Keeping CC active

[ineedcreditbad]

Hi All,

I received a letter from Barclays last month stating that if I didn’t use my card within 30 days, they would close my account. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and made a charge to keep it active.

Would it be better to make a small charge every month to keep the card active, or should I just let the bank close the account since I rarely use the Barclays card anyway?

Thanks

[NoMoreE46]

Most advise to keep it active if no AF.

Which card is it?

How many cards do you have now?

---

@ineedcreditbad wrote:

Hi All,

I received a letter from Barclays last month stating that if I didn’t use my card within 30 days, they would close my account. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and made a charge to keep it active.

Would it be better to make a small charge every month to keep the card active, or should I just let the bank close the account since I rarely use the Barclays card anyway?

Thanks

---

[ineedcreditbad]

Just a regular Barclays card.

Currently have 11 CC with 3-4% of utilization per month.

[Anonymous]

---

@NoMoreE46 wrote:

Most advise to keep it active if no AF.

---

But a sizeable group (including me) say don't (necessarily bother).

But to OP question, I certainly wouldn't use it every month.   Either once every 6 months/1 year, or wait till Barclays send you another warning letter.

I've had 3 over the years.  First two I did the spend, but last time I just closed the card myself (and a Barclays deposit account).  Just not worth the hassle

[CreditMagic7]

The age old adage applies with Barclays. Buy them a stick of chewing gum every month.

Make it your Dentine or Wrigley's gum card.

[Kforce]

As @Anonymous posted to keep alive most cards only requires a couple of dollars every 6 months.

If your profile age is good, have > 5 cards,  pay in full, and have savings where the additional 

CL is not needed.

I would close the card.

[Anonymous]

---

@ineedcreditbad wrote:

Hi All,

I received a letter from Barclays last month stating that if I didn’t use my card within 30 days, they would close my account. Fortunately, I noticed it in time and made a charge to keep it active.

Would it be better to make a small charge every month to keep the card active, or should I just let the bank close the account since I rarely use the Barclays card anyway?

Thanks

---

Surely you have a small recurring charge you can schedule to that card? If you want to keep that card, that's what I would do. If you don't care one way or the other then let them cancel it.

[NoMoreE46]

---

@ineedcreditbad wrote:

Just a regular Barclays card.

Currently have 11 CC with 3-4% of utilization per month.

---

Looks like you won't miss it or really need this card.

Fyi-  credit line increases requests with Barclays are SP now.

[salt_water_swimming]

---

@ineedcreditbad wrote:

Just a regular Barclays card.

Currently have 11 CC with 3-4% of utilization per month.

---

Sounds pretty useless dude. Let it die. At some point, the risk of your account being compromised and you not noticing is higher than the value of a card with no meaningful benefits/rewards.

[ineedcreditbad]

Agreed, my only concern is a drop in my FICO score if the card is closed by the issuer and if that might have a snowball effect on the other cards that I use on a regular basis.