I opened an NFCU account a little over a week ago; I have a $2,000 direct deposit and $5,000 in savings. Last night, I noticed a pre-approval offer for the unsecured CashRewards credit card. I applied and was told to wait 24–48 hours; today, I found out I was approved—which was a huge surprise—though the credit limit is the minimum $500. The card offers a $250 cash bonus for spending $2,500 within 90 days, but I don't know how to meet that requirement given the low limit; there's no way I can spend that much over three months. If I call them and set up a $5,000 secured loan, would that prompt them to increase my credit limit?

Last December, I opened an account at a TD Bank branch in Philadelphia. I was told that if I set up a direct deposit of $2,500 and kept $10,000 in a savings account for three months, I would receive a $500 bonus. However, after fulfilling these requirements, I still haven't received the bonus. I contacted customer service and learned that the branch had applied an offer—originally mailed to someone else—to my new account, which disqualified me from receiving the bonus I was entitled to. What steps can I take to get them to pay me?

I know I can apply for a secured credit card, but I’m worried it won't be upgradable to an unsecured version later, which could affect my ability to apply for other cards (specifically Chase's 5/24 rule). I’m aiming for the unsecured CashRewards Plus or CashRewards card. Is there any way to strengthen my relationship with NFCU? I currently have a $2,000 direct deposit, and I’m planning to take out a $1,500 secured loan with them—would that help build the relationship? Could anyone share how long it took to get approved for an NFCU credit card after opening an account (especially if starting with poor credit or just beginning to build credit)? Thanks. My current credit history: An HSBC credit card (authorized user)—primary card limit of $12,500; held for one year. A Chase credit card (authorized user)—primary card limit of $5,600; held for five months. A CreditStrong loan—started one month ago. A "Mine" credit-building loan—opened in March; the company went out of business in May.