topic Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often? in Credit Cards

How Do You Use Cards More Often?

excalibur1 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:05:39 GMT

I was recently declined for a CLI, and the reason they gave was “recent use of this account’s existing credit line has been too low”. I like to keep my credit card balances low, but some of them are at 1% or 0% utilization. I guess this means I need to use my cards a little more but stay under 10%.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can use my cards more? Does anyone pay bills with them? Buy coffee? Other ideas?

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:10:35 GMT

@excalibur1 wrote:
I was recently declined for a CLI, and the reason they gave was “recent use of this account’s existing credit line has been too low”. I like to keep my credit card balances low, but some of them are at 1% or 0% utilization. I guess this means I need to use my cards a little more but stay under 10%.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can use my cards more? Does anyone pay bills with them? Buy coffee? Other ideas?

Do you really need to ask?

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

excalibur1 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:15:31 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
@excalibur1 wrote:
I was recently declined for a CLI, and the reason they gave was “recent use of this account’s existing credit line has been too low”. I like to keep my credit card balances low, but some of them are at 1% or 0% utilization. I guess this means I need to use my cards a little more but stay under 10%.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can use my cards more? Does anyone pay bills with them? Buy coffee? Other ideas?
Do you really need to ask?

Haha, I know, it sounds liked a silly question. But I usually use one main credit card, and they others aren't used quite as much. Just trying to keep the utilization down. I suppose I could spread the usage from just one card to include more of the others. I was just wondering what everyone else does.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:19:36 GMT

Honestly if you’re not using the card, you don’t need a CLI.

If you really want a CLI on that card, start throwing large charges on and PIF before the statement cuts every month until you get the increase you are looking for.

You can charge as much as you want as long as you make sure that it doesn’t get reported (check your credit reports for reporting dates since while most report on the statement date, some report on a specific day of the month).

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

wasCB14 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:26:32 GMT

Paying bills is an option, but sometimes the merchant or payment processor will charge a fee - either a percentage or a per-transaction fee. Some cards offer great rewards that exceed the fee, but I dont see any in your sig that make it obviously practical.

Try not to overspend. CLIs are a bit pointless if you end up wasting money in the process.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

chhull00 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 21:23:20 GMT

I Can think of thousands of ways to use mine, but tend to use them when i can save more with them points, cash back,anything that will give me something back.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

kdm31091 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:04:34 GMT

Don’t go out of your way to spend just for a CLI. That is overspending and shows you probably don’t really need the CLI anyway.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

NRB525 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:23:27 GMT

Is this a Capital One response? Because if it is, it means your card is bucketed and there’s nothing to do but apply for another CapOne card.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

excalibur1 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:26:32 GMT

@NRB525 wrote:
Is this a Capital One response? Because if it is, it means your card is bucketed and there’s nothing to do but apply for another CapOne card.

Yes, this was a Capital One response.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

pinkandgrey — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 22:30:25 GMT

If you really want to keep the card, put a small automatic charge on it. Or buy some gum or something lol Buy an iTunes song, a new app for your phone, whatever makes sense.

As for me? If I find myself forcing myself to use a card that I don’t want to use, I close the card.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

CreditInspired — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:19:00 GMT

Hi OP

The best way to put maximum spend on your cards is to buy things you ordinarily buy with cash.

So, this is how I put “normal” spend on my cards without overspending.

I put Hulu, Netflix, Internet, and any other subscriptions on CitiDC.
I use my Discover this quarter for groceries for the 5% back. I’ll use next quarter for Uber.
I pay any kind of taxes on my NFCU cashRewards.
I buy gas using my CitiCostco.
When I eat out, I use any cards that I haven’t used in a while.
I put my montly smartrip (local transportation) charge on my AmX card.

It’s really a million ways to put regular, normal spend on your credit card(s).

And I kind of agree with @saeren, if you don’t have anything to put on a CC, why do you need a CLI?

GL2U

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

excalibur1 — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:27:16 GMT

@CreditInspired wrote:
Hi OP

The best way to put maximum spend on your cards is to buy things you ordinarily buy with cash.

So, this is how I put “normal” spend on my cards without overspending.

I put Hulu, Netflix, Internet, and any other subscriptions on CitiDC.
I use my Discover this quarter for groceries for the 5% back. I’ll use next quarter for Uber.
I pay any kind of taxes on my NFCU cashRewards.
I buy gas using my CitiCostco.
When I eat out, I use any cards that I haven’t used in a while.
I put my montly smartrip (local transportation) charge on my AmX card.
It’s really a million ways to put regular, normal spend on your credit card(s).

And I kind of agree with @saeren, if you don’t have anything to put on a CC, why do you need a CLI?

GL2U

Thank you, CreditInspired! I like how you put normal spend on cards without overspending. This is exactly the kind of ideas I was looking for!

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 23:34:53 GMT

@excalibur1 wrote:
@CreditInspired wrote:
Hi OP

The best way to put maximum spend on your cards is to buy things you ordinarily buy with cash.

So, this is how I put “normal” spend on my cards without overspending.

I put Hulu, Netflix, Internet, and any other subscriptions on CitiDC.
I use my Discover this quarter for groceries for the 5% back. I’ll use next quarter for Uber.
I pay any kind of taxes on my NFCU cashRewards.
I buy gas using my CitiCostco.
When I eat out, I use any cards that I haven’t used in a while.
I put my montly smartrip (local transportation) charge on my AmX card.
It’s really a million ways to put regular, normal spend on your credit card(s).

And I kind of agree with @saeren, if you don’t have anything to put on a CC, why do you need a CLI?

GL2U

Thank you, CreditInspired! I like how you put normal spend on cards without overspending. This is exactly the kind of ideas I was looking for!

This is how you maximize your credit card rewards. All of my spending goes through the card that gives me the highest return for that spend and then PIF every month.

Re: How Do You Use Cards More Often?

AverageJoesCredit — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 00:10:47 GMT

Just an observation, if one puts a reoccurring charge on your credit card that shows usage but not necessarily usage lol. If a creditor wsnts to see more use to warrant a cli , a ten buck chsrge isnt going to do it. Its ok to rotate your cards once in awhile to use one as main driver and perhaps that csn help with cli. But being its Cap One, meh,