Last year, Chase pulled the Ink Bold from their list of available cards (remember that card?). They said it had to do with their business direction and that, basically, it was time to go. In reality, it was not a huge surprise as the Ink Bold and Ink Plus are fairly redundant – in fact, they share all of the same card features and bonuses.
The Chase Ink Bold Is Changing – Finally
Difference Between Ink Bold And Ink Plus
The difference between the cards had been that the Ink Plus is a credit card (payments could be made over time and their was a fixed credit line) and the Ink Bold was a charge card (payments were due in full each month and the credit line was more fluid).
For credit card point enthusiasts, having two different card products that offered the same points and benefits was fantastic! You know how often people explained to reps that they “needed” the other card because they wanted the flexibility of being able to pay over time? Trust me – I know that had been used a lot! 🙂
No New Ink Bolds
As of November 2014, the Chase Ink Bold was no longer being issued. For those who still had the Ink Bold (like I do), nothing actually changed. My card still works fine and still has the charge card features. That is changing at the end of August. Chase sent out notice, starting last month, that they are making the Chase Ink Bold more “flexible” by moving it to be more of a credit card product. That means that you can pay it over time instead of getting a penalty if you have not paid it on the due date.
Here is what Chase sent out in their notices:
What’s changing as of August 31, 2015
- You can continue to pay your balance in full each month, but you’ll now have the option to pay new balances over time. Choosing to pay over time will result in interest charges. You will pay no interest charges on purchases if you continue to pay your balance in full every month by the due date and time.
- Instead of a flexible spending limit, your account will have a stated credit access line, which you will see on chase.com beginning August 31 and on your September monthly statement.
What These Changes Mean
Even though it is better to not carry a balance, it is certainly nice to know that it is an option now with the changes with the Ink Bold. The bad part is going to be the stated credit access line. Many people may not have known this, but the Ink Bold still had a credit line of sorts. It was an unpublished amount (but you could ask) but it existed. The good part had been that it was flexible and fluid. If you had to spend more than that amount, it could shift up to accommodate your purchases.
To lose that flexible spending limit will be more limiting to those who took advantage of it. But, the changes are coming and will be here at the end of the month.
