Should I Dump my Aqua and Get Something Better
Voltron
Forumite 45 Posts
As always when making posts here, a quick summary will probably be the best!
Last year I applied for the Halifax Clarity and got declined. I then found the calculator on here that told me I had 0% chance of passing, and I was mad with myself for wasting a credit check. I applied to Aqua and got their card without a problem, and while it's been great for spending outside of the UK on, the 34% APR isn't too hot.
I know why the Clarity was declined - a £25 default on my account that was 5 1/2 years old at the time made me look bad, but as of the end of January that has finally been cleared and the soft calc here gives me 90% for most cards now. Such a good feeling. Despite the previously crappy credit, I was able to secure loans with my bank that were all paid off completely, have the usual mobile phone and other utilities against my name with 0 problems. I'm pretty happy with how things are looking on there now, I'd like to think I look appealing to most companies now.
So the question is... do I keep my current, admittedly fairly crappy card, or move on to something better? I don't earn a great sum, but I also don't live beyond my means so the credit card is useful to me for rewards and use out of the country. If I got a 0% 12/18 month etc card I probably wouldn't use it for that, but I'm in the US and Europe enough times a year that getting hit by the fees on my RBS Visa Debit is a no-no. The Clarity seems the best of the bunch for travelling, as well as having a much better APR than the Aqua, even if it doesn't have any other bonuses.
I have 5 searches against my name since start of 2013. 4 were in 2014, and 1 of those was an anti money laundering thing from a betting website which i presume is super common. Not sure I want another check against my name if I don't get anything out of it, especially if they take a few years to clear away.
I'm thinking, apply for Clarity and hopefully get accepted now (original attempt was 29th September), dump the Aqua card then in another 6-10 months apply for a good 0% card for future use. Good plan or am I missing a flashing red light? Thanks!
e: Crap, posted in the CC bonuses subforum by mistake, meant to be in general CC.
Last year I applied for the Halifax Clarity and got declined. I then found the calculator on here that told me I had 0% chance of passing, and I was mad with myself for wasting a credit check. I applied to Aqua and got their card without a problem, and while it's been great for spending outside of the UK on, the 34% APR isn't too hot.
I know why the Clarity was declined - a £25 default on my account that was 5 1/2 years old at the time made me look bad, but as of the end of January that has finally been cleared and the soft calc here gives me 90% for most cards now. Such a good feeling. Despite the previously crappy credit, I was able to secure loans with my bank that were all paid off completely, have the usual mobile phone and other utilities against my name with 0 problems. I'm pretty happy with how things are looking on there now, I'd like to think I look appealing to most companies now.
So the question is... do I keep my current, admittedly fairly crappy card, or move on to something better? I don't earn a great sum, but I also don't live beyond my means so the credit card is useful to me for rewards and use out of the country. If I got a 0% 12/18 month etc card I probably wouldn't use it for that, but I'm in the US and Europe enough times a year that getting hit by the fees on my RBS Visa Debit is a no-no. The Clarity seems the best of the bunch for travelling, as well as having a much better APR than the Aqua, even if it doesn't have any other bonuses.
I have 5 searches against my name since start of 2013. 4 were in 2014, and 1 of those was an anti money laundering thing from a betting website which i presume is super common. Not sure I want another check against my name if I don't get anything out of it, especially if they take a few years to clear away.
I'm thinking, apply for Clarity and hopefully get accepted now (original attempt was 29th September), dump the Aqua card then in another 6-10 months apply for a good 0% card for future use. Good plan or am I missing a flashing red light? Thanks!
e: Crap, posted in the CC bonuses subforum by mistake, meant to be in general CC.
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