Please advise BT low% / High Limit Card for friend..

[slow_but_eventual]

Ok (exhales) I'm VERY jealous of the FICOs but I think they're good enough for a great BT card, and need some help because I don't know what to advise for scores like these w/about 36k annual inc. & No mortgage, & a paid/obsolete auto installment. He's only got revolving accts active, 0 installments.

 

Credit summary

 

EQUIFAX FICO 697

6 accts total, 2 "active"

10+/- years history

0 collections

0 charge-offs

 

BofA:

Opened 12/2000

1 30 day late July 2005

$1001 due/ limit: $2000

 

Cap1:

Opened 10/1998

0 lates

$1703 due/ limit $2000

 

AMEX:

Opened 10/2000

DOLA: 12/2006

Credit Limit/High Credit $55

0 lates

 

Wells Fargo

Opened 1/1997

Credit Limit $500

0 Lates

 

Ford Credit

Opened 2/2000

DOLA 1/2006

"pays account as agreed"

30 days late: 9/2005, 10/2005, 6/2004, 2/2004

7 yr. payment history: 30 days late (9) 60 days late (0)

 

5 accounts, not active

AMEX, Wells Fargo, HSBC, Ford Credit (obs. auto loan/paid off)

 

==================

Experian FICO: 707

0 INQs

6 accts total, 2 "active"

10+/- years history

 

BofA:

Credit limit: $2000

High Credit: $2194

1 30 days late 7/2005

 

Ford Credit (joint auto-loan)

paid account/was 60 days past due on 4/2001

30 days late 10/2005, 9/2005, 8/2004, 5/2004, 2/2004

total 30 days late: 13; 1 60 days late 4/2001

 

Wells Fargo:

Credit Line (started as "secured", no longer secured, but still reported as secured)

Credit Limit $500

High Credit $544

Open: 1/1997

Balance: $18.

0 lates

 

HSBC

Credit Limit $1000

High Credit $500

last payment date 5/1999 (inactive)

0 lates

Balance $0

 

AMEX ("just the green one" he says)

Credit Limit $?

High Credit: $55

Date Open: 10/2000

Last payment Date: 12/2006

Balance: $0

0 lates

 

Capital One

Date Open 10/1998

Credit Limit $2000

Balance: $1703

0 lates

 

5 accounts, not active

AMEX, Wells Fargo, HSBC, Ford Credit (obs. auto loan/paid off)

0 collections

0 charge-offs

 

=================

TRANSUNION FICO 696

(wells fargo is reporting same acct. twice on this , weird)

 

Wells Fargo:

Opened 1/1997

Balance: $0

lates: 0

Credit Limit $500

High Credit $544

 

BofA

Credit Limit: $2000

High Credit: $2194

Balance: $1001

Opened 1/2000

Lates: 1

1 30 day late in 7/2005

 

Capital One:

Credit Limit: $2000

High Credit $1706

Opened: 10/1998

0 lates

 

AMEX ("just the green one" he says)

Credit Limit $?

High Credit: $55

Date Open: 10/2000

Last payment Date: 12/2006

Balance: $0

0 lates

 

Ford Credit:

Opened 2/2006

DOLA 12/2005

Current Status: "Paid or paying as agreed"

30-days late (7): 12/2001, 3/2002, 4/2003, 2/2004, 5/2004, 9/2005, 10/2005

60-days late (0)

 

HSBC:

Opened: 11/1998

DOLA: 5/1999

Credit Limit $1000

High Credit $500

0 lates

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I just told him he better use the AMEX for something before they close it due to inactivity. He gets offers from AMEX (blue/clear/etc.) & Discover & Home Depot $4000 (wow!) that I would faint if I got... and finally talked him into checking FICO and get a balance transfer because the interest rates he's paying on the 2 cards he's got balances on are high 20% (like 29% cap 1!!!).

 

We're (ok, I've talked him into) looking for a BT card with low interest rate, something he doesn't already have, perhaps this nice 0% for life Discover offer(?) There are so many cards/types I'm asking for ideas from others with these 690-700 FICOs

 

The one thing that concerns me (after reading CB for months now) is that he doesn't have "high limits" so wondering if that's going to limit him on a "high limit" credit card that he can use to transfer his high balances (about $2700 total) to?

 

I'd love ideas for this, i've finally got him realizing high interest is rediculous for him to have to pay w/FICOs like his.