What counts as household income?

ceh209

Hi there, I've recently started my first job after university and wanted to apply for a better credit card than the student one I've got with a limit of £500. I only use it for emergencies and to build up a credit rating, pay off everything each month, and wanted a card which will give me cashback or rewards or something.

I was looking at the nectar CC from Amex, but it says you must have a household income of over £30,000. My personal income isn't that much, but I live in a shared house with one other and our combined income is much higher than that. However the Amex website seems to imply that household income only includes your partner/spouse's income, and the guy I live with definitely isn't that!!

Does anyone know for sure? I don't want to apply for a card that there's no chance I'll get.

binaryuniverse

I'd only include income that is affiliated with you - like as you say, a partner.
Personally, if you're not going to using the card much, I feel that sort of reward card will not give any sort of real gain. Perhaps something like the Tesco Clubcard Credit card might be more useful?

ceh209

Hmmm yeah I thought that might be the case, it doesn't make it clear though as I would count the two of us as my 'household'. Amex know exactly what I earn aswell as I have to have a corporate card with them!

I'll have a look at the tesco one you suggested, I do have a clubcard anyway but don't tend to shop at tesco so never really get any clubcard rewards.

binaryuniverse

Thats the beauty of the Clubcard Credit card. You don't have to shop at Tescos to get points. It's 1 point per £4. Whilst not amazing, it's probably a much better deal than a cashback card especially if you take up the offers tesco send that effectively quadruple your points.

ceh209

And i just got declined for it, great. No reason given.

I'm off to Natwest to see if they'll change my rubbish student credit card into a proper one then.