Do you ask to waive annual fees for cards before or after you are charged for it?

Only after it has been charged. To increase your chances of waiver, always pay your bills on time and in full.

At the end of they still wouldn't budge, just cancel the card haha. Make sure whatever miles /points/cashback you have stored in previously are transferred out first before you cancel!

Ask for the waiver after it has been charged, many credit card companies these days utilise an automated system to request for waiver so it has to be charged first theoretically speaking.

To prevent myself from forgetting when to make my credit cards monthly due fees and end up having to pay late fees, I always opt for the giro option, saves me the hassle of having to remember when to always pay for my bills!

AFTER.

its going to be a headache keeping a calendar reminder to ask for waiver before the fees come.

Once its up, just call their hotline and they usually offer a shortcut in their hotline, press X for fee waivers. Do it, and the phone call ends and you almost always get your waiver! (Unless you have outstanding debt, and then they will refuse to waive, because they know you have no choice but to pay)

It needs to be charged before it can be waived :)

Take note that banks like UOB may deduct your uni$ as annual fee charge, so do check your uni$ diligently and make sure to call in to waive if this happens.