For Amex charge card holders: when do you pay?

[cjesser15]

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@Anonymous wrote:
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

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Thank you.  This was essentially what I was wondering even if I didn't articulate it very well.  The thread seemed to imply some difference between charge cards and revolving cards that I wanted to clarify.  

P.S. Glad to know I'm not the only one who peruses these boards on a Saturday night/Sunday morning.  Cheers to the credit geeks! 

[Mattopotamus]

Each week I pay down my balance. I don't really have a reason other than I like seeing zero. 

[Anonymous]

Mine just cut 1/23, due date says 2/16, I'll pay at some point tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Mine just cut 1/23, due date says 2/16, I'll pay at some point tomorrow.

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Amex credit card or charge card? I'm strictly talking about charge cards only. If your statement cut the 23 and is due the 16th next month. That sounds about 24-25 days after the cut which is a credit card grace period. I believe the charge cards "please pay by" always shows 15 days after the cut. 

[Anonymous]

On one card I pay before the payment cuts. On the other I pay whenever I feel before the due date, usually right before. The EDP card is my everyday charge, and I want to show behavior that I'll charge alot, and always pay. I've never carried a balance with them, I don't think they like it. I'll do that on other cards. I was really paranoid about even letting balances post a year ago, but I got over it. I was a little credit phobic, I had to get comfortable and trust myself. But now I'm over it. I'm not trying to micro manage the account, I've realized I'm a good customer for them to have and vice versa. 

[Anonymous]

Pretend your amex is a utility bill. If you start up your 220v welder and build a whole car frame 3 days before it cuts… too bad its on januarys bill due in feb.

[sunkissed]

I feel so unenlightened!  I had no idea the “please pay by” date was optional.  I always pay by the “please pay by” date.

So all this time I’ve been giving them money early?

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

Mine just cut 1/23, due date says 2/16, I'll pay at some point tomorrow.

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Amex credit card or charge card? I'm strictly talking about charge cards only. If your statement cut the 23 and is due the 16th next month. That sounds about 24-25 days after the cut which is a credit card grace period. I believe the charge cards "please pay by" always shows 15 days after the cut. 

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That is for my plat charge card.  My Delta card I pay 3 days before statement cut.

[NoAnchoviesPlease]

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@OmarGB9 wrote:
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.

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Fixed the link in earlier post. https://community.americanexpress.com/message/7871#7871 

The charge card bill is "due" on receipt, and they suggest that date, possibly a throwback to mailed-out statements and mailed-in payments.

Completely fictional example: If your statement cut on the 1st, "please pay by" is the 15th, it might get to you in the mail by the 8th, you send a payment in on the 10th and it gets there the 13th-15th by USPS mail. However, if you remember on the 15th, or you're on vacation for a week (or still traveling for your day job), you get it sent off on the 18th and it gets there by the 22nd. And you're still ahead of the next close date. 

Seems not-unlikely that a 160 year old company that's been issuing charge cards since the 50s might have some retro aspects to their business even in the 21st century. But maybe I'm just trying to find structure where there is none. 

[Anonymous]

Now that the link is repaired 15 days + 11 days is 26 which falls in line with a lot of grace patterns. subtract two to three days so you don't get burned.