Account Activity Timeframe

[n777ua]

How often should I use a CC to make sure it stays open ? I paid off a US Bank CC a few years ago and haven't used it since, but I want to be sure it stays open.  If I never use the card, do I risk it being closed by the bank?  

[Anonymous]

I think this issue has been discussed at length in various threads on here and no definitive answer has been reached. Sometimes people get CLDs (happened to me), sometimes accounts get closed, and sometimes nothing happens at all.
Personally I'm going to run at least one charge through all of my cards every 6 months. I only have 3 cards that I won't be using frequently though, so it won't be that difficult compared to someone with a ton of cards already in their sock drawer.
US Bank probably won't care too much, though. I didn't use my US bank card for about 7 months until October, then I used it once and haven't used it since. They approved me for a PC last week.

[Anonymous]

I just set up a small recurring payment each month on each of my cards I don't normally use. It's a good way to support a website or podcast you really enjoy as well as keeping your cards open and happy. Just don't forget to PIF every month.

[Anonymous]

I have a low CL Chase that I haven't used in at least 4 years! I've gotten 2 replacement cards due to expiration, but they won't cancel my account! I'm protesting the $300 CL I got from them. So who knows? I guess since my limit is so low, I'm a low risk....

[pizzadude]

Yeah it really does vary by creditor.   AMEX is good about leaving idle accounts open.   Some creditors will shut you down after as little as 6 months of inactivity.

My rule is to make a small charge at least one every three months on idle CCs.

[Chris123nTx]

A few years back when all of them were agressively cutiing limits and cclosing accounts, i had an hsbc close on me for inactivity. It had been three months since i hd paid it to zero and hadnt givien it another thought, until i tried to log into my account and found it was closed. Theyy tol me that since i hadnt had new charges to it, it was inactive, even though i had been paying doen a balance.

Nkt that i minded really. Rates were horrible, but still. They could have told me either before or after. I never did get anything from them in writting about it.

Go figure.