captialone vs mbna mastercard

[gazix]

Seems that every year or two, I'm switching to a different mastercard. How am I suppose to get a higher credit limit if I keep doing this :)

I have the bmo 0.5% cashback card now. Thinking about moving to the captialone platinum cash back card or mbna premierrewards. Is it just me or is that mbna card so damn ugly it hurts?

Or I could just pay the $50/year with my current card to get the 1%, but would have to start really spending insane amounts of money to balance it out according to the official fee vs no fee calculator :) Only purpose in upgrading to the fee based is that it has roadside assistance (1 tow, 1 gas can, 1 something else I think per year). But wondering what are the odds I would need this? Pretty sure it's less expensive than getting caa membership though.

[gman]

Why switch? Just get an extra card.

[boyoflondon]

I really fail to see your 'interesting' way of thinking ...

Who cares what the card looks like? I had the MBNA PRP before I converted and there was nothing really "ugly" about this card. It wasn't "OMG WOW", but it did the job ... earned 1% CB without an annual fee.

Go get the MBNA Smart Cash and forget about the card looks ....

[gazix]

Why would I need a second mastercard? Someone had said I should have one for online and one for offline. The issue is that I don't buy online very often. I never carry a balance
The only reason I have a visa card (put $3 a month to avoid cancellation) is that I need it and an rsp from royal bank to get free banking. Also it's nice to have a backup card just in case.

The ugly card was just a comment, it obviously wouldn't have an effect on the decision.

side note: I think I was up too late reading last night. Was getting mixed up between the premium cashback and the smart cash card. I read that this one gets 3% off groceries and gas, 1 % on everything else. But since they don't advertise it, you have to either be a member or call them to sign up. Went to the website anyway and was going to sign up for the 1% only card :) Assuming I can get it (not making 30 k a year), do they send you a brochure of what grocery and gas bars apply or does it matter since they all do?

[gman]

Why would I need a second mastercard? Someone had said I should have one for online and one for offline. The issue is that I don't buy online very often. I never carry a balance
The only reason I have a visa card (put $3 a month to avoid cancellation) is that I need it and an rsp from royal bank to get free banking. Also it's nice to have a backup card just in case.


There are many reasons to have multiple mastercard, visa and Amex. I have 3 Amex, 1 Visa (used to be 3) and N mastercard (I lose count of that). All of them are no fee. But, I am not going into detail of the reasons. BTW, you already mentioned it is nice to have a backup card. I just have bakcup of backup of backup of backup of backup. No, I don't carry all the cards with me.

And, you don't need to put $3 a month to avoid cancellation of your Visa. I had 2 Royal bank visa. It took them about 10 years of inactivity (and many renew cards in between) to send me letters telling me they would cancel them if I kept them idle. I did not care about them because I did not use them, no reward and many other better cards to maintain my credit history.

The point is you don't need to get one and then cancel the older one. If you don't want to use the old one, you can just put into a safe and not to use it.

[Corvillus]

Get the Smart Cash. Even if you don't get approved for it immediately, you probably will be approved for some preferred card. If this happens, activate it when it arrives, and have it converted to the Smart Cash in the same call. Only difference in the latter case is you may have to give up the 1.99% for 10 months, but honestly, you probably aren't going to use the card for BT anyway.

[gazix]

Don't have the income level of $35k/year (more like 20k), so applied anyway. Phoned to see if I could get application transfered to the shoppers card (doesn't say min balance), but have to cancel the one and re-apply. So told them I was transfering because I don't have the income level is why. Said they review application via credit rating and other things. So I asked if I could apply for a student card, and they said you have to be a student. Guess I;ll prob just wait to see what happens. When get declined, see if I can somehow scam them into giving me a student card. Maybe tell them that I thought the student card was for pple who didn't have a high enough income? Or just re-apply online and assume they don't need proof a being a student?

[liquidzyklon]

side note: I think I was up too late reading last night. Was getting mixed up between the premium cashback and the smart cash card. I read that this one gets 3% off groceries and gas, 1 % on everything else. But since they don't advertise it, you have to either be a member or call them to sign up. Went to the website anyway and was going to sign up for the 1% only card :) Assuming I can get it (not making 30 k a year), do they send you a brochure of what grocery and gas bars apply or does it matter since they all do?All of your MBNA's Smart Cash Card Info (http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/showthread.php?t=722828)

[gazix]

Damn, no wally world, safeway, giant tiger? I guess still get 1% cash back though. Will have to factor that into the safe prices when purchasing at these stores :)

How long does it usually take to find out if I have been denied for the mbna card? Although I do have a line of credit (never unused) and a car loan....