Small balance write-off how small is small?

[FinStar]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

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@NRB525 wrote:

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@FinStar wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

What?  

So, I can leave a balance of, say, $0.50 cents per account and have it written off?  I never realized this occurs.

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Again, not every lender writes them off.  But if you prefer to be the guinea pig and test residual $0.50 cent balances to see which lender does or doesn't write them off, go for it.  This could help the OP.

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Yes, you can try to leave small balances on your CC statements to see what happens.

Another poster several months ago complained of AA from a bank, Discover I believe, and one of the behaviors that poster was engaging in with that bank was small balance transfers to the card that the CCC would proceed to write off. Multiple such small transfers over time. Perhaps not a direct link to the AA, and it would have to be a volume of such transfers, but it's one of those things that makes one go... O_o

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Which is why I would not intentionally and repeatedly do this. It's such a small gain anyway. I mean is it really worth it?

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Exactly.  IIRC there wa a poster a while back who tried doing something similar (given people told him why not?).  Poster assumed another lender would write the balance off, guess what - they did not.  Poster forgot about the bill only to come back later to the forums (via rant) because the lender had assessed, not only interest but late fees on top of that - and the lender did not budge!  Account was almost reported 30 days late.  So as NRB and kdm pointed out... is it really worth it in the end?

[myjourney]

I mean really over the course of a year .how much can you net from this process $1.50? Seriously come on now?

Really not worth pinching pennies at all 

Everyone has a piigybank, change cup, car console where we throw loose change and forget about it let's face it.

So pay it no matter what the amount and move on ....

Lets face it deposit that loose change in the bank twice a year and you'll probably net more from that process

[CreditUnionFan]

I tried an experiment with FIA Card Services...  on an Interval International Visa that I've had open for several years. I hadn't used it much, so put a 99 cent purchase on it.

I figured they would either write off the small balance, or I'd get to show activitiy for 99 cents.

They sent me a bill for 99 cents, and BillPay Choice (BoA branded) wouldn't allow a bill payment below a dollar. So, I let Santander pay them the 99 cents.

[Anonymous]

This happened to one of my cards a few months ago. I don't remember which one it was, maybe QS1? Anyway, somehow my statement cut with a balance of like 70 cents. They wrote it off. I still feel guilty about that. If they would let me pay them the 70 cents, I would do it.

[DantGwyrdd]

Capital One wrote off a couple of 20-40 cent balances I ended up with when I PIFed before all my pendings posted and which, since I was abroad at the time and the charges were in a foreign currency, changed slightly when they actually posted (due to currency conversion).

[Christina_xyt]

What everyone talks about is a real small amount less than a dollar but why did they write of my 2.5$?? I think it's a lot! All I wanted is for my card to report a balance because I probably only use the card like twice a year .........

[kdm31091]

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@Christina_xyt wrote:
What everyone talks about is a real small amount less than a dollar but why did they write of my 2.5$?? I think it's a lot! All I wanted is for my card to report a balance because I probably only use the card like twice a year .........

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Why don't you just make the statement be closer to $5 or $7 etc? They aren't going to write that off...solves your problem.

[Callandra]

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@FinStar wrote:

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@kdm31091 wrote:

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@NRB525 wrote:

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@FinStar wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

What?  

So, I can leave a balance of, say, $0.50 cents per account and have it written off?  I never realized this occurs.

---

Again, not every lender writes them off.  But if you prefer to be the guinea pig and test residual $0.50 cent balances to see which lender does or doesn't write them off, go for it.  This could help the OP.

---

Yes, you can try to leave small balances on your CC statements to see what happens.

Another poster several months ago complained of AA from a bank, Discover I believe, and one of the behaviors that poster was engaging in with that bank was small balance transfers to the card that the CCC would proceed to write off. Multiple such small transfers over time. Perhaps not a direct link to the AA, and it would have to be a volume of such transfers, but it's one of those things that makes one go... O_o

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Which is why I would not intentionally and repeatedly do this. It's such a small gain anyway. I mean is it really worth it?

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Exactly.  IIRC there wa a poster a while back who tried doing something similar (given people told him why not?).  Poster assumed another lender would write the balance off, guess what - they did not.  Poster forgot about the bill only to come back later to the forums (via rant) because the lender had assessed, not only interest but late fees on top of that - and the lender did not budge!  Account was almost reported 30 days late.  So as NRB and kdm pointed out... is it really worth it in the end?

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I don't remember this! lol But really, it's not worth it to "play games" with the bank (obviously I'm not referring to those who have left tiny balances by mistake for any reason); just pay the balance in full and if you want a balance to report, charge at least $5+. 

[Open123]

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@kdm31091 wrote:

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@Christina_xyt wrote:
What everyone talks about is a real small amount less than a dollar but why did they write of my 2.5$?? I think it's a lot! All I wanted is for my card to report a balance because I probably only use the card like twice a year .........

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Why don't you just make the statement be closer to $5 or $7 etc? They aren't going to write that off...solves your problem.

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Hahaha...Well, if you try this, and it works, please do share.  Now I'm thinking, $5 per month, and $60 per year, and $600 per decade.  I need this card!

*Edited*  PS - It would be too perfect if this worked on BofA's Balance Rewards!

[SunriseEarth]

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@NRB525 wrote:

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@FinStar wrote:

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@Open123 wrote:

What?  

So, I can leave a balance of, say, $0.50 cents per account and have it written off?  I never realized this occurs.

---

Again, not every lender writes them off.  But if you prefer to be the guinea pig and test residual $0.50 cent balances to see which lender does or doesn't write them off, go for it.  This could help the OP.

---

Yes, you can try to leave small balances on your CC statements to see what happens.

Another poster several months ago complained of AA from a bank, Discover I believe, and one of the behaviors that poster was engaging in with that bank was small balance transfers to the card that the CCC would proceed to write off. Multiple such small transfers over time. Perhaps not a direct link to the AA, and it would have to be a volume of such transfers, but it's one of those things that makes one go... O_o

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Excellent point.   And clearly, we wouldn't recommend that anyone leave micro-balances with the goal of having them written off.

I've left micro-balances on my Wal-Mart card (one interesting observation: balances of less than $1 are rounded down to $0 on your CRs).   However, for Wal-Mart, they are not written off.  They are still due and cannot be paid using the Payment option within their credit website (they do not process payments of less than $1).   In those cases, you'd either need to pay in-store or add more charges, so you can have a "current balance due" that is over $1.  You could probably also push payment from your bank or mail a check, but I'm not sure if phone payment is an option.