Never leave a balance on AMEX

[tntexans72]

Very nice increased !!

[Anonymous]

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@steffiejoe wrote:

I did ask the rep about carrying a balance and he said there is some universal rule(his words not mine) that if you are going to carry a balance you should make sure you pay more then minimum(which I always do). He said it looks good if you PIF before you request  a credit line increase.

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You can absolutely carry a balance on an Amex revolver without any sort of AA.  This statement he made to you is the key though.  If you carry a $1000 balance, paying the $15 minimum, or whatever it is for you, looks very bad...like you are not going to be able to pay it off for 20yrs.  The other thing is you should stop using that card until the balance is paid.

I've carried a balance on my Amex before when some unexpected expenses hit me for a few months.  It was also around $1000 balance to begin with but only on a $2400 CL, but I paid off $200 at a time, didn't use the card until it was PIF, and had it paid off quickly.  Never a peep from them, nor from shopping at walmart at 3am, buying liquor, cigarettes, bar tabs at the casino, strip club, fast food, gun from cabela's, medical payment, etc, etc...

As long as you aren't trying to buy porn, gambling online, or buying medical marijuana, you can buy whatever you want.  There is one caveat to this.  If you do some of the things that people *think* trigger AA, you need to be using it for other normal things too.  What you buy tells them a story about you.  So if all you buy is things that are possible red flags, that's all they see...a bunch of red flags.  If you're also buying luxury items, dining out, and other nonessential purchases, then they think you're just a bit eccentric.  So for instance, you don't use it for six months, then use it to pay a $500 medical bill...they think you ran into money issues because that's the only thing you used it for, and have slapped people with AA for this before.  If you pay a $500 medical bill surrounded by purchasing a PS3, clothes, maybe some household items or whatever...then you just look like a normal person who was paying a medical bill.

They gave me a CLI the only time I asked, and that was not long after I had been carrying a balance.  I paid in full, waited a complete bill cycle to use it again so the interest would stop, and then used it, PIF again, and requested CLI.  Instant approval. 

[tinuviel]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@steffiejoe wrote:

I did ask the rep about carrying a balance and he said there is some universal rule(his words not mine) that if you are going to carry a balance you should make sure you pay more then minimum(which I always do). He said it looks good if you PIF before you request  a credit line increase.

---

You can absolutely carry a balance on an Amex revolver without any sort of AA.  This statement he made to you is the key though.  If you carry a $1000 balance, paying the $15 minimum, or whatever it is for you, looks very bad...like you are not going to be able to pay it off for 20yrs.  The other thing is you should stop using that card until the balance is paid.

I've carried a balance on my Amex before when some unexpected expenses hit me for a few months.  It was also around $1000 balance to begin with but only on a $2400 CL, but I paid off $200 at a time, didn't use the card until it was PIF, and had it paid off quickly.  Never a peep from them, nor from shopping at walmart at 3am, buying liquor, cigarettes, bar tabs at the casino, strip club, fast food, gun from cabela's, medical payment, etc, etc...

As long as you aren't trying to buy porn, gambling online, or buying medical marijuana, you can buy whatever you want.  There is one caveat to this.  If you do some of the things that people *think* trigger AA, you need to be using it for other normal things too.  What you buy tells them a story about you.  So if all you buy is things that are possible red flags, that's all they see...a bunch of red flags.  If you're also buying luxury items, dining out, and other nonessential purchases, then they think you're just a bit eccentric.  So for instance, you don't use it for six months, then use it to pay a $500 medical bill...they think you ran into money issues because that's the only thing you used it for, and have slapped people with AA for this before.  If you pay a $500 medical bill surrounded by purchasing a PS3, clothes, maybe some household items or whatever...then you just look like a normal person who was paying a medical bill.

They gave me a CLI the only time I asked, and that was not long after I had been carrying a balance.  I paid in full, waited a complete bill cycle to use it again so the interest would stop, and then used it, PIF again, and requested CLI.  Instant approval. 

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This is very interesting. I've had my Amex Green for two months and am trying to establish a buying profile with them. It's not my primary card, but I do run a few purchases through it a month. Examples would be: dinner at Chili's or Ruby Tuesday, movie tickets, my cell phone bill, NY Times digital subscription, and an online purchase for a new hair dryer from drugstore.com through Amex's shopping mall (5x the MR points). I'm trying to present a fairly bland, ho-hum profile. In your opinion, does this look ok? I really don't want to do anything to spook Amex.

[MS00000000]

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@tinuviel wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@steffiejoe wrote:

I did ask the rep about carrying a balance and he said there is some universal rule(his words not mine) that if you are going to carry a balance you should make sure you pay more then minimum(which I always do). He said it looks good if you PIF before you request  a credit line increase.

---

You can absolutely carry a balance on an Amex revolver without any sort of AA.  This statement he made to you is the key though.  If you carry a $1000 balance, paying the $15 minimum, or whatever it is for you, looks very bad...like you are not going to be able to pay it off for 20yrs.  The other thing is you should stop using that card until the balance is paid.

