credit cards maintenence

[crew99]

So I'm finally at the point where I can garden for a while.....but curious which of my credit cards I have to use each month for them to report to the CRA and which ones I can use every few months.....

amex

discover

ge walmart

j crew

capital one secure

I mean if I have to buy a stick of gum each month on every card I will, but if anyone know for sure which ones will be ok if I don't use for a few months that would be so helpful  

Thank you!

[Themanwhocan]

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@crew99 wrote:

So I'm finally at the point where I can garden for a while.....but curious which of my credit cards I have to use each month for them to report to the CRA and which ones I can use every few months.....

amex

discover

ge walmart

j crew

capital one secure

I mean if I have to buy a stick of gum each month on every card I will, but if anyone know for sure which ones will be ok if I don't use for a few months that would be so helpful  

Thank you!

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Sorry, but you have to read those boring Terms & Conditions for each card you have, in order to find that out. 

For example, I have 2 Barclay cards. Priceline.com and SallieMae Rewards.

priceline.com states:

To continue to participate in the rewards program, your account must remain open and in good standing, you must maintain your creditworthiness and you must use your card for at least one (1) purchase transaction every six (6) months (or have some type of account balance every six months).

SallieMae Rewards states: 

• You must maintain an open and active Credit Card Account that is not in default under your Cardmember Agreement with us.

• Your Credit Card Account cannot have been inactive for thirteen (13) billing cycles (approximately thirteen (13) months) (“Inactive” means you have no balance, no payments and no transactions).

So as you can see, the terms vary for two cards issued by the same creditor. 

[Luscher]

I know discover needs to have usage each month to report.

[ayeecorreia]

Great topic! i never thought about that. I'm going to take notes from this and actually read the T&C lol. I need to garden as well.  

[lg8302ch]

It really depends on the account and not even on the lender. I have two BofA cards that do NOT behave the same way. While the Cash Rewards Visa Signature gets reported EVERY months even if no transactions are done the Travel Rewards Visa Signature simply does not report at all if no transaction is made. I have really funny gaps on my CRs from that account. (NR - not reported)

[Creditaddict]

walmart you will have better luck and chaces of CLI if you at least have a tiny balance report each month so it generates a statement.

[crew99]

good advice thanks thenmanwhocan.

so far i'm gathering from the above posters discover and walmart should be charged a little each month, will report back on others!