Author Topic: Can I apply for a second of the same credit card? (Read 7757 times)

iknownothing · « **on:** January 08, 2015, 02:42:48 PM »

Hi all! Very new Mustachian here with a simple question. My wife and I have had Chase Sapphire Preferred cards for years now, but I would like to take advantage of the 40,000 bonus points offer. Can I just apply for another one, or is that a no-no? I don't want to cancel our current cards, as I understand it helps keep my credit score higher. Any advice would be appreciated.

Yankuba · « **Reply #1 on:** January 08, 2015, 03:13:23 PM »

I would call them up - tell them you are a current card holder in good standing and you would like the promotion applied to your account. It can't hurt...

MakingSenseofCents · « **Reply #2 on:** January 08, 2015, 03:14:28 PM »

Quote from: Neil04 on January 08, 2015, 03:13:23 PM

I would call them up - tell them you are a current card holder in good standing and you would like the promotion applied to your account. It can't hurt...

I would try this. I'm not sure though what would work. I don't think you can get two of the exact same card. However, if you have a business, you might be able to.

retired? · « **Reply #3 on:** January 08, 2015, 03:16:21 PM »

I have two Chase cards....and still get their solicitations in the mail. One is Sapphire, the other is United Mileage Plus.

I don't think they have a problem. Hell, I don't even know if they look at the total credit they've extended.

I'd just apply. If you call, they might ask well, why don't you just get your current limit raised?

Gone Fishing · « **Reply #4 on:** January 08, 2015, 03:20:22 PM »

I used to sign up for as little a decent t-shirt or a subway sandwich in college. I'm pretty sure I had 2-3 of the same card at a time. The only reason I was ever turned down was too many new accounts (credit report driven not multiple cards with the same offer).

aspiringnomad · « **Reply #5 on:** January 08, 2015, 09:14:09 PM »

The answer is almost certainly no to the bonus points if you apply for another card. Somewhat less certainly no if you call, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to try.

iknownothing · « **Reply #6 on:** January 09, 2015, 07:10:39 AM »

Thanks for the responses everyone. After reading the fine print, looks like it's a no go, unless I cancel my current card first. In the offer small print, it says not available to 'current cardmembers of this consumer credit card'. So I would have to cancel our current cards then apply for a new one. I guess that's doable, but think my credit score would take a hit?

neo von retorch · « **Reply #7 on:** January 09, 2015, 09:16:28 AM »

I've had a Chase Freedom since 2007 (back then, I got ~$300 to sign up, plus they gave you $50 bonus every time you'd hit $200 in rewards.) Recently, they were giving out $200 to spend $500, and $25 to add an authorized user. I applied and was rejected (derp!) I then closed my card and applied the next day and was instantly approved.

I've actually opened two Chase cards (Freedom and Ink), two Barclay cards (one is the awesome Sallie Mae), a Citi Double Cash and an Amex Blue Cash Preferred in the past ~4 months. My credit score is down all of 12 points from a high in September/October. That will be temporary though. Six months from now, it will likely be even higher.

$600 cash and 50k miles in bonuses and now I get 5% back in almost every category.

TL;DR Probably not OPEN at the same time but you could close your current one and re-apply, depending on fine print. (Chase restricts bonuses to once every 24 months per specific card.)

madage · « **Reply #8 on:** January 09, 2015, 09:57:19 AM »

Don't cancel your current card(s). Call them and ask for a product-change to the Freedom card. It has no annual fee. Once your account has become a Freedom account, open the new Sapphire Preferred account for the bonus.

In general, the Sapphire Preferred card is really only good for the 40,000 point bonus. You don't get enough benefit to make the annual fee worth it. As an example, the Barclay Arrival+ has a lower annual fee ($89) and offers a more favorable 2.2%+ cash back on purchases when redeemed for travel expenses. There are also 2% cash back cards on all purchases with no annual fee (Citi Doublecash and FIA Amex and two that immediately come to mind).

HalfDollar · « **Reply #9 on:** January 09, 2015, 10:46:51 AM »

Quote from: So Close on January 08, 2015, 03:20:22 PM

I used to sign up for as little a decent t-shirt or a subway sandwich in college. I'm pretty sure I had 2-3 of the same card at a time. The only reason I was ever turned down was too many new accounts (credit report driven not multiple cards with the same offer).

This is great. Of course you had too many accounts. Too many decent t-shirts to pass up!

milesdividendmd · « **Reply #10 on:** January 11, 2015, 12:51:35 AM »

If you applied for your original Sapphire preferred card over two years ago, you very well might be able to get approved for another one.

