Applying for the First Direct 1st account - should I also take out the credit card?

finance-boy

Hi. First Direct have just sent me the application form for their 1st account (I'm only opening it to get the welcome bonus), but they've also included an application form for their credit card, which comes with a 0% BT rate for 15 months.

Now, I don't have any credit card rates coming to an end in the near future (just transferred £2000 to my Virgin card for 8 months (3% fee) in an existing customer deal - not looking such a good deal now), so I don't know whether to apply for this one...

Can I apply for their credit card *after* opening the account? Isn't their 0% introductory rate only available to new customers? Would the bank account and credit card applications require separate credit checks?

What to do???

splatt30

I've had a first direct account for 2 years and have just now taken on their credit card because the deal was so good and my virgin bt was ending. Since I've been with them they have always had an introductory offer for new credit card customers but it has varied. If I were you I'd wait til your current offer is ending then apply, I suspect if it's not an idential FD offer then it'll be similar. (PS was the most painless cc application ever!!)

Fairzo

I'm intending to do as Splatt suggests. I've had a 1st account since Feb and will apply for the CC at the end of the year when an existing deal is coming to an end.

finance-boy

Thanks for your input, guys. I think I will wait after all. It's just instinct, I suppose - I see a good BT rate on offer and I must have it. But it'd be pretty silly considering that I don't actually need it.

MrGreen

I agree with others apply when your current deal is finishing. I think I'm on my third credit card with First direct. It has been a really easy application process when I have applied, though when you do have a card they won't let you apply for another even if your going to transfer a balance from another competitor card. I've got a gold card and they won't allow me to apply for a credit (not gold) card, I'll be closing it soon and applying later in the year if I need to.

Also they only let you do the balance transfers in the first 2 months of opening your account.

preable

Just wait for yourdeal to finish