Seeking advice: How to proceed with balance transfer card
For context, I have a lot to learn in real time about personal finance. I have a high balance on my Citi credit card and wanted to move the balance to a 0% APR card where it could sit without accruing interest while I pay it off with a specific new added income stream (Tutoring).
I incorrectly thought (and was ill-advised by a bot, Claude, which is another lesson learned) that the new balance transfer card should be from the same bank I am already a longtime customer of, where I have this existing debt. So I applied for the Citi Diamond Preferred card and was approved. Only to realize Citi will not allow balance transfer from other Citi cards, making it actually the total opposite of what I thought. I haven't done anything with this newly approved card yet; this all happened within the last hour.
Now my question is the smartest way to proceed. Do I close the Citi Diamond Preferred and open a new bank account at a different bank, then apply for a balance transfer card there and proceed as I intended? Will that damage my credit score, which is already fragile (it's "good")?
Also, I'll be traveling out of the country for the next week, if that affects my ability to open a new account. I leave tonight.
Thanks so much, all.