The bigger question is, why not just apply for the Chase ink card instead? This is a business card with a larger sign up bonus (50k) and a lucrative five times points awarded for office supply stores, cable, and phone bills.

Scandium · « **Reply #11 on:** January 11, 2015, 08:07:39 AM »

Also ; you have two credit cards with annual fees and not that great benefits? Not very mustachian

Tired Engineer · « **Reply #12 on:** January 11, 2015, 05:06:56 PM »

If your current Sapphire card has your Social Security number and info attached to it, open the new one with your wife's SS number and info. You can also add yourself for the 5,000 point bonus. I opened my sapphire account in November last year and just opened a new Sapphire account with DW's number just this past week. And yes, I'll be canceling them both before the annual fee comes due.

GoldenStache · « **Reply #13 on:** January 12, 2015, 11:13:55 AM »

+1 to open in your your wife's name and then add you as a card holder.
Cancel your account to avoid the annual fee and reset the clock so you can wait the 2 years and sign up again.

I sign up for a new CC every 5 months or so and cancel after 10 months - get the bonus avoid the annual fee
If I know I have a trip coming up I will sign up for one of the hotel free night cards just for that reason - spend the min to get the bonus and then never use it again until I cancel after 10 months

andrea-stache · « **Reply #14 on:** January 12, 2015, 12:03:35 PM »

I got hosed on the Amex Blue because I didn't keep very good records when I first started churning. I somewhat blame them as well for sending me the flyer. If I wasn't eligible, then they shouldn't have invited me. :) Keep good records...there was another post on what to track in excel.

My question is what are other good choices? Both hubs and I have done:
Chase Marriott
Chase Sapphire
BarclayWorld
Amex Blue

and are currently working on Capital One Venture.

Is the US Air card worth it? I know some say yes...but I just can't bite the bullet and pay the $89. All the other cards have a 1-year grace period. Of course I close them all before the one year mark. US Air requires you to pay it upfront. I know I have a limited window to decide on this one given the merger. FWIW, I do have flights booked for me and my daughter on USAIR in Feb. So, it would save me $100 in checked bag fees (for paying the $89 annual fee). However, note that my travel is business travel...so technically my $50 in bag fees would have been reimbursable.

Frugal Consumerist · « **Reply #15 on:** January 12, 2015, 12:56:37 PM »

Quote from: andrea-stache on January 12, 2015, 12:03:35 PM

I got hosed on the Amex Blue because I didn't keep very good records when I first started churning. I somewhat blame them as well for sending me the flyer. If I wasn't eligible, then they shouldn't have invited me. :) Keep good records...there was another post on what to track in excel.

My question is what are other good choices? Both hubs and I have done:
Chase Marriott
Chase Sapphire
BarclayWorld
Amex Blue

and are currently working on Capital One Venture.

Is the US Air card worth it? I know some say yes...but I just can't bite the bullet and pay the $89. All the other cards have a 1-year grace period. Of course I close them all before the one year mark. US Air requires you to pay it upfront. I know I have a limited window to decide on this one given the merger. FWIW, I do have flights booked for me and my daughter on USAIR in Feb. So, it would save me $100 in checked bag fees (for paying the $89 annual fee). However, note that my travel is business travel...so technically my $50 in bag fees would have been reimbursable.

I have the card and I say yes, assuming you will be taking a USAir flight with a companion within the year. The $99 companion pass for flights that cost $250 or more covers the $89 up front fee and then you get 40,000 (I heard it may now be 50,000) miles on top of that.

I guess the real question is, could you get the same flight for free using miles/rewards from another card? If you can, then the USAir card isn't a deal.

The no spending threshold is a nice side benefit (you can put that spend on another rewards card), swipe it once and then never use it again.

milesdividendmd · « **Reply #16 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:43:22 PM »

Quote from: andrea-stache on January 12, 2015, 12:03:35 PM

I got hosed on the Amex Blue because I didn't keep very good records when I first started churning. I somewhat blame them as well for sending me the flyer. If I wasn't eligible, then they shouldn't have invited me. :) Keep good records...there was another post on what to track in excel.

My question is what are other good choices? Both hubs and I have done:
Chase Marriott
Chase Sapphire
BarclayWorld
Amex Blue

and are currently working on Capital One Venture.

