ADVICE ON CREDIT CARDS

[elaine829]

HI, I have gotten myself in debt and I am sockdrawing my cards for 6mths so I was wondering what cards will not close if I dont use. I have a American express Blue, Citibank, Credit One bank, Macys Jcpenney, Best Buy, Home Depot, Banana Republic. Any suggestions please.

[Anonymous]

I opened a Home Depot consumer credit account in 2006. Used it for the first time in 2009 and once more in 2010. PIF both times. That account shouldn't go anywhere.

[Anonymous]

Any credit account not used within an extended period of time will be closed. Credit card companies usually close accounts if they haven't been used for six month (I have seen some that go as long as 36 months), although it depends on the credit granter, there's no law against it.

[Anonymous]

I am 99.9% sure that your Credit One account WILL close after 6 months of inactivity. No reason to keep it anyways, it's a crappy company.

[haulingthescoreup]

+1 on the Home Depot store card being OK. Mine has dust on it.

If the Best Buy card is the store card, you should be pretty much OK, although HSBC will close you down fast for non-usage on a bank card, including the BBMC. Don't forget that you can buy a pack of gum at their check-out stand with your store card, assuming you don't die of old age while standing in line.

I've gone for several months on my AmEx Blue without usage.

Most bank cards will let you go for 3-4 months, with the exception of HSBC/ Orchard as mentioned above.

Congrats on deciding to get on top of your CC debt. But is there anything that you're going to have to buy anyway, that you can put on a card and pay off online 2-3 days later when it shows up? A tank of gas a month would do the trick, with a different card each month. Just a thought.

[smc733]

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@haulingthescoreup wrote:

+1 on the Home Depot store card being OK. Mine has dust on it.

If the Best Buy card is the store card, you should be pretty much OK, although HSBC will close you down fast for non-usage on a bank card, including the BBMC. Don't forget that you can buy a pack of gum at their check-out stand with your store card, assuming you don't die of old age while standing in line.

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My Dad has a Home Depot store card, never, EVER uses it and it has stayed open, just like his Chase accounts (only uses his Discover, RARELY).

Is that true about the BB Store Card?  I really want that card when I'm sure I can get it on Plan A, though I worry about HSBC and the closing out, but if that's not a problem, I'd be sold.

[haulingthescoreup]

Well, I've gone six months without using it, although when I realized this, I shot over and bought some blank CD's. But I've gone 3-4 months many times without a problem.

No telling if this holds for everyone. But like I said, if you can (1) find a parking spot and (2) survive the checkout line, there's always some dumb, cheap item that you can put on the card and keep it going.

And they keep giving CLI's, even though I barely use it. The last big purchase I made was an LCD TV back in June (to watch the World Cup and Tour de France ), and before that, it was... OK, I can't remember the last big purchase before that.

[smc733]

Awesome, I at least buy a new video game once every other month, and I'm ALWAYS in Best Buy, so I should be okay if/when I get one.  Just really hope not to get stuck with a Plan B.

[MarineVietVet]

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@smc733 wrote:

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My Dad has a Home Depot store card, never, EVER uses it and it has stayed open, just like his Chase accounts (only uses his Discover, RARELY).

Is that true about the BB Store Card?  I really want that card when I'm sure I can get it on Plan A, though I worry about HSBC and the closing out, but if that's not a problem, I'd be sold.

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I can only speak for myself. I haven't used my BB store card since last May. I could still access my online account just a few days ago so I guess it's still open. 

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 9/09 pulled by lender 802, EQ - 10/10-813, TU - 10/10-774

"Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they've made a difference. The Marines don't have that problem".

[elaine829]

Hi, I have the best buy store card credit limit is 2200. I forgot I also have a Kays Jeweler card. Thanks for some of the input.