How can I get a Citi Custom Cash Card cash advance?

You need a credit score of at least 700 for a Citi credit card in most cases. That means applicants for Citi credit cards need at least good credit to be approved. But it really depends on which card you’re after. Some Citi credit cards require higher scores, and one accepts applicants with limited credit history.… read full answer

Below, you can see what Citi cards your credit score will allow you to pursue, along with other information about approval.

Citi credit score requirements:

• Limited History: For those with little or no credit history, the Citi Secured is a good option. A refundable security deposit of $200 is required. It doesn’t give any rewards, but it does offer a $0 annual fee and can help you rebuild your credit.
• Fair credit (640-699): With fair credit, you have a good shot at getting one of Citi’s various store cards. These cards can only be used at their associated store. Some examples of store cards issued by Citi that require at least fair credit are Office Depot Credit Card, Best Buy® Store Card and Goodyear Credit Card.
• Good credit (700-749): Good credit opens you up to some of Citi’s more attractive credit card offerings. You can get one of the best cashback cards on the market - Citi Double Cash Card - if you have at least good credit. Other cards that require at least good include Citi Simplicity Card, Citi Diamond Preferred and the Citi Rewards+ Card. And if you’re a frequent American Airlines flyer, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® also requires at least good credit while offering 2 miles / $1 spent at gas stations and restaurants and on America Airlines purchases (1 mile / $1 on all other purchases).
• Excellent credit (750 and up): You’ll be eligible for all of Citi’s cards with a score in this range, assuming your income and other information check out. But the only excellent-credit-only option is the Costco Credit Card (cash back oriented, offering 1 - 4% cash back on different spending categories).
• Other requirements: It takes more than just a good enough credit score to get Citi credit card approval. In particular, you need enough income to pay the monthly bills, along with your existing debts. You’ll also need a valid Social Security number (or ITIN) and U.S. mailing address.

If you’re not sure which Citi credit card you’ll be able to qualify for, it’s easy to get pre-qualified for a credit card online. Citi might also send a pre-qualified credit card offer to potential customers. But while this increases your chances for approval, it does not guarantee it. If you have received such an offer, visit Citi’s web page and enter your invitation code and last name to apply.

Also, keep in mind that applying for a Citi or any other credit card triggers hard inquiries and can temporarily lower your score - the more inquiries over a short period of time, the more damage to your score. So it’s best to know where you stand before applying for any credit card. You can check your credit score and track your progress for free, right here on WalletHub.

To do a Citibank cash advance, you can either withdraw funds from an ATM or visit a local Citibank branch and ask the teller for a cash advance. For ATM transactions, you will need to request a 4-digit PIN from Citi customer service if you did not receive one after being approved for an account.… read full answer

It’s also worth noting that a Citibank credit card cash advance limit is different for everyone. You can view that information on your statement, online or by calling the number you see on the back of your card.

Here’s why you should avoid Citibank cash advances:

Cash advances are expensive, so it’s best to avoid them whenever possible. That’s true with all credit card companies, and Citibank is no exception. Citi’s cash advance fee is 5% (min $10). There may be additional bank fees if you withdraw cash from an ATM. There’s also a separate APR for cash advances. It’s typically higher than the card’s regular APR.

The Citibank cash advance APR can be as high as 29.49% (V), depending on the card and your creditworthiness. Cash advances accumulate daily interest from the time you make the transaction, with no grace period. New interest is added on top of any existing interest charges each day.

So, it’s best to pay off your Citibank cash advance as soon as you can, or better yet, just stay away from cash advances altogether.

You only need one credit card for good credit because simply having an open credit card account is the most efficient way to build and maintain a good (or even excellent) credit score. But the actual number of credit cards you have doesn’t make up a huge part of your credit score – roughly 5%-10%. The … read full answermore important factors are your payment history, the total amount of your debts, and the total of your credit limits.

As a result, having fewer credit cards that you use responsibly is better than having more cards yet worse performance. But if you have multiple credit cards and use them all responsibly, by paying your bills in full by the due date every month and not maxing out your credit limits, then having multiple credit cards will absolutely help promote good credit.

Here’s how that works: Multiple credit cards means more total credit. More total credit gives you a bit more leeway with your credit utilization (the amount of credit you’re using vs. the amount extended to you). Utilization – overall and of each credit account separately – makes up about 20% of your credit score, so it’s best to keep that number low. And simply paying your bill on-time makes up about 35%-40% of a good credit score. The more on-time payments you have on your credit report, the better it is for your credit score.

If you’re planning on getting multiple credit cards to boost your credit score, it’s worth considering that the age of your credit accounts makes up roughly 15% of your score. Credit age matters because a longer credit history means you have more experience with credit in general, and lenders have more information to assess when determining your creditworthiness. If you add a few new cards to your history, your score may take a hit because your average credit age will get younger.