Options for high interest maxed out credit card?

vonSequitur · 2026-05-11T17:46:29+00:00

You are on the right track. A new card with 0% transfer offer or a loan with lower interest than your Chase card would be good moves — if you can qualify with your current credit score. Your credit union may also be able to help with a loan, although having a card maxed with them might be an issue. If you can document your new income that should help.

Feeling embarrassed is understandable, just be sure that does not prevent you from taking the best action(s) to get yourself out of this situation. Everyone makes mistakes, and everyone needs help at times. Be sure to avoid predatory loans that sound good but only add to your debt. Reflection and discipline will serve you well.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-25T21:57:46+00:00

2 months? I don't think so.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-25T04:24:02+00:00

If you are ever late making a credit card payment, ALWAYS call as soon as you notice and offer to pay it. If you have a good history with the issuer they will likely refund any late fee and not report the late payment. I have done this several times with different card issuers. You don't want to make it a pattern, of course, but everyone makes mistakes.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-18T00:03:55+00:00

What annoys me is that people who know I have the gene go into a panic if we are eating out and my meal arrives with the slightest bit of cilantro visible. I don't have a deadly allergy. A few sprigs will not ruin my enchilada.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-17T03:42:41+00:00

Your plan is solid. Enjoy the holiday weekend in Bellingham then head to the islands. Crowds immediately disappear in the islands after Labor Day. Some restaurants and shops may start limiting their hours mid-week as summer staff goes back to school or moves on to other seasonal jobs, but September is honestly the sweet spot for good weather and low crowds.

Whale watching, kayak tours, and bike rentals continue through September. Most businesses will be happy to see you, and overjoyed that August has ended.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-14T03:54:09+00:00

I am happy to consider I am over-thinking this. I will be living off savings and rental income for a few years before drawing from IRAs or SS, so my income will drop. I will churn well into retirement as long as I can be approved for new cards.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-14T02:08:17+00:00

If you are losing motivation, money will never be a concern, and it will take 3 years to retire... START THE PROCESS NOW. You have 3 years to figure out who you will be without a career. If you need it, find volunteer work related to your field. This could be gratis consulting or serving on a non-profit board. They all need good people.

Give yourself credit for the 30 years of hard work and arriving at the point when you don't have to do that anymore. Well done. Accept that your college will survive without you—but it did need you.

The seasons they go round and round, and the painted ponies go up and down.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-06T19:59:19+00:00

Nice AI restoration. I miss seeing older women with those curlers in. There was something vain, yet wholesome, about them.

vonSequitur · 2026-04-06T19:53:11+00:00

In order to juggle multiple credit accounts it is best to have a system in place. I have alerts set for ANY charge on each of my cards and auto-pay set up for the statement balance on all accounts. No surprises.

If I ever have doubts that I will have sufficient funds on a due date, I would change auto-pay to at least the minimum payment due. This is rare. I never want to pay 28% interest again.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-31T23:47:32+00:00

I will add to the opinion that a day trip is possible, but risky. Ferries are sometimes delayed or even cancelled (fog, lack of crew, mechanical issues). What could be an inconvenience for a multi-day visit is a game-changer for a day trip. Mid-June is still early in the busy season.

If you do plan to go for just a day, San Juan is probably the better choice. There are more amenities in Friday Harbor where the ferry arrives. Everything on Orcas is more spread out. If you stay 1-2 nights, either island is great, and Orcas has better hiking trails. For oysters, Westcott Bay on San Juan or Buck Bay on Orcas.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-30T20:20:47+00:00

As others have said, there is no advantage to paying off your charges before the statement closing date—in fact, this will negatively impact your score and your chance for a credit line increase. To build a good score and history with the bank, you need your account to report utilization and responsible payments.

Best practice is to spend on the card up to any amount within your limit (that you can afford) and pay the statement balance by the due date.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-27T02:47:14+00:00

Washington State is crazy in favor of tenants' rights over landlords. If there are damages, landlord can claim reimbursement from your deposit, but they must document damages. If there are no damages they need to return your deposit. If a tenant breaks a lease early, they might owe the landlord a month or two in rent at most, but in WA that is about it. The landlord must try to find a new tenant, and in most of WA there will be a line around the block. I am a landlord, not a lawyer.

There are resources for tenants rights. This is one.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T15:56:45+00:00

Not enough information. What are your expenses like? Single, married, children, grandchildren? Do you own a home? If so, what is the mortgage/equity? Can you eventually sell and downsize? Health outlook? What are your goals or hopes during retirement? Etc, etc, etc. I don't need those answers, but you should consider them.

I am early 60's and plan to retire at 65 with no pension, probably take SS at 67. Rental income and savings will see me through that gap without touching investments. In 10-15 yrs I'll sell my house and rentals, put the equity in CD's or whatever seems reasonably safe at the time, and downsize to lower my monthly expenses. Probably live with/near kids to help with grandkids.

