Getting credit cards closed due to inactivity

[p-]

Wifey's Sears card did that a while ago... dropped her from like 3k down to 250.  We keep it open still because of the AAOA benefit to both of us.  It's twice the age of any of my cards, so it's a nice AU account.  Now I make it a point to once a year or so buy a tool or something that I need from Sears.  It's not as easy to keep a retail card active when you can only use it select places.

[yudeology101]

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@p- wrote:

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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.

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+1.  I have at least one recurring bill tied to every card that I have, except for store card.