Getting credit cards closed due to inactivity

[CreditSnob]

I know the common advice is to use your sockdrawered cards once every 6 months or year to keep the CC company from closing your account due to inactivity.  My question is:  do the CC companies issue you a warning (ie. "We will close your account in 2 months if no charges are put on the card") before actually closing it?  

[djc1puno]

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@CreditSnob wrote:

I know the common advice is to use your sockdrawered cards once every 6 months or year to keep the CC company from closing your account due to inactivity.  My question is:  do the CC companies issue you a warning (ie. "We will close your account in 2 months if no charges are put on the card") before actually closing it?  

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some ccs do give you a warning, but the best bet would be to charge something on it every few months

[myjourney]

NO warning whatsoever just BAM closed 

And I always say every 3-4 months to be safe 

[MMB85]

My Discover was inactive for over 3 years and didn't have a single problem. Called them up one day, upgraded to the Discover-IT and they boosted from CL from $500 to $5,000

[p-]

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@CreditSnob wrote:

I know the common advice is to use your sockdrawered cards once every 6 months or year to keep the CC company from closing your account due to inactivity.  My question is:  do the CC companies issue you a warning (ie. "We will close your account in 2 months if no charges are put on the card") before actually closing it?  

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For me, when I SD a card I typically add a normal recurring bill to it, like the gym fee, or dish.  Then I am still looking at the account each month and have activity showing.  That makes it easier to get CLI later, or PC to something you really want.  But I'm sticking with my 5 cards only, and instead of adding new ones just doing everything I can to improve and upgrade what I have.

[longtimelurker]

Right both happen: no warning and some warning (although this is very rare).  And as MMB85 suggests, sometimes the period allowed is very big, I've also had more than 3 years.

Another question is whether you should care.  I'm in the camp for closing unused cards.   If it really is sock-drawed because it is of no value, close it.

[MMB85]

What are some bad things that could happen if you don't close it and just let it sit there and be inactive? what is the advantage of just closing it rather than having it open but inactive?

[jeffg330]

Some here will say if you close a card rather than SD it that it stays on your report up to 10 years I think. I see no harm keeping it open so long as no AF. comes down to personal situation/preference. I like having the unused UT sitting in the SD and a card might come in handy for an unexpected situation life can throw at us

[longtimelurker]

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@MMB85 wrote:

What are some bad things that could happen if you don't close it and just let it sit there and be inactive? what is the advantage of just closing it rather than having it open but inactive?

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As I recently said in another thread, the advantage of keeping it open and the advantage of closing it are both small.   It's a decision that hardly matters.

Advantage of closing:  One less thing to think about.  If open, there could be fraudulent charges or a replacement card stolen so you have to monitor, to avoid closure you may need to make regular small purchases, taking work and potentially wasting spend better put on other cards.  

Advantage of keeping open:  it has a CL you might one day need.  You might get a CLI.  The specific rewards could prove useful at some point.

Neither of these are particularly compelling, which is why it becomes personal choice.

[thom02099]

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@CreditSnob wrote:

I know the common advice is to use your sockdrawered cards once every 6 months or year to keep the CC company from closing your account due to inactivity.  My question is:  do the CC companies issue you a warning (ie. "We will close your account in 2 months if no charges are put on the card") before actually closing it?  

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Got a minor CLD on my GE/Lumber Liquidators card; guess that was GE's reminder to me to use the card!  Since I no longer had a purpose for it, having purchased LOTS of hardwood flooring from them for my remodel of my home, I decided to close the card.  It no longer serves a purpose, and didn't adversely affect me to close it.  Total CL went down several grand but not a big hit.