An Update on Our US Bank Flexperks Visa Applications (Plus Lessons Learned)

Well, the dust has finally settled on both of our US Bank FlexPerks Visa applications. I wrote about this offer last month, and said that I went ahead and applied due to all the reasons mentioned in the post.

Both apps went to pending status and it took a long time to finally hear about the status from US Bank. Drum roll, please… My application was denied due to me having too many credit inquiries. My husband’s app, on the other hand, was approved.

The anatomy of applications

We have a similar number of inquiries. As in, we switch credit cards constantly, though my husband doesn’t handle that part, he just uses whatever I give him. I don’t follow any particular schedule and simply apply when I find the offer where the “juice” is worth the squeeze, at least for my family’s situation. Basically, we meet the spend and immediately get a new card, and so on.

At the time of application he had two credit cards: US Bank Cash Plus and US Bank Club Carlson Visa Signature. I went ahead and canceled the last one, just in case. Club Carlson points aren’t that valuable to me, though I still think you can get great value  if you use them strategically. 

Anyway, US Bank can be stingy with giving out new credit, so I wanted to play it safe. Bye bye Club Carlson and thanks for the memories! You and my husband  had a beautiful affair, there is nothing to regret. I only had one card: Club Carlson Visa Signature, so I didn’t think it was necessary to cancel it. Besides, I just got in on  US Bank checking account promo, and needed at least one active credit card in order to get maintenance  fees waived on a monthly basis.

But first, there was a matter of applying for Chase Sapphire Reserve. I did’t want to touch Flexperks offer till I scratched my CSR itch. As I wrote few weeks ago, I was pre-approved for it in branch, so went ahead and applied for Chase Sapphire Reserve and got it. My husband didn’t have pre-approval in his profile, so I didn’t bother trying.

OK, now it was time to apply for Flexperks offer (X 2). And both went to pending status. Few weeks later I finally got my denial letter. I actually wasn’t going to call reconsideration line. I’ve dealt with US Bank before and usually when they say No, they mean it.

But my contributor Nancy has convinced me to give it a shot. She said that her husband’s app went to pending status. He called US Bank and  was told that he was automatically denied by the system but they would forward it to someone in underwriting for a manual review. Lo and behold, his shiny new Flexperks card showed up in the mail a week later.

So, I called the number 1(800) 947-1444. After a very, very, very long wait I finally got a credit analyst on the phone. He looked at my application and said there is nothing he can do. I thanked him politely, hung up and decided to cut my losses. I figured the same thing would happen to my husband’s application, but few days later I saw Flexperks card in his online profile. Score!

Why the opposite results?

It’s impossible to say. I thought perhaps Chase pulled TransUnion for CSR application, but when I checked my free credit report, that wasn’t the case.  US Bank is known to pull TransUnion in Florida, so I wasn’t surprised to see it listed there. You can click this link on CreditBoards site and check results for your state.

To be honest, I don’t pay much attention to what bank pulls which credit bureau. I simply apply when an offer is calling my name and hope for the best. You won’t know unless you try, and I definitely didn’t want the increased Flexperks deal to slip away without me at least giving it a shot.

It’s possible that my husband was approved due to having longer history with US Bank. I also use his US Bank Cash Plus card on a regular basis, albeit for 5% categories. I can’t imagine why US Bank would want him as a customer, but it does.

Is  my denial due to me being a woman? Anything is possible.

Image courtesy of vectorolie at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

 I’m kidding, people! I just got a kick out of this retro stock photo image. I would NOT want to cross that fierce Amazonian woman. Look at those broad shoulders and super long fingers. Wonder Woman who?

The lessons

I did wonder if maybe it was unwise to apply for offers that only gave me $200 in cash (made earlier this year). Would skipping those change my outcome with US Bank Flexperks offer? It’s impossible to say. Which is why I don’t plan to change the way I do things. Yes, it’s a good idea to have a certain threshold when it comes to sign-up bonuses.

That said, if I need cash, I’ll settle for as little as $200, especially if at the moment I have plenty of miles and hotel points. Obviously, I try to shoot for more lucrative offers, something in the neighborhood of $300, but free money is free money.

With all the current negative developments in the miles and points hobby, it’s key to be adaptable and keep your eyes on the prize. What is the prize? For me it’s traveling with as little out-of-pocket cost as possible.

At times, it may mean staying in a fancy hotel via credit card bonus certificates via Chase Hyatt Signature Visa. Other times, it might be using $200 from the sign-up bonus to cover costs associated with airport parking. Sure, the latter is way less sexy, but not any less important.

Click here to view various credit cards and available sign-up bonuses