For Amex charge card holders: when do you pay?

[Discover2016]

I usually pay right after the please pay by date and it's never been an issue.

[OmarGB9]

Hey Anchovies your link is broken. It gives an error.

On topic: I feel like Amex has a "Please pay by" date for a reason, and maybe if you pay before/by that date, it helps your internal score with them. I don't know. Just my theory.

[cjesser15]

Can someone explain the logic behind why it would matter when you make the payment?  I just got the PRG, which is my first charge card, and it never crossed my mind that I should be strategically be planning my payments. 

[Anonymous]

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@cjesser15 wrote:

Can someone explain the logic behind why it would matter when you make the payment?  I just got the PRG, which is my first charge card, and it never crossed my mind that I should be strategically be planning my payments. 

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its all opinion.  some will say that paying often like I do, makes your "average payment amount" lower... and doesnt look as good...well if that was the case then I dont see why they gave me a 3x cli on my ED, and also enabled pay over time on my PRG.

use the card, enjoy that letting a balance report doesnt hurt your utilization.  pay before the please pay by date. but really u can go utnil the following statement cut date or another few days later.

[Anonymous]

When I use it, I pay by the "Pay by" date.

There's a hypersensitivity to when one pays off a charge card, @cjesser15, because they must be paid in full each month. You technically have until the day before the next statement is cut to pay, but that's a little too close for comfort to most people here (understandably).

[red259]

Usually pay by the please pay by date. I don't think charge card balances go into overall util calculations, so I see no point in paying before statement cut. 

[Anonymous]

I have Autopay set for 15 days after the statement closes. With low interest rates, I focus on getting good rewards, rather than holding onto my cash for a few more days.

[Anonymous]

I have prg. I don't strategically pay them, but I do with its use. I just make sure a purchase over 250 bucks or so lands on next statement month. If I mess up, oh well, i pif, only helps internal scoring.

[Anonymous]

I also want to add if you use the same treatment to all of your revolving redit cards that are high interest and not in some introduction period, youll squeeze out every award possible, float the longest grace periods, and pay them nothing

[Aarvard]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Lol most of the time I pay mine the day after the charge hits. Lame I know.   Otherwise I pay before please pay by date.

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I finanlly found someone like me LOL. 

And for the OP's question, I think you can pay the balance two or three days before the due date to take advantage of your grace period. Just make sure you have sufficient funds in your banking account to cover the payment; otherwise a returned payment can be an issue with Amex as it will, I assume, plummet your Amex internal score.