Credit limit - what can I get?

[Helloguvnor]

House is in desperate need of new windows throughout. Had a few quotes and we're looking at about £8,000. I've got the money to pay for them outright, but would rather spread the cost on a 0% credit card. Credit score is excellent, but is it possible to get this sort of credit on a 0% card? I've been on MSE but it doesn't give any indication of how much credit you'd likely be granted. Don't really want to start making applications and negatively affecting my credit score if it's a non-starter.

I juggle balances between a few 0% credit cards that I’ve had for ages and it’s worked well. They increase my credit limit from time to time because I’m religious about paying on time and reducing balances when I can pay off a lump sum. However, in my experience I think they initially give a low credit limit to see how you’ll manage the account. I’m talking maybe £1,000 or so. I think you’re unlikely to get £8,000 straight off the bat, but maybe others will come along and say they’ve had higher limits initially.

I think the MSE site lets you do a ‘soft search’ which gives an idea of how successful you’ll be and what limit you might get without affecting your credit score, so it would be worth trying that first. Also it would be worth reading through the MSE forums on 0% cards to see what other people’s experiences have been.

I got about £5k on a Sainsbury's card with 17m 0% about a year ago. It was no increase for 6m and they've since increased to £6,500 and just increased again to £7,900 both without me asking them to.

Initially I got it to make interest on the amounts I was spending anyway, but then used it for a major purchase that I had the funds for, and will pay it off before the introductory rate expires.

I did have to split the spend, as it was more than the £5k credit limit, but the company I was paying was quite happy to put it through on 2 cards.

It depends on your income, disposable income after mortgage, childcare, any other credit and what credit you've had up to now.

I've also juggled 0% credit for years, to profit off the interest and have limits of £10-15k.

But if you don't have much credit history you'll likely have to work your way up from a lower amount. DP got £2k as a limit on his first ever credit card a couple of years ago.

But have you checked if window companies take credit cards, because often they don't.

If you use the MSE eligibility calculator or the Money Supermarket one, at least one of them asks them what limit you would like so you can see what you can get.

But if you get a money purchase card and the window place doesn't take credit cards you can spread the cost by putting all your other spending (groceries, petrol, day to day spending) on the card so you can keep your savings and have the same effect of spreading the cost of the windows.

I got 3K on Lloyds a few months ago (asked for 3K though) with 0% for 18 months. Hoping to increase next month. It was a really quick and easy process and the app is great.

Barclay are gave me £6500.

Can you pay for the windows by credit card? Most smaller tradespeople only accept bank transfers. We had this issue recently with a few bits that needed doing - couldn't pay by card and there were no sufficiently large 0% cash advances by credit card, so ended up taking out a small loan over 30 months.