I've carried a balance on my Amex before when some unexpected expenses hit me for a few months.  It was also around $1000 balance to begin with but only on a $2400 CL, but I paid off $200 at a time, didn't use the card until it was PIF, and had it paid off quickly.  Never a peep from them, nor from shopping at walmart at 3am, buying liquor, cigarettes, bar tabs at the casino, strip club, fast food, gun from cabela's, medical payment, etc, etc...

As long as you aren't trying to buy porn, gambling online, or buying medical marijuana, you can buy whatever you want.  There is one caveat to this.  If you do some of the things that people *think* trigger AA, you need to be using it for other normal things too.  What you buy tells them a story about you.  So if all you buy is things that are possible red flags, that's all they see...a bunch of red flags.  If you're also buying luxury items, dining out, and other nonessential purchases, then they think you're just a bit eccentric.  So for instance, you don't use it for six months, then use it to pay a $500 medical bill...they think you ran into money issues because that's the only thing you used it for, and have slapped people with AA for this before.  If you pay a $500 medical bill surrounded by purchasing a PS3, clothes, maybe some household items or whatever...then you just look like a normal person who was paying a medical bill.

They gave me a CLI the only time I asked, and that was not long after I had been carrying a balance.  I paid in full, waited a complete bill cycle to use it again so the interest would stop, and then used it, PIF again, and requested CLI.  Instant approval. 

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This is very interesting. I've had my Amex Green for two months and am trying to establish a buying profile with them. It's not my primary card, but I do run a few purchases through it a month. Examples would be: dinner at Chili's or Ruby Tuesday, movie tickets, my cell phone bill, NY Times digital subscription, and an online purchase for a new hair dryer from drugstore.com through Amex's shopping mall (5x the MR points). I'm trying to present a fairly bland, ho-hum profile. In your opinion, does this look ok? I really don't want to do anything to spook Amex.

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I use my Amex for pretty much anything and everything, as long as it benefits me with rewards in some way. I've done shopping through their site to get bonus points, I've used it at restaurants, fast food, grocery stores, gas stations, department stores, pet stores, online merchants, airlines, hotels, casinos, auto tolls, Netflix, cable, internet, phone, wireless bills, auto insurance, auto glass repair bills, and essentially any place that will take Amex. I would use it for medical and vet bills if Amex were accepted but it seems none of my doctors or vets take Amex.

I think you're fine to use it wherever you choose. Every time you use it, they make money. I don't really understand the mentality of picking and choosing where you should and shouldn't use Amex any more than any other card. I think it's what they see on your reports that sometimes spook them, not necessarily just where you use it. I'm leaving a balance on my Blue Cash Preferred until the intro 0% APR expires, but I pay off the Zync, Costco and SPG every month. It would surprise me greatly to find out that Amex doesn't want people to carry a balance on their revolvers. 

[tntexans72]

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I use my Amex for pretty much anything and everything, as long as it benefits me with rewards in some way. I've done shopping through their site to get bonus points, I've used it at restaurants, fast food, grocery stores, gas stations, department stores, pet stores, online merchants, airlines, hotels, casinos, auto tolls, Netflix, cable, internet, phone, wireless bills, auto insurance, auto glass repair bills, and essentially any place that will take Amex. I would use it for medical and vet bills if Amex were accepted but it seems none of my doctors or vets take Amex.

I think you're fine to use it wherever you choose. Every time you use it, they make money. I don't really understand the mentality of picking and choosing where you should and shouldn't use Amex any more than any other card. I think it's what they see on your reports that sometimes spook them, not necessarily just where you use it. I'm leaving a balance on my Blue Cash Preferred until the intro 0% APR expires, but I pay off the Zync, Costco and SPG every month. It would surprise me greatly to find out that Amex doesn't want people to carry a balance on their revolvers. 

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+1....I have been abusing my SPG card. Charging about $3K per month to get my bonus points. My expenses are that much anyway...so why not get rewards with the SPG? I can careless what Amex think. They are making $$$ each time you swiped the card. PIF or pay more than the minimum and it's all good. Just don't be late on your other cards or they will be spook...so all in all, spend the card however, whenever you choose, pay more than the minimum, don't be late ever on any cards you have and Amex will be happy!!

[tinuviel]

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@MS00000000 wrote:

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@tinuviel wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@steffiejoe wrote:

I did ask the rep about carrying a balance and he said there is some universal rule(his words not mine) that if you are going to carry a balance you should make sure you pay more then minimum(which I always do). He said it looks good if you PIF before you request  a credit line increase.

---

You can absolutely carry a balance on an Amex revolver without any sort of AA.  This statement he made to you is the key though.  If you carry a $1000 balance, paying the $15 minimum, or whatever it is for you, looks very bad...like you are not going to be able to pay it off for 20yrs.  The other thing is you should stop using that card until the balance is paid.

