retired and need new credit card

Vectis

I don't understand the apparent 'need' for a credit card, especially when the OP is retired and on limited income.

Rather than spend silly amounts of time searching for 0% credit deals and which one is best for you and which one will grant you credit and which one wont etc etc, then remembering to do the same all over again when they expire, just live within your means. If you want something, pay for it. Don't put off paying until tomorrow or next year. If you can't afford to buy it now, wait until you can. Or are you living beyond your means and just putting off the inevitable crisis by constantly shifting your credit around?

It almost sounds like some people are desperate for credit, no matter what their circumstances.

Ben8282

Are you sure you actually want to apply for credit at the moment and reveal just how low your income now is?
Presumably when you applied for cards in the past your income was higher and this is the income your existing credit providers have recorded about you.
If your income really is less than £100 per-week, I can't see that you will be doing very much spending on a 0% purchases card, certainly not enough to build up any significant stoozing balance.
Do any of your existing cards not offer you any balance transfer offers? You may have to pay a 3% fee but you could bt the Halifax balance and keep the money that (presumably) you have to repay it wherever it is earning interest.
It is true that not all cards ask for a minimum income. Some just specify a regular income. But these are not necessarily the cards that will give you a good 0% purchases offer.
Another problem could be the credit limit. With such a low income there will be serious concerns at your ability to repay.
My advice would be to use an existing 0% bt offer or else give up stoozing for a bit. You can't be making that much..

EachPenny

Anthorn wrote: »

Complete and utter drivel which shows that you have not read my post or you are incapable of understanding it. I reiterated the personal experience of a retired person (me) applying for credit cards and that is on-topic.

You make assumptions and apply blanket definitions without proof. How do you know that any card issuer will decline the OP based on low income? There is that "very good track record" to consider which will no doubt be reflected in the OP's "squeaky-clean" credit history. The OP has no idea at all that they will be accepted or rejected until they apply. Hence, "If in doubt, apply".

That "squeaky-clean" credit history should be enough to at least get the application referred for a further appraisal by a real person.

People who know what they are talking about will know whether what I posted is "drivel". People who don't know can simply refer to the main site (as I suggested) to see what the advice is.

I know it is likely the OP will be rejected on income grounds alone because some banks helpfully publish their minimum acceptable income as part of their smallprint and/or T&C's. However, some banks think publishing their exact minimum acceptable income figure is a little too helpful as if you say "a minimum income of £5000 is required" you will probably get lots of applications claiming an income of £5001.

A "very good track record" or "'squeaky-clean' credit history" is irrelevant if you do not meet one of the 'essential' criteria like minimum income. A "very good track record" may make it more likely you will be rejected for certain cards.

A "'squeaky-clean' credit history" will not get the application referred for a further appraisal by a real person because most banks don't seem to work that way. The 'real person' will only look at your application if you send in a written appeal, and if you've been rejected on minimum income for example then there is little prospect your appeal will have any chance of success.

EachPenny

Ben8282 wrote: »

If your income really is less than £100 per-week, I can't see that you will be doing very much spending on a 0% purchases card, certainly not enough to build up any significant stoozing balance.
...
It is true that not all cards ask for a minimum income. Some just specify a regular income.

How much someone spends and is likely to spend on a 0% card is not necessarily linked to their income - capital also plays a part in how much people spend. The OP, like me, would probably like to spend someone else's capital today, and give it back in 24 or 36 months

"Regular income" is code for "Minimum income, but we're not daft enough to tell you how much".