topic Re: Activity required to keep CCs active in Credit Cards

Keeping Cards Active...

KeithW — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 02:52:32 GMT

I have 24 credit cards now, but many are with the same companies. I have 5 Cap One cards and another 7 with Synchrony. Over the past year I have been paying them off, but now I am wondering how often I need to use these paid off cards. I certainly don't want them to close, but also don't want to use them too frequently since it is a pain to have to use and pay them all off too frequently. So how often do I need to use them all to keep them active and is spending $10 enough or do I need to spend a certain amount when I use them?

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

wasCB14 — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 02:57:32 GMT

@KeithW wrote:
I have 24 credit cards now, but many are with the same companies. I have 5 Cap One cards and another 7 with Synchrony. Over the past year I have been paying them off, but now I am wondering how often I need to use these paid off cards. I certainly don't want them to close, but also don't want to use them too frequently since it is a pain to have to use and pay them all off too frequently. So how often do I need to use them all to keep them active and is spending $10 enough or do I need to spend a certain amount when I use them?

Frequency varies by issuer. Not sure about those two particular lenders. Citi is about two years. Barclays can be quick...sometimes 6-9 months. Amex and Chase cards sometimes stay open for years without activity.

What does your profile look like, that you're so against the idea of closing a few?

*And any spend seems to count as activity. Low spend may result in a CLD, though.

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

blindambition — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 02:57:20 GMT

Each lender has their own limits on dormant accounts. I swipe cards at least once every 90 days. Something as little as a pack of gum should do it.

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

Loquat — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 05:13:25 GMT

If you have an Amazon account you can also do small reloads every 3 months or so for a dollar and that is enough to creative activity.

However that may not be enough activity for some lenders to keep them from doing a CLD.

For store cards, I usually will do a small egift card purchase every 3-4 months for $5 bucks and then use them whenever I decide to make a purchase at that particular retailer.

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

MrT_521 — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 08:46:01 GMT

@Loquat wrote:
If you have an Amazon account you can also do small reloads every 3 months or so for a dollar and that is enough to creative activity.

This is what I do. In fact, just yesterday I loaded $1 each from 4 of our (me and P2) sock drawer cards to Amazon. I try to do it at least once every 3 - 6 months.

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

KeithW — Sat, 07 Nov 2020 18:05:59 GMT

Thanks. I may close some in the future, but until I pay off the rest of my CC debt, they help with my overall utilization which is currently at 26%.

Re: Keeping Cards Active...

Yankee2 — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 01:04:52 GMT

I understand in your situation regarding cc utilization, but over the years I've never regetted closing a card I don't use.

Activity required to keep CCs active

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:20:34 GMT

I'm wondering if anyone can give me ssome advice.
I want to keep my CCs active without spending too much. How often do I need to use a credit card & pay it down to ensure the account isn't closed? I've heard once a year, twice a year, etc..

I'm also wondering if the "since" part is since the last charge on the card or since last activity. For example, say I charged 100.00 on a card 6 months ago but took 3 months to pay that down. Would the last activity creditors are looking for in order to keep the card active be from the date of the last time I used the card, or the last time payment was made?

I have 3 store cards I haven't charged anything to since June of 2020.
Thanks in advance.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Mr_Mojo_Risin — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:35:15 GMT

These days I would use the card at least once every 6 months, every 3 months or so wouldn't be a bad idea.

Last payment made on your card would be considered activity. This is information I've learned on here.

I use my cards daily/weekly so I don't direct experience with the situation.

Just passing on what I've learned.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

blindambition — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:36:06 GMT

There's no definitive answer, and lenders vary. Some have not made purchases for years, and suffer no closure. NOT recommended.

I place at least one small purchase every 3 months. A good rule is a purchase every 3-6 months, and doesn't need to be large purchase. A small recurring subscription is a good use of a card not swiped much.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

coldfusion — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 20:38:21 GMT

To some extent it is profile and issuer specific. Issuers also tend to be more lenient with an AF card vs. one that has no annual fee.

If you want to really be safe, a charge every 3 months but there's generally minimal risk if you place a charge placed on the card once every 6 months.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Anonymous — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:24:20 GMT

I'd say a swipe inside every 6 months is sufficient in most cases. As for the dollar value, it can be tiny. I don't know what store cards you have, but you could probably find a $2 item or so at the counter where you pay and that could constitute usage just fine.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Kforce — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 21:41:21 GMT

As others have said some issuers have closed a card after 4 months and others still alive after 10 years..