I've carried a balance on my Amex before when some unexpected expenses hit me for a few months.  It was also around $1000 balance to begin with but only on a $2400 CL, but I paid off $200 at a time, didn't use the card until it was PIF, and had it paid off quickly.  Never a peep from them, nor from shopping at walmart at 3am, buying liquor, cigarettes, bar tabs at the casino, strip club, fast food, gun from cabela's, medical payment, etc, etc...

As long as you aren't trying to buy porn, gambling online, or buying medical marijuana, you can buy whatever you want.  There is one caveat to this.  If you do some of the things that people *think* trigger AA, you need to be using it for other normal things too.  What you buy tells them a story about you.  So if all you buy is things that are possible red flags, that's all they see...a bunch of red flags.  If you're also buying luxury items, dining out, and other nonessential purchases, then they think you're just a bit eccentric.  So for instance, you don't use it for six months, then use it to pay a $500 medical bill...they think you ran into money issues because that's the only thing you used it for, and have slapped people with AA for this before.  If you pay a $500 medical bill surrounded by purchasing a PS3, clothes, maybe some household items or whatever...then you just look like a normal person who was paying a medical bill.

They gave me a CLI the only time I asked, and that was not long after I had been carrying a balance.  I paid in full, waited a complete bill cycle to use it again so the interest would stop, and then used it, PIF again, and requested CLI.  Instant approval. 

---

This is very interesting. I've had my Amex Green for two months and am trying to establish a buying profile with them. It's not my primary card, but I do run a few purchases through it a month. Examples would be: dinner at Chili's or Ruby Tuesday, movie tickets, my cell phone bill, NY Times digital subscription, and an online purchase for a new hair dryer from drugstore.com through Amex's shopping mall (5x the MR points). I'm trying to present a fairly bland, ho-hum profile. In your opinion, does this look ok? I really don't want to do anything to spook Amex.

---

I use my Amex for pretty much anything and everything, as long as it benefits me with rewards in some way. I've done shopping through their site to get bonus points, I've used it at restaurants, fast food, grocery stores, gas stations, department stores, pet stores, online merchants, airlines, hotels, casinos, auto tolls, Netflix, cable, internet, phone, wireless bills, auto insurance, auto glass repair bills, and essentially any place that will take Amex. I would use it for medical and vet bills if Amex were accepted but it seems none of my doctors or vets take Amex.

I think you're fine to use it wherever you choose. Every time you use it, they make money. I don't really understand the mentality of picking and choosing where you should and shouldn't use Amex any more than any other card. I think it's what they see on your reports that sometimes spook them, not necessarily just where you use it. I'm leaving a balance on my Blue Cash Preferred until the intro 0% APR expires, but I pay off the Zync, Costco and SPG every month. It would surprise me greatly to find out that Amex doesn't want people to carry a balance on their revolvers. 

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This makes sense, and if that's the case, then I should be fine. As I've been rebuilding, my reports are looking better and better with each passing month.

I've read a lot about Amex on this and other forums, and all of the talk about FRs and AA have made me, frankly, more than a little paranoid. I just got back into their good graces after having had an unhappy parting of the ways many years ago, and I don't want to do anything to ruffle them. But, as you've said, they make money from me using the card, not from me keeping it in my sock drawer. I guess the best course of action is to use it responsibly and to do the very best with maintaining all of my other accounts, as well. After all, I can't change the past, but I have control over how I manage my affairs from this point foward.

Sorry for the TJ, but I do appreciate the perspectives of others regading what it takes to keep Amex happy.

[Anonymous]

I recently got an AmEx card and haven't been bashful about using the it.  I charged a few thousand dollars right away.  I did get a "Call for authorization" situation shortly after I got the card, so I called them, they said I'd reached my "limit" (whatever they call it), I authorized a full phone payment and the next day, charged a $300 purchase in the morning and continued my spending as usual.  I'm making sure to pay them as soon as my statement closes (or earlier, in the aforementioned case), but it seems to me that after a few payments, they relax.  Though they have pulled several soft inquiries since I've gotten the card, so I know they're keeping an eye on my CRs.

Plus, don't forget-- they don't want to babysit you, they want to make money off of you.  AmEx makes a ton of money off of their customer data (case in point: deal with FourSquare that physically tracks your movement to provide discounts to nearby business with use of card) and in fact uses it as a marketing tool to potential merchants ("our cardmembers dine out/go shopping/pay full price more frequently than Visa/MC users," etc.), so I hardly doubt they care where or how you use your card as long as you don't give them reason to suspect you can't afford to pay it back.

[drsmith]

Where is the Amex luv botton?

I've never seen it

[Anonymous]

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@drsmith wrote:

Where is the Amex luv botton?

I've never seen it

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Two places it can be. 

1.  Recent Activity page, right above Dispute/Inquire about account activity link.

2.  Customer Services > See All Customer Service Options > Account Managment > Credit Management

[drsmith]

Guess I don't have one