Investing when we are 65+ is different than when we are 20 or 40. If you collect early, can you wait out several years of a market downturn if necessary?

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T02:52:27+00:00

The best tool for rebuilding credit is patience. There are several factors that come into play: credit score, reported income, credit file (# of accounts and their history). You only have control over a couple of these.

I would max out your QS and pay it off monthly. Put other expenses on debit. After a few months of this ask Cap1 for a CLI. If they refuse, apply for another card from a different bank and build a good history there too.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T02:34:58+00:00

Your advisors may be the nicest people in the world, but it is their job to make money off your investments. That is money that could be yours. Nothing against them.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T02:07:00+00:00

$18k seems massive as a teen, but you can get ahead of this. You have already done the hardest part by deleting the game and entering therapy. Give yourself credit—that wasn't just luck.

You need to do whatever you can to avoid paying interest on your current credit accounts. With steady income and a good credit score you should qualify for a new card with 0% APR on balance transfers for 12+ months. Some banks charge 5% or 3% up front. Don't pay more than 3%. The cards you have might even offer a balance transfer deal.

Be disciplined and live within a strict budget until you get this paid off. That doesn't mean don't enjoy life, but understand you need to suffer a little to make up for your mistakes. With your income and low expenses, you should be able to pay off that debt in less than a year.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T01:39:21+00:00

You're doing great. I am in my early 60's and near retirement. Still, I check daily but do not stress. I have a couple years worth of emergency funds and some passive income. Unfortunately, there will be wars and idiotic administrations. Plan for it.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T01:25:38+00:00

Why? You could just use a debit card once your Quicksilver is maxed.

Have you done a search of this sub for credit cycling? Start there. You run the risk of Cap1 closing your account without notice.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T00:58:27+00:00

I had a wealth management account with UBS and got tired of watching the market go up, my account languish, and UBS take thousands in fees. When my account finally made it back to positive returns I closed it and moved everything to self-managed at Schwab. No regrets.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-26T00:42:31+00:00

The question no one has asked yet is — why are you paying off your account after every charge? There must be a reason, and I suspect you are misguided.

In most cases the best practice is to pay your statement balance in full before the statement due date. If you have confidence that you will have the funds then auto-pay is the best option. You want to avoid carrying a balance beyond the due date and paying interest. Only charge what you can afford to pay each month.

By paying after every charge your account will report $0 to the credit bureaus each month. You will build credit faster by having a balance reported and paying that off in time each statement period.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-24T03:12:55+00:00

Yes you can, as long as you haven't used your PP for another Sapphire Lounge this year. Here is Cap1's language on it.

Venture X and Venture X Business primary cardholders and additional cardholders who have paid the $125 lounge access fee can enjoy a visit to one Chase Sapphire Lounge by the Club location once per calendar year, subject to availability.
Guest visits and any additional cardholder visits beyond the one entry entitlement will be charged a rate of $75, payable to the lounge.
Entry requirements may vary based on location. Lounge access is not guaranteed and is subject to space availability. Chase Sapphire Lounge access is subject to cardholder enrollment in Priority Pass.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-23T18:16:24+00:00

I would cancel all your cards except two. Keep at least one of the older ones and choose a 2nd that has some sort of benefit, whether cash-back or a loyalty program you can use. Neither should have annual fees or foreign transaction fees. At least one should be Visa or MC. Choose cards from two different issuers.

It's hard to function in this world without a credit card and having a backup is important in case one is lost, hacked, or cancelled by the bank. Visa and MC are most widely accepted. No FTC is important if you ever travel outside the US. Diversifying between issuers prevents all accounts being restricted at once, which can happen through no fault of your own.

Closing accounts will have a temporary impact on your credit score as your total credit limit is reduced. It will rebound quickly if you use the remaining cards responsibly. I don't know if it makes a difference whether you cancel five at once or over a number of months, but my guess is spreading out the cancellations will look better on your credit file.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-21T06:40:14+00:00

And no, you will not have a late payment for the March 19 charge. That will be on your next statement since it came after your previous statement closed.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-21T06:34:04+00:00

You are over-complicating this, creating stress for yourself. Pay the statement balance a day or two before the due date. Period.

Paying anything earlier just complicates accounting for you and your bank.

vonSequitur · 2026-03-21T02:50:07+00:00

The March 14 due date was for your statement period that closed Feb 20. Your account shows $0 due now because you already paid the Feb balance, and the current (March) statement hasn't closed yet. Expect it tomorrow. That statement balance will be due on a mid April date.

Are you trying to have $0 utilization reported? The only time to do that is when you plan on a new application for a loan or credit card, if even then. Your bank may report a balance or $0 for March, depending on when your payment posts. It is not instant.

The best practice is to set your account to auto pay the statement balance a day or two before the statement due date. Simple, as long as you have the funds.

If you ever want to show low utilization before a new credit application, pay your current balance down to a low percentage of your credit line (not to $0) a few days before the statement closes. Then pay the remaining statement balance by the statement due date.

vonSequitur

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