Is the US Air card worth it? I know some say yes...but I just can't bite the bullet and pay the $89. All the other cards have a 1-year grace period. Of course I close them all before the one year mark. US Air requires you to pay it upfront. I know I have a limited window to decide on this one given the merger. FWIW, I do have flights booked for me and my daughter on USAIR in Feb. So, it would save me $100 in checked bag fees (for paying the $89 annual fee). However, note that my travel is business travel...so technically my $50 in bag fees would have been reimbursable.

Citi American, MC, visa, business, citi Hilton
Chase ink, fairmont, Hilton, BA, IHG, SWA,business and personal.
Barclays USAir (yes!), world arrival
U.S. bank club Carlisle,
AMEX, SPG business and personal. Business gold, .....

No shortage of wonderful cards out there...

milesdividendmd · « **Reply #17 on:** January 12, 2015, 01:51:31 PM »

Quote from: andrea-stache on January 12, 2015, 12:03:35 PM

I got hosed on the Amex Blue because I didn't keep very good records when I first started churning. I somewhat blame them as well for sending me the flyer. If I wasn't eligible, then they shouldn't have invited me. :) Keep good records...there was another post on what to track in excel.

My question is what are other good choices? Both hubs and I have done:
Chase Marriott
Chase Sapphire
BarclayWorld
Amex Blue

and are currently working on Capital One Venture.

Is the US Air card worth it? I know some say yes...but I just can't bite the bullet and pay the $89. All the other cards have a 1-year grace period. Of course I close them all before the one year mark. US Air requires you to pay it upfront. I know I have a limited window to decide on this one given the merger. FWIW, I do have flights booked for me and my daughter on USAIR in Feb. So, it would save me $100 in checked bag fees (for paying the $89 annual fee). However, note that my travel is business travel...so technically my $50 in bag fees would have been reimbursable.

Citi American, MC, visa, business, citi Hilton
Chase ink, fairmont, Hilton, BA, IHG, SWA,business and personal.
Barclays USAir (yes!), world arrival
U.S. bank club Carlisle,
AMEX, SPG business and personal. Business gold, .....

No shortage of wonderful cards out there...

iknownothing · « **Reply #18 on:** January 13, 2015, 07:47:39 AM »

Thanks for all the replies and discussion, lots of good information. Our original Sapphire is under my wife's name with me as a co-signer, so looks like I could apply for my own to get the bonus. It does have an annual fee (waived the first year) and only one point per dollar on most purchases (dining is 2). The real advantage of the Sapphire is that the points are transferable to a whole bunch of partners to make them go further. We have accumulated quite a few by now, so we have lots of options. My first task is to get my wife to the Paris marathon with the least amount of points possible, working on that now. But I am actually holding off on another Sapphire card for now. We also have a Chase Freedom card, which earns 5 points per dollar in certain categories each quarter up to $1500, and we try to max that out as well. You can transfer points between cards, I wonder if I can transfer our Freedom points to Sapphire points, if they would then transfer to all the Sapphire partners?

But right now, I'm working on another travel angle. I just applied for both of the Southwest cards (with 50,000 point bonus each) to work up to the free companion pass. I have a couple of big purchases coming up that will help get me there. If you can make the minimum spends on these 2, it seems like a great way to save on travel.

Most have probably seen this already, but here is a great site for CC reward travel: www.richmondsavers.com/

GoldenStache · « **Reply #19 on:** January 13, 2015, 08:12:54 AM »

If you are trying to get your wife to Paris (France not Texas) you should sign up for the United Card in her name and the Sapphire in your name. Get the 50K miles from United and 40K from Sapphire - transfer those to united and book the flight (probably 90-120K) miles to Paris and get the free baggage to boot. If you have points on your other Sapphire Card you can transfer those as well to make up the difference or spend more money and earn them.

Sapphire is the only card that I have found that allows free transfer to other people's memberships for free. (Your Sapphire points can go to the wife's United acct for free.)

andrea-stache · « **Reply #20 on:** January 13, 2015, 09:08:43 AM »

CapitalOne allows points transfers for free to others accounts as well. I transfer points back and forth with my husband all the time.

GoldenStache · « **Reply #21 on:** January 13, 2015, 10:12:43 AM »

@Andrea

Can you transfer from Capitalone to United or does it have to stay within Capitalone?

andrea-stache · « **Reply #22 on:** January 13, 2015, 10:23:49 AM »

I've successfully transferred from my own Capital One Gold to my new Capital One Venture. I've also done transfers between me and my husband.

They really are No Hassle!

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Author Topic: Can I apply for a second of the same credit card? (Read 7757 times)