HELP - Just been accepted by Virgin for BT but turned down by HSBC for purchases!!!

jemclajess

Hi, I really hope someone can help me but I have had my first refusal and don't know who to apply for next???!!!
I work part time in a supermarket and have 3 kids and have over the last few years had (and silly of me - not cancelled!!) a few different 0% credit cards which I have always used for balance transfers and purchases (and equal 0% interest terms for both) and just transfer any remaining balance to a new 0% card at the end of the term and have not been turned down so far.
Unfortunately I have had (and still open with no balance) all the best cards going - Capital One, Halifax, GE Money, Barclays, Bank of Scotland, American Express (Nectar) and Marks & Spencers. My latest card the Ulster Bank runs out of the 0% interest this month and hence I applied for first a Virgin card for my balance transfer debt (and only debt) from my Ulster card of £900.00 and then applied for the HSBC 0% purchases for 12 months but have just received a letter turning me down. I was very disappointed with this as I have banked (along with my husband) with the HSBC for 20 years and have two accounts aswell as a mortgage (and never overdrawn) but my husband does have a 'gold card' with them in which I am an additional card holder but I never use so I was wondering if this could be a reason for being turned down.
I am now now worried that I have run out of cards to apply for for my 0%purchases and don't want to risk being turned down again. I know it is always recommended to never spend on a BT card but what would happen if I spent on the Virgin card which is due any day now and has 0% purchases for 3 months? Would any payments I make on this card pay the BT or the purhcases balance I always pay over the minimum?
Could anyone advise me at all before I make any mistakes and recommend any new 0% credit cards I can try (that I haven't already had/got)
I'm really sorry for the long post!!

jonesMUFCforever

The credit card companies can see your total limits on all of these cards and decided you have enough spending power or they have worked out what you are doing and have decided you will not make them enough money.

I would close down most of your obsolete cards keeping one as an emergency. Don't keep applying all over the place as this will make things worse.

Scousebird_2

I was a bit silly and I accidentally used my virgin card for two purchases at xmas (I was a bit drunk buying my darlings pressies and used the wrong bloody mastercard)

The purchases are always the last to be paid-the BT gets cleared first unfortunately so please don's make my mistake due to the interest charges!

Volcane

I think to be safe everybody should lock their balance transfer card away and have it guarded by a fierce dragon (the OH in my case) to stop temptation!

jemclajess

Many thanks for all your advice.
I have got the week off work (kids on Easter holidays!!) and I shall try and put it on my 'to do' list and close my other cards and as pointed out on here not spend on my new Virgin Balance Transfer card. By the way do you know if the BT fee for Virgin will be counted as a 'purchase' or just added to the amount I transfered from my Ulster card - I think they told me on the phone when I activated it but I was on my way out to work and in a hurry and can't remember what they said!!!
Anybody know of any other 0% purchases cards I can apply for - although I will only apply for one as recommended and hope this one accepts me. Otherwise I shall just have to use one of my other 'open' cards for spending and just always pay of the balance in full (not easy in my case sometimes when I have a 17 year old daughter always asking me to put concert tickets on my card for her and her friends and paying me back in bits!!!!)
TIA

NickX

jemclajess wrote: »

By the way do you know if the BT fee for Virgin will be counted as a 'purchase' or just added to the amount I transfered from my Ulster card

Virgin will collect your BT fee as part of the 1st minimum repayment. For this reason your first payment will be more than all the rest. I think after the first payment you will only have to pay £25 per month.:j

CannyJock

jemclajess wrote: »

Anybody know of any other 0% purchases cards I can apply for

I've got the HSBC 0% purchase card, all running smoothly and got a decent 5K limit on it despite a full stoozing deck of other cards.

Full list of cards at: http://www.stoozing.com/purchases.htm

Moggles_2

Originally Posted by CannyJock
I've got the HSBC 0% purchase card, all running smoothly and got a decent 5K limit on it despite a full stoozing deck of other cards.

The OP applied for the HSBC card and was turned down.

Moggles_2

Originally Posted by jemclajess
Anybody know of any other 0% purchases cards I can apply for?

I can recommend the Halifax Purchase card.

Clearly, you would have to close your current card first. This is feasible because Halifax is one of the handful of lenders who treat former cardholders as new customers a month or so after an account is closed down.

Btw, it's advisable to check your credit reports before you apply to make absolutely certain the old card is closed and marked "settled"

MrGreen

Moggles wrote: »

I can recommend the Halifax Purchase card.

Clearly, you would have to close your current card first. This is feasible because Halifax is one of the handful of lenders who treat former cardholders as new customers a month or so after an account is closed down.

Btw, it's advisable to check your credit reports before you apply to make absolutely certain the old card is closed and marked "settled"

I would also recommend the Halifax, as your 0% purchases card.

It was a while ago Halifax allowed me to close Halifax Credit card and open a Halifax One card account at the same time, At the time I was trying to transfer my balance to 0% and did it via Egg or MBNA.

The Halifax One card currently has 0% for 9 months on purchases.
The Halifax Plus card currently has 0% for 6 months on purchases.
The Halifax credit card currently has 0% for 6 months on purchases.

jemclajess

MrGreen wrote: »

I would also recommend the Halifax, as your 0% purchases card.

It was a while ago Halifax allowed me to close Halifax Credit card and open a Halifax One card account at the same time, At the time I was trying to transfer my balance to 0% and did it via Egg or MBNA.

The Halifax One card currently has 0% for 9 months on purchases.
The Halifax Plus card currently has 0% for 6 months on purchases.
The Halifax credit card currently has 0% for 6 months on purchases.

:j Thanks for that - I have just checked my cards and realised my Halifax card is a Halifax One card and I keep getting letters from them giving me good rates to transfer a balance to them. As I have now just transfered my balance on my Ulster bank card to my new Virgin card which arrived today then I'm not sure the Halifax would be keen for me to take out another card without a Balance transfer.
Do you know how long I should wait if I close my account tomorrow before applying for another card with the Halifax and how I can get a 'credit report' to check it is closed?

TIA