'CC Auto Pilot': Automated transactions to manufacture credit history

[bada_bing]

Not directly applicable to the OP, but I've had a lack of trust for autopay in the past.

I don't pay close enough attention to payment dates and a missed autopay would be

a real negative. In the past I had my CC accounts setup for both a Billpay (push) payment

from my checking account for the minimum payment and also an autopay (pull) payment

for the account balance (PIF). My thinking was the redundant payments would make total

failure and a late recorded on my account history nearly impossible. 

I've never had the autopay function at each of my CC issuers fail and now I only use their

autopay. I've used Amex, USAA, BoA, Chase, Barclays, Citi, and Cap1 and can vouch for

their reliability.

The only drawback for a set and forget strategy is the payment account always needs to be

adequately funded. That's okay with my plan, but a lot of people run their finances differently,

where that can be an issue. 

[pdxmike]

So even though it's not necessary, I could have peace of mind with this redundancy:

- January 1: Automated $25 CC charge, creating $25 balance.

- January 5: CC statement cuts with $25 balance (or possibly an unplanned higher balance).

- January 10: Automated $25 direct deposit from bank to CC satisfies minimum payment and, if everything goes according to plan, pays the balance in full.

- January 30: Automated CC PIF on due date will pull $0 from bank if direct deposit has already gone according to plan, but will otherwise pull any remaining balance.

That may be what I do.