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Booner72
Senior Contributor

How often?

Hi -

 

I have a JCPenney - how often should I charge something on it so they don't close me out?  Will they still give me balance increases even if I buy a shirt and pay it off the next day?

 

I have a GE MONEY Care Credit that is only to be used at doctors/vets/etc - it's a great account, interest free, etc.  How often?

 

My last account is a STUPID FINGERHUT catalog company - My limit was 1350 until they decided to drop it to 600 because I didn't use it so I lost it.   Even though it's stupid I'd like to keep this active.  How often?
 
Thanks.

STARTING: 11/24/10 EQ-584 EXP-648 TU04-595
CLOSED FIRST HOME 8/19/11 EQ-630 EXP-691 TU04-653
CURRENT: EQ-701 EXP-??? TU08-720
Message 1 of 21
20 REPLIES 20
Booner72
Senior Contributor

Re: How often?

PS:  DH applied for his first card since 2005 BK, scores 650+.  He applied online for Home Depot and didn't get an auto approval - said he'd hear back.  Hasn't heard back.  They asked for income and he put down both of our incomes.   I think he should have just put his income but it's too late now.

 

Do you think they will approve him?

STARTING: 11/24/10 EQ-584 EXP-648 TU04-595
CLOSED FIRST HOME 8/19/11 EQ-630 EXP-691 TU04-653
CURRENT: EQ-701 EXP-??? TU08-720
Message 2 of 21
visorboy1974
Valued Contributor

Re: How often?


@Booner72 wrote:

Hi -

 

I have a JCPenney - how often should I charge something on it so they don't close me out?  Will they still give me balance increases even if I buy a shirt and pay it off the next day?

 

I have a GE MONEY Care Credit that is only to be used at doctors/vets/etc - it's a great account, interest free, etc.  How often?

 

My last account is a STUPID FINGERHUT catalog company - My limit was 1350 until they decided to drop it to 600 because I didn't use it so I lost it.   Even though it's stupid I'd like to keep this active.  How often?
 
Thanks.


JC Penney...once every 6 months?  

 

Care Credit...no idea

 

Fingerhut...once every 6 months.  

 

Home Depot...call and check the status.  

FICO Scores Updated 07/15 EQ08 748 EX08 748 TU08 818
Message 3 of 21
AndySoCal
Valued Contributor

Re: How often?

I agree couple times a year the purchase amount is does not matter

FICO Scores XPN v8 802 V2 831 (SDFCU) TUC 803 v8 EFX 807 (10/2023)
Discover 09/90 19,000, JCPenney 10/2008 4,700 US Bank Cash+ 12,000 Citibank Custom Cash 5/2015 11,100 C State Dept. FCU 15,000 06/2023 , 02/2024 Redstone FCU Signature VISA 10,000 Banking: Ally Bank Credit Unions: Lafayette FCU Quorum FCU State Department FCU State Department FCU Pelican State CU Redstone FCU

Message 4 of 21
Meltdownblitz
Frequent Contributor

Re: How often?

Will it hurt my score if they close store cards from inactivity?


Barclays Uber - 4% Restaurants, 2% Online Purchases/Everyday Card || PenFed Cash - 5% Gas || Amazon Visa Signature - 5% Amazon || U.S. Bank Cash+ - 5% Utilities, 5% Cable/Internet || AMEX BCP - 6% Groceries || WF Cash - Cell Insurance || Rotating 5% Categories - Chase Freedom, Discover It, Citi Dividend || AMEX Zync - For Fun!

Message 5 of 21
MarineVietVet
Moderator Emeritus

Re: How often?


@Meltdownblitz wrote:
Will it hurt my score if they close store cards from inactivity?

Only if your utilization goes up on any remaining cards because of the loss of CL's. Here is a thread that discusses Closing Credit Cards.

 

 

 

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782

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

Message 6 of 21
Meltdownblitz
Frequent Contributor

Re: How often?

Thank you. That link is helpful. A little confusing though but I understood it after reading it a few times.


Barclays Uber - 4% Restaurants, 2% Online Purchases/Everyday Card || PenFed Cash - 5% Gas || Amazon Visa Signature - 5% Amazon || U.S. Bank Cash+ - 5% Utilities, 5% Cable/Internet || AMEX BCP - 6% Groceries || WF Cash - Cell Insurance || Rotating 5% Categories - Chase Freedom, Discover It, Citi Dividend || AMEX Zync - For Fun!

Message 7 of 21
MarineVietVet
Moderator Emeritus

Re: How often?


@Meltdownblitz wrote:
Thank you. That link is helpful. A little confusing though but I understood it after reading it a few times.

I pretty much stay confused.  Smiley Happy

 

Do you have any questions about what you read there? I'm not saying I will have an answer but someone will know.

 

 

 

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782

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

Message 8 of 21
Meltdownblitz
Frequent Contributor

Re: How often?

Haha thanks for asking. The best thing to do I figured out for now is to get a new card (before a store cc closes), hoping for a higher limit then I currently have on the account that would be closing (most of my store card limits are around 500, not so good, and High interest rates!) so getting a cc with a higher limit and a store card closing should raise my score a few points because my utl would be dropping a little. Hope that makes sense, if it does, Do I have this right? Smiley Very Happy


Barclays Uber - 4% Restaurants, 2% Online Purchases/Everyday Card || PenFed Cash - 5% Gas || Amazon Visa Signature - 5% Amazon || U.S. Bank Cash+ - 5% Utilities, 5% Cable/Internet || AMEX BCP - 6% Groceries || WF Cash - Cell Insurance || Rotating 5% Categories - Chase Freedom, Discover It, Citi Dividend || AMEX Zync - For Fun!

Message 9 of 21
MarineVietVet
Moderator Emeritus

Re: How often?


@Meltdownblitz wrote:
Haha thanks for asking. The best thing to do I figured out for now is to get a new card (before a store cc closes), hoping for a higher limit then I currently have on the account that would be closing (most of my store card limits are around 500, not so good, and High interest rates!) so getting a cc with a higher limit and a store card closing should raise my score a few points because my utl would be dropping a little. Hope that makes sense, if it does, Do I have this right? Smiley Very Happy

Raising your CL's can and usually does help your utilization (as long any balances stay the same or go down) but whether that translates into a higher score depends on what the utilization (both overall and individual account) is now and what it will be with an added and higher CL.

 

Do you mind listing what your balances and CL's are now on all your accounts?

 

 

 

From a BK years ago to:
EX - 3/11 pulled by lender- 835, EQ - 2/11-816, TU - 2/11-782

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

Message 10 of 21
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