Chase upgrade

"Jack Myers" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@n6wuz.net:

I've been having difficulties with Chase since August. First they wanted $9.95/mo for Quyicken use (Direct connect, I believe), for which I had to demand refunds twice. Then they cut me off from Direct connect with the message "user not authorized to use this application". Now webconnect has repeated hiccups forcing me to clear the online connect status and redo the stuff, which doesn't always hold. I have checking, savings, an Amazon Visa, and a Freedom Visa that should work with direct or web connect, plus retirement and HELOC accounts that have never done so.

I had a similar letter from them. Although I no longer have it and can't quote it, I believe it said there would be an outage for two or three days.

Strange. I've gotten DD updates from Chase twice today, never received the letter.... I have a mortgage and three rewards CCs with Chase. Fortunately they've not tried to charge me for direct downloads to Quicken.

Regards,

Margaret

The outage period isn't for a couple of weeks. Sorry, I don't remember the exact days.

Chase's email: We're writing to let you know we're planning to enhance Chase OnlineSM. Starting at 11:00 PM ET Friday November 11th to around 11:00 AM ET Sunday November 13th you will be unable to access your accounts using Quicken®, QuickBooks® or other personal financial management (PFM) software.

Thanks for posting the e-mail, as I'm also a Chase customer and never received it.

Gee - not that it's any of my business, but what possible reason Margaret do you have three of the same kind of cards from the same FI? I've heard of having two VISAs, for example, but from different FIs in case one is down. But 3 from the same one?????

I think the key word is "rewards". While Chase is the issuer for all three, they each generate different rewards.

I have a Chase card, which gives me 1% to 3% back on purchases. I recently added the AARP card which is also from Chase. They made me an offer that I couldn't refuse... 5% back for 6 months. I've already gotten $600.00 back from them. (I had a big car repair expense.) I'll gladly fill in a form for $600.00.

If my wife gets the same offer in a few more months, we'll get another one. Heck, they don't cost anything. They don't take up much room in the safe after we stop using it. And, we make a few bucks on each one. They also provide a credit cushion if things ever go bad.

Uncal Bob >>>> or three days.

I don't remember getting an email like that, but the website often enough has statements as to unavailability of account info for periods of time like that, usually indeed during the night from Sat to Sundays.

I have 6 credit cards from Chase.

Thanks. At the time it struck me as odd that an outage period was not well defined with a specific end date. The letter is long gone, but that quote is certainly clear enough. Sorry to trouble you all.

Must do wonders for your credit score! I saw one person's explanation on why it is good to have so many so that your minimum payments are less (!). No wonder there's a problem with people's finances in this country

OK - here are the rules. Two credit cards at the most , and only because the first might fail it helps to go to a second. From a different FI at the minimum, and two different types if possible (ie: one Master Card, the other VISA). Pay off the balance each month. And get the ones with the cheapest interest rate and the longest grace period AND one that does not have any chargebacks (typically the lowest interest rates ones).

(Full disclosure: I break my last rule, however, for mine. I like my free hotel points that actually are subsidized by others who don't follow the previous set of rules. But the rule stands if everyone followed it!)

FICO (300-850): Eq 816, Ex 823, TUWm 825 Credit Sesame (300-850): Ex 826 GEMB (150-950): Eq 872 Equifax (280-850): Eq 820, Ex 789, TU 796 PLUS (330-830): Eq 795, Ex 774, TU 786 Vantage (501-990): Eq ?, Ex 990, TU 951 Quizzle (350-850): Ex 788 TU TransRisk (300-850): TU 785

Andrew,

I have exactly two credit cards, do almost exactly as you do, and the last FICO score I saw from Experian was an almost perfect 837 out of 860.

BUT my recent VantageScore from Experian was only 874 out of 990 (risk grade B). My score got lowered because

I didn't have any recently opened credit accounts or loans, I didn't have any real estate loans, I didn't have any retail revolving accounts, My total available credit was too low.

Some credit scores seem to focus more on the expected profitability of your account than on your creditworthiness. So you probably need to clarify what credit score you're talking about when you state your rules.

Jerry

Chase CashPlus Visa 5% Groceries Chase Freedom 5% Restaurants Citi Forward Visa 5% Amazon.com Discover 5% Restaurants, Department Stores Discover Business 5% Office Supplies Fort Knox Visa 5% Gasoline Lowe?s 5% Lowe?s PenFed Visa 5% Gasoline REI Visa 5% REI

Bank of America 3/2/1 Visa 3% Gas, 2% Groceries, 1% everything else Chase Amazon Visa Signature 3% Amazon Chase Business Amazon Visa 3% Amazon Citi Business MasterCard 3% Office Supplies Citi Business Visa 3% Office Supplies Citi Professional MasterCard 3% Restaurants, Gas, Office Supplies

Alliant CU Visa 2% on everything till end of year FIA Visa 2% on everything (discontinued as of 10/31/2011) Fidelity AmEx 2% on everything

British Airways Visa Signature 1.25% on everything Capital One Visa Signature 1.25% on everything

LLBean Visa Free Monogramming

What do you carry in your other pants pocket(s) to keep you from listing to one side?

I only carry 8 with me ;-)

I don't envy your Executor when the Big Day comes!!!