Attention: Wusses

I get a lot of emails that start the same way:

“Hey MileNerd, I love your blog. I really want to start doing this, but I’m worried about messing up my credit…blah blah blah”

Lets be honest, your credit score doesn’t matter to me. I get nothing from you applying for credit cards. I made tons of miles doing it, I shared tips with loved ones, and other cool people started reading. But I am annoyed by your worries. Instead of assuming terrible things will happen to your credit, wouldn’t it make sense to ask someone with experience? Most of us have a very limited credit education. It’s mostly based on fear from incorrect facts. Personally, I’d feel silly if my worrying was based on nothing.

So, I’ll be the first one to answer this question for you. I was a wuss too. But, to give you an idea, here’s a list of credit cards I’ve had since January 2011:

  • American Airlines (closed)
  • United Airlines (closed)
  • US Air (closed)
  • US Air debit card (closed)
  • Hilton Amex (no annual fee, so no need to close)
  • Continental Airlines (closed)
  • Virgin Atlantic (downgraded to a no-fee card)
  • Capital One (closed)
  • American Express Premier (closed)
  • British Air (closed)
  • American Airlines business card (closed)
  • Starwood (closed)
  • Alaska Air (closed)
  • Citibank Hilton (no annual fee, so no need to close)
  • Bank of America Hawaiian Air (closed)
  • Bank of Hawaii Hawaiian Air (closed)
  • Choice hotel (no annual fee, so no need to close)
  • Citi Thank You (downgraded to a no-fee card)
  • American Express Business Gold Rewards (closed)
  • Marriott
  • Southwest
  • B of A Hawaiian Air for the 2nd time
  • B of H Hawaiian Air for the 2nd time
  • US Air for the 2nd time
  • Ritz Carlton
  • Delta
  • American Airlines again
  • Alaska Air for the 2nd time
  • Starwood business card
  • Hyatt
  • Virgin America
I must be in credit hell, right? I’ve had 30 credit cards since last year…I apply for a new batch every 3 months…I close accounts before the 1-year mark…I was denied 4 or 5 times along the way…AHHH, MAKE IT STOP!!
Actually, my credit is fine. I started out at around 770, and it moves between 735 and 785. If your score sucks, then fix your credit. If you can’t pay cards off every month, then fix your financial maturity. If you’re getting a mortgage, wait until the loan funds. But if you don’t want to do it because it hurts your credit score, talk to a few people and ask instead of assuming.
Oh, and my biggest pet peeve of all. If it “seems like too much work” to have a spreadsheet, to close credit cards, to open new ones…then pull out a calculator immediately. When your miles save you $20,000 on a trip, calculate how many hours you’d have to spend at work to save up an extra 20k.End of rant.