When would be the best time to apply?

purplerose

Well, as of this Wednesday coming I should be default free. :j

I plan to wait a month to allow the credit file to be updated then I'll check them all to make sure they've been removed.

Also, as of the beginning of April I start a new full time permanent job after being a student and doing temp work over the past 5 years or so.

Despite defaulting 6 years ago, I did manage to hang onto 1 credit card. I also have credit accounts with a couple of catalogue companies and a mobile phone account. All of these are in good order and at the moment I don't owe any of them any money aside from the monthly mobile phone contract.

Anyway, as I'm starting a new job; I'm going to be able to start planning my life and lots of things such as holidays, renting a flat and furnitue purchases are on the horizon. I'm thinking it would be a good idea to try to get a 0% credit card that would give me buyers protection and also allow me to spread the cost of larger purchases over a couple of months. (Just in case anyone is wondering, there is no way I'll get into a situation where I'll be defaulting ever again! After 5 years of being a student I am fantastic at budgeting So no worries about maxing it out then not being able to pay it after the 0% time ends lol).

So my question is - considering my default will have just cleared and considering I'm just about to start a new job following temping and lengthy periods of being a student and unemployment - is there a certain amount of time I should wait before applying for another card? For example, after I've been paid a few times or 6 months into the job?

Another question is - how long do credit card companies hold your information? For example, I defaulted on an MBNA and a Capital One card 6 years ago. Despite the defaults being gone from my personal file, I imagine they hold information on their customers on their own database so are they likely to still be holding that information and if so will they hold it against me if I were to apply for another card?

Many thanks to anyone who can answer these