My current payment minimum is every 3 months, at least $5.

** Some issuers credit and don't post small amounts **

Two other things to think about on unused cards.

Some issuers cancel any linked bank accounts that you pay from if not used within a time period (City - 6 months)

Some card reward/point systems have rewards that expire if not redeemed within a time period. (Fine print somewhere on rewards page)

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

CreditMagic7 — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 22:01:17 GMT

If any of the long term group is still around the going answer would been a pack of chew gum 6 months or per year.

These days it's likely not so much a chew gum purchase but at least every 3-6 months. Hard to nail it down to any exact scientific stat but every lender has some threshold and even CSR's probably wouldn't even know that exact expectation.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

NoMoreE46 — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 22:49:46 GMT

@coldfusion wrote:
To some extent it is profile and issuer specific. Issuers also tend to be more lenient with an AF card vs. one that has no annual fee.

If you want to really be safe, a charge every 3 months but there's generally minimal risk if you place a charge placed on the card once every 6 months.

My wife's Disney Chase was inactive for well over three years before she got a notification of a pending closure. She is > 800 and < 3%.

(She did nothing and let the card close...... 🤬)

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Aim_High — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 01:00:39 GMT

Agreed that it varies based on lender and profile. From my experience, I've had retail store cards closed fairly quickly (one year or less) without use. I usually suggest a more frequent minimum usage of them than the major bank cards. The general consensus of three to six months is probably sufficient to avoid closure. On the other end of the spectrum, I have two cards that literally haven't had a swipe in years without closure. However, they are both with financial institutions where I do regular banking, which is probably helping to keep them open. I don't recommend doing that if you really want to keep them open. I'm lukewarm about both of these cards so they've been a low priority.

Remember, though, that even if the lender doesn't close the card, you could get a Credit Limit Decrease (CLD) if you're putting only putting small occasional charges on their card.

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 14:51:57 GMT

@Aim_High wrote:

Remember, though, that even if the lender doesn't close the card, you could get a Credit Limit Decrease (CLD) if you're putting only putting small occasional charges on their card.

This! A few of us experienced it with Cap One, mine was a CLD from $35K to $10K, with a spend the previous year of less than $300. Basically, a tiny spend (pack of gum, or in my case a bit more) every three months, shouldn't be enough to justify a large CL from the lenders view. I am somewhat surprised that these CLDs don't happen more often!

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

House1204 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 19:38:52 GMT

@CreditMagic7 wrote:
If any of the long term group is still around the going answer would been a pack of chew gum 6 months or per year.

These days it's likely not so much a chew gum purchase but at least every 3-6 months. Hard to nail it down to any exact scientific stat but every lender has some threshold and even CSR's probably wouldn't even know that exact expectation.

We are still here! Forum member since April 2008. Buy some gum!

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

Anonymous — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 20:50:19 GMT

You should post more often! 13 years on the forum and only 16 posts!

Re: Activity required to keep CCs active

CreditMagic7 — Wed, 24 Mar 2021 21:15:44 GMT

@House1204 wrote:
@CreditMagic7 wrote:
If any of the long term group is still around the going answer would been a pack of chew gum 6 months or per year.

These days it's likely not so much a chew gum purchase but at least every 3-6 months. Hard to nail it down to any exact scientific stat but every lender has some threshold and even CSR's probably wouldn't even know that exact expectation.
We are still here! Forum member since April 2008. Buy some gum!

Yeah, where you been keeping yourself? Lurking?

On a topic note that might be of some interest. I just had a dilly of a time getting not the Dell Preferred Account signed on into but the store had me locked out. I'm one of those who is most retail card active when its warmer than cold months so my new account from Oct opening is /was yet to be used. I did today. But had to jump thru hoops galore then was notified i hadn't had any purchases since the card was approved. Which is true. Kept getting error messages that email was on file but needed to reset password, which i did 5 times to no avail.

Thanks goodness Dell has a ready chat box and they set the Dell store sign in so i could order. And order i did.

Just a heads up for anyone who let their Dell Preferred Account lay dormant for 6 months. Duh me.