Multiple Credit Cards Payments Per Month

[mmajer4211]

I just received my first rewards card (Citi AAdvantage) and want to utilize it as much as possible. Rather than using my debit card for each transaction and certain bill payments each month I'd like to use my rewards card. I know this can be a slippery slope if not careful budgeting wise but my question is does it look bad if I make multiple payments on my credit card each month to adjust to this? My initial plan is to make a payment once a week in order to keep things on track. Will this look bad? Do they frown upon this? Should I do something different? As always, I appreciate your advice. Thanks.

[Adkins]

No, lenders do not frown on this. The only time this is an issue that I know of is when it's a new Amex card. You can only pull one payment in the first month, after that, you can pay as many times as you want. I've made multiple payments on both of my Citi accounts. They don't care, as long as they get their money! 

[Revelate]

On the flip side this is divergent behavior compared to the average consumer.

YMMV as a result if we get into a round of credit tightening; while I doubt lenders would get to the point of penalizing for it in terms of their first rounds of portfolio pruning, anything that is abnormal will likely be considered interesting in today’s data driven world. That may not be where you want to be when portfolios are being scrutinized.

Also from a credit building perspective you want other lenders to see you are a good credit user too, hence I just let my balances report and then PIF after the statement cuts... but ultimately do whatever let’s you sleep better at night.

[CreditInspired]

---

@mmajer4211 wrote:

I just received my first rewards card (Citi AAdvantage) and want to utilize it as much as possible. Rather than using my debit card for each transaction and certain bill payments each month I'd like to use my rewards card. I know this can be a slippery slope if not careful budgeting wise but my question is does it look bad if I make multiple payments on my credit card each month to adjust to this? My initial plan is to make a payment once a week in order to keep things on track. Will this look bad? Do they frown upon this? Should I do something different? As always, I appreciate your advice. Thanks.

---

You’ll be okay. You may want to start out easy by paying bills you normally pay using the CC—like utilities, subscriptions (Netflix, Hulu), etc. Then start using it for groceries. As long as you get in the habit of only buying what you can afford, you’ll be okay. 

Enjoy. 

[Kforce]

---

@Adkins wrote:

No, lenders do not frown on this.

The only time this is an issue that I know of is when it's a new Amex card.

---

I have had credit cards for at least 40+ years.

Have always paid at minimum 2 times a month.

I am sure they incur some slight processing cost, so I would not pay daily, however they also have your money early to earn interest while you give up the float.

Never had any issues, get CL increases, good starting limits on new cards, etc.

My current CL's are capped because I don't want or need high limits, however at one time had limits over 50k on cards that had small spend and  paid twice a month. I don't believe issuers like to see large balances report as much as customers that pay on time, always.

They don't mind getting paid early.

Note:  Some credit card issuers take a little time to set things up, and like a slow start.

As a new customer I usually start slow and don't scare them with extreme spend, or make multiple payments first couple of months.

There are other CC issuers like Amex who allow only one payment for the first month or two.

If the card has a "Sub" you need spend to get you reward, but avoid extreme over spending first month or two.

After two statements and payments, I have never had any issue paying 2-3 times a month, or large spend.

Treat a new credit card like a new car, take it easy first month or two. 

Don't race it day one.

[Remedios]

---

@mmajer4211 wrote:

I just received my first rewards card (Citi AAdvantage) and want to utilize it as much as possible. Rather than using my debit card for each transaction and certain bill payments each month I'd like to use my rewards card. I know this can be a slippery slope if not careful budgeting wise but my question is does it look bad if I make multiple payments on my credit card each month to adjust to this? My initial plan is to make a payment once a week in order to keep things on track. Will this look bad? Do they frown upon this? Should I do something different? As always, I appreciate your advice. Thanks.

---

OP, you're going to get two sets of answers 

One will be pay after the statement is cut, the other will be to pay however works for you. Both camps are firmly rooted and I've never seen anybody change their mind. 

There is no right or wrong way. Mostly it's just philosophical musings on how to handle payments and credit in general. 

You do whatever works for you. Lenders just want their money back. 

[Brian_Earl_Spilner]

---

@Remedios wrote:

---

@mmajer4211 wrote:

I just received my first rewards card (Citi AAdvantage) and want to utilize it as much as possible. Rather than using my debit card for each transaction and certain bill payments each month I'd like to use my rewards card. I know this can be a slippery slope if not careful budgeting wise but my question is does it look bad if I make multiple payments on my credit card each month to adjust to this? My initial plan is to make a payment once a week in order to keep things on track. Will this look bad? Do they frown upon this? Should I do something different? As always, I appreciate your advice. Thanks.

---

OP, you're going to get two sets of answers 

One will be pay after the statement is cut, the other will be to pay however works for you. Both camps are firmly rooted and I've never seen anybody change their mind. 

There is no right or wrong way. Mostly it's just philosophical musings on how to handle payments and credit in general. 

You do whatever works for you. Lenders just want their money back. 

---

Amex allows up to 5 payments a day soooo, yeah. Pay as many times as you need to. I just made 3 payments on my amex in 2 weeks because my limit isn't high enough. I'm going to use that to leverage a CLI.

[flyingmd]

You may want to doublecheck. Citibank only allows 3 payments on the account online in a billing cycle. It is the only CC I have ever had that put this kind of restriction on payments to the account.

[longtimelurker]

---

@Revelate wrote:
On the flip side this is divergent behavior compared to the average consumer.

YMMV as a result if we get into a round of credit tightening; while I doubt lenders would get to the point of penalizing for it in terms of their first rounds of portfolio pruning, anything that is abnormal will likely be considered interesting in today’s data driven world. That may not be where you want to be when portfolios are being scrutinized.

Also from a credit building perspective you want other lenders to see you are a good credit user too, hence I just let my balances report and then PIF after the statement cuts... but ultimately do whatever let’s you sleep better at night.

---

Yes, apart from the obvious (no late payments, fraud etc) the best way to minimize the chance of AA is to appear "normal", as much like a usual consumer as possible.   Not doing so MIGHT cause extra eyes on the account.    Most of the time that isn't an issue, but if things are otherwise borderline (util, new accounts, inqs) manual reviewers might decide to be more cautious than the automated processes....

While I don't think that paying multiple times a month will have an impact, variations such as paying from lots of different banks certainly might get flagged (and this may not cause an issue if things are fine).

IMO the major reason not to pay several times a month, at least in the longer term, is simply that you are giving up one of the advantages of credit cards, that the issuers are floating you money.  Paying early wastes this.    But if you are concerned with budgeting, and want to test the waters in this way, that's fine.

[Anonymous]

On the cards I use daily (Citi DC and USAA), I PIF every 2 weeks on my payday. I do it to ensure I stick to my budget. Once I get higher income my plan will change, but I now it's just good for me to get those CCs cleared before I start looking at other spend.