Aqua credit cards - avoid!!

samtoby

I have improving credit and Aqua sent me an invite to apply saying I had been per approved and then declined me!

Maestro.

Aqua gave me the same excuse when I applied and I'm willing to bet they didn't even search experian for me, as it was literally instant.

23rdian

Got one of these, £1600 credit limit which I'm pleased with.

Only thing I've noticed is sporadic declines when using it, worth having a backup card with this one...

izools

suiko wrote: »

I also have perfect credit, and I got accepted. And to cap it all, they have point-blanked refused to increase my limit from £500 a month until at least a year has passed - so it hardly seems like they are encouraging people to spend recklessly!

Yeah I was given a paltry limit, too, however they do accept faster payments so what I do is spend up to my limit and repay the full balance several times in a billing cycle.

As long as you don't make any purchases that take you over your limit before faster-paymenting them a repayment you can spend as much as you want in a month.

Also, they will review your credit limit after 4-6 months. Whoever advised you 12 months is incorrect.

Littlepants_2

Deleted_User wrote: »

I hope you don't mind me asking, Stuart_W, but why would you have to stop using your Aqua Card after spending £3,333 and - about the year 2 - is the 3% only for two years and is that why you'll stop using it? Or does the 3% stop once you have spent £3,333 on the card?

I'm just curious. Thank you.

Crimson

I got an aqua card, no problem. I have a perfect credit rating as well, and always pay off my credit cards in full. I too stop using it after spending £3333 in a year, because that has earned the maximum cashback for that year. I then use another card with rewards (which are less than the 3% offered by Aqua). I'll revert to using the aqua card again when the next year starts.

And incidentally I have found their customer service superb - British call centre, straight through, and no messing at all.

Anthorn

welshmike wrote: »

I think that you will find that the Santander 123 credit card does NOT offer a better deal as far as cashback % is concerned.
From http://products.santander.co.uk/creditcards/the123creditcard.html
1% cashback on your supermarket shopping
2% cashback at your favourite department stores
3% cashback when you fill up at major petrol stations

I have the Santander card and the upfront charge is £24 per year.

Looks like you rather conveniently failed to mention cashback with the 123 current account as opposed to the 123 credit card on Direct Debits for things like telephone, mobile phone, broadband, water bills, council tax, gas, electricity, etc. Not only that but the Aqua Rewards are limited to £100 per year and the Santander 123 cashback is unlimited. Probably a 123 credit card combined with a 123 current account provides a level of cashback which is not available elsewhere.

Personally I don't see the point of busting my butt for £100 a year: I'm not that poor.

Anyway back to the topic of the discussion. For everyone who has been declined for an Aqua card, sad 2 b u. Someone get them a whaa burger and french cries. I was approved instantly online this morning for an Aqua Advance CC

aleph_0

Anthorn wrote: »

Looks like you rather conveniently failed to mention cashback with the 123 current account as opposed to the 123 credit card on Direct Debits for things like telephone, mobile phone, broadband, water bills, council tax, gas, electricity, etc. Not only that but the Aqua Rewards are limited to £100 per year and the Santander 123 cashback is unlimited. Probably a 123 credit card combined with a 123 current account provides a level of cashback which is not available elsewhere.

Personally I don't see the point of busting my butt for £100 a year: I'm not that poor.

Anyway back to the topic of the discussion. For everyone who has been declined for an Aqua card, sad 2 b u. Someone get them a whaa burger and french cries. I was approved instantly online this morning for an Aqua Advance CC

Um, what? We were discussing credit cards. The 123 current account is good for bill payments, this is true. It's also true I like chips. You were talking about the 123 card.

The 123 Credit Card isn't unlimited. In particular, the 3% rate is only on a monthly spending of £300 per month, i.e. £108 cashback per year on Petrol/Rail/TfL. Minus the £24 annual fee. The 123 card wins if you spend lots in department stores, I guess. Or you want to only have one card. Otherwise Aqua+Creation (1.5% on petrol and supermarkets) is a far better deal).

Anthorn

aleph_0 wrote: »

Um, what? We were discussing credit cards. The 123 current account is good for bill payments, this is true. It's also true I like chips. You were talking about the 123 card.

The 123 Credit Card isn't unlimited. In particular, the 3% rate is only on a monthly spending of £300 per month, i.e. £108 cashback per year on Petrol/Rail/TfL. Minus the £24 annual fee. The 123 card wins if you spend lots in department stores, I guess. Or you want to only have one card. Otherwise Aqua+Creation (1.5% on petrol and supermarkets) is a far better deal).

But still relevant to the overall discussion on cashback. As far as I can see for the card alone, only the 3% rate is limited to £300. On the 2% rate for stores for example it's not limited at all.

dtaylor84

Anthorn wrote: »

Looks like you rather conveniently failed to mention cashback with the 123 current account as opposed to the 123 credit card on Direct Debits for things like telephone, mobile phone, broadband, water bills, council tax, gas, electricity, etc. Not only that but the Aqua Rewards are limited to £100 per year and the Santander 123 cashback is unlimited. Probably a 123 credit card combined with a 123 current account provides a level of cashback which is not available elsewhere.

Well, no. A 123 current account combined with an aqua reward card can provide a better level of cashback, depending on what you spend on the eligible categories.

Personally I don't see the point of busting my butt for £100 a year: I'm not that poor.

EDIT: just noticed your signature says you have a Vanquis card @39.94% "mostly fully paid off every statement"? You seem to be too poor to be worrying about cashback offers at all! Maybe you should start with budgeting...

Anyway back to the topic of the discussion. For everyone who has been declined for an Aqua card, sad 2 b u. Someone get them a whaa burger and french cries. I was approved instantly online this morning for an Aqua Advance CC

Good for you. Is there any need to be so unpleasant?

Anthorn

dtaylor84 wrote: »

EDIT: just noticed your signature says you have a Vanquis card @39.94% "mostly fully paid off every statement"? You seem to be too poor to be worrying about cashback offers at all! Maybe you should start with budgeting...

Cheap shot but at least I've come clean which is more than I can say about you. And the Aqua Rewards card is also sub-prime unless I'm missing something.