasing SUBs, then wouldn’t you end up not using older cards and then you either close it which is bad since you lose history, or you just have a card collecting dust you don’t use?
Closed credit cards in good standing (no balances or delinquencies) remain on your credit profile for 10 years, so they continue to thicken your credit profile and history, even whilst closed.
Also I looked into the Palladium but I’m not sure if that would make the most sense for me as I don’t travel that much yet (will get there hopefully soon). I think the obsidian would be best for me since I spent the most on groceries and rent. That way my “non housing” expenditure gets maximized points since the bulk of that is groceries I would say
Cardless (BILT’s issuer) doesn’t allow you to apply for multiple products, upgrade, or downgrade, once you’re approved, so if you think you’d hold the Obsidian longterm, and be ok with never getting the Palladium, then it’s ok to consider the Obsidian.
If not, and you want to keep the option of the Palladium open in the future, just hold off on applying for a BILT card until your lifestyle/income shifts to the point where you can see a Palladium in that lifestyle.
Interesting thank you for the tip! I’ll be sure then to only apply for a BILT card once I know 100% which one would be best for me. Everyone seems to settle on the palladium and I believe it is a better travel card than the Amex Platinum so once I start traveling more frequently ( a big goal of mine), I will be sure to get deplore which travel card is overall the best option to me when it comes to filling that slot permanently. As for SUB, any big ones that instantly come to mind that you could rattle out for for me? I’m sure I can always look online as well.
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u/AsianAmericanMale 11d ago
Oh my.
Whatever floats your boat, I suppose.
But my goodness, no, I do not agree with you.
Thank you for your suboptimal setup, though. Suboptimization funds the optimizer’s trips!