min spend to keep amex open

Anonymous · ‎05-19-2015

I cant spend much now trying to pay things off. Will something small like redbox rentals each month be enough to keep amex from closing the card(everyday)? Maybe $10 a month or so.I know they make their money on fees and big spenders but I wont be one of those until things are paid. Their card will be paid off in two weeks and after that it wont see much use.

I can easily live without it but I already have it and the offers they sometimes come out with are nice.

Anonymous · ‎05-19-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I cant spend much now trying to pay things off. Will something small like redbox rentals each month be enough to keep amex from closing the card(everyday)? Maybe $10 a month or so.I know they make their money on fees and big spenders but I wont be one of those until things are paid. Their card will be paid off in two weeks and after that it wont see much use.

I can easily live without it but I already have it and the offers they sometimes come out with are nice.

Yes.

taxi818 · ‎05-19-2015

I dont think amex will close you as for non use. we just discussed this a couple days ago amount guy that got his obc closed. even though he had not used it in 5 years. LTL said it is rare for them to do it. but i guess. they are fading out the OBC so thats why. even if you don't use it a while. im sure just a soda every 6 months will do it. in my case on the Delta. they won't do it as the AF will hit every year and i will pay that. so they are fine as long as you pay. But i think you got ed. No AF. so. im sure you are fine as well as long as you use it once a year i would say.

Anonymous · ‎05-19-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I cant spend much now trying to pay things off. Will something small like redbox rentals each month be enough to keep amex from closing the card(everyday)? Maybe $10 a month or so.I know they make their money on fees and big spenders but I wont be one of those until things are paid. Their card will be paid off in two weeks and after that it wont see much use.

I can easily live without it but I already have it and the offers they sometimes come out with are nice.

You know with the name Eddie Haskell how to "play the game" .

Just because you are paying down bills doesn't mean you don't spend cash each month, does it?

You have a cell phone. Walk in your cell phone store and use your ED card to pay the bill.

Going to Chipotle or Starbucks. Swipe your card.

Buying groceries at your local grocer, Costco, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart or Target, swipe your card.

Getting gas, swipe your card.

Getting prescriptions filled. Swipe your card.

Getting drinks at the club. Swipe your card.

Paying your car insurance. Use your card.

Make a payment each week to cover your charges. Let charges equivalent to 10% of your limit report every other month. Pay them off after you get your ststement.

That's all there is to it.

Revelate · ‎05-19-2015

@Anonymous wrote:
I cant spend much now trying to pay things off. Will something small like redbox rentals each month be enough to keep amex from closing the card(everyday)? Maybe $10 a month or so.I know they make their money on fees and big spenders but I wont be one of those until things are paid. Their card will be paid off in two weeks and after that it wont see much use.

I can easily live without it but I already have it and the offers they sometimes come out with are nice.

My recurring $10 monthly donation to the local NPR station on my Zync has kept it open for close to two years now and I'm not expecting any trouble in the future either. Haven't played with my check spending on it though, possible that's severely shrunken.

BCP hasn't gotten much either in the past year as my most recent grocery-like transactions don't trigger the bonus categories, but no problem there either with very sporadic spending on it. You should be fine.

takeshi74 · ‎05-20-2015

The anecdtoal evidence out there seems to indicate that AmEx rarely closes due to inactivity unless it's inactivity over years. If you want to be sure and don't see the details in your terms then call and verify. I suggest verify with every creditor directly to determine their policies on account closure due to inactivity.

rlx01 · ‎05-20-2015

The best way to keep cards active is a $0.50 gift card at Amazon.

Once every 3-6 months is fine.

Anonymous · ‎05-20-2015

@rlx01 wrote:
The best way to keep cards active is a $0.50 gift card at Amazon.

Once every 3-6 months is fine.

Can't you set that up to do recurring?

Anonymous · ‎05-20-2015

I just checked and my 0% expires in October so I'm tempted to spend a few hundred on a camera and pay it off by the end of the summer. Not sure though since I don't need to spend much these days.

kdm31091 · ‎05-20-2015

While I get that you may not have any significant expenses to put on the card, the fact is most of us purchase things every single day. When you run into Wawa (or your local convenience store) and get coffee, use your Amex. When you buy a pack of gum use your Amex. When you pay a small bill use your Amex.

It's not too difficult to use a card enough to keep it active. A small charge once every few months is enough.

If you want the camera, by all means buy it, but don't get it just because you want to keep your card active. No reason to spend a few hundred to do that.