cc advice please

sosheadset

Hi,

Everytime I fill out credit card eligibility checkers, they always tell me I have a low chance of getting decent cards. I've even applied for two (both apps were well spaced) and got declined for both. The only ones I seem to have a shot with is are the sub prime ones. I don't really understand why since I haven't missed or paid late for the last four years. I haven't got any CCJs nor a bankruptcy and I'm on the ER. I don't have many searches on my rating report either.

I have the following cards.

Vanquis - my oldest card (credit limit: £3000 | outstanding: £0)
Aqua Advance (credit limit: £1200 | outstanding: £0)
Halifax - an old student credit card (credit limit: £500 | outstanding: £0)
Capital One (credit limit: £1000 | outstanding: £26)
Barclaycard (credit limit: £4000 | outstanding: £2700)

I don't use the Vanquis, Aqua and Halifax anymore. I'm just waiting for the residual interest to come and go before I close all three of them.

The Capital One is the cashback card which I do all my usual spending on and I pay that back in full every month.

And the Barclaycard is the 18 month 0% BT card. I've got 12 months to go and I'm paying off a good chunk each month

Any ideas on what I should do? Ideally, I would love to limit myself to just two cards. I wanted to go for the Santander 123 one but got a big fat REJECTED in response

Thank you x

YorkshireBoy

Have you checked your credit files recently (with all 3 agencies)?

Do you have any financial associations?

What's your income/employment status?

sosheadset

YorkshireBoy wrote: »

Have you checked your credit files recently (with all 3 agencies)?

Do you have any financial associations?

What's your income/employment status?

Yup, checked all three. Everything seems fine. I'm not financially associated with anyone.

I'm employed F/T and I earn £18500 p/a.

pacontracting

Probably relatively low earning compared to current credit limits. May be worth closing some of the older cards down.

Also, your age, home ownership status, whether you are on electoral role etc will all play a part.

sosheadset

pacontracting wrote: »

Probably relatively low earning compared to current credit limits. May be worth closing some of the older cards down.

Also, your age, home ownership status, whether you are on electoral role etc will all play a part.

Ah, thank you. I may try again once I've closed the Vanquis, Aqua and Halifax cards. It may be because I have too much credit available? I last applied in February. So I'll wait until the above 3 cards register as settled on my credit report before applying again.

I'm 23, I rent at the moment and I'm on the ER.

giblet10

Plenty of cards out there..and you'll score a good one eventually.

Have you tried HSBC? They were surprisingly generous with me and fairly soon after my IVA ended too (got First Direct Visa Standard and Gold, John Lewis and M&S - all with good limits too).

Or, how about your own bank?

sosheadset

giblet10 wrote: »

Plenty of cards out there..and you'll score a good one eventually.

Have you tried HSBC? They were surprisingly generous with me and fairly soon after my IVA ended too (got First Direct Visa Standard and Gold, John Lewis and M&S - all with good limits too).

Or, how about your own bank?

I tried HSBC a week ago and didn't get through. They're my bank and I also work for them. The latter, being all the more reason to get a credit card with them seeing as I'll get a lower APR due to being staff.

I'll close all my unused credit cards, pay off a good chunk (at least 3/4) of my Barclaycard and try again in 4 months or so. Hopefully, I'll have better luck!

Thanks for the suggestions!