Credit Cards

[Jdman]

I owe about $750 on my credit cards total. If I pay them off do I have to use them every month so they don't close them? I honestly don't want to use them. 

[M_Smart007]

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@Jdman wrote:

I owe about $750 on my credit cards total. If I pay them off do I have to use them every month so they don't close them? I honestly don't want to use them. 

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Hi and Welcome, you can pay them off and just put a small charge every 6 months.

I recommend keeping them open for credit history. unless you are paying annual fee's for the cards.

[donkort]

Agree with the above.

I might use the credit cards for gas, then make sure you pay them off in full every month before the statemente date.  

[coreysw12]

When I have a card I don't want to use, but also don't want to close, I set up one monthly bill (like phone, electric, etc.) to autpay using that card, and then I set up the credit card to get auto-paid in full each month. It's effectively the same thing as auto-paying the utility bill with my bank account, but just using the credit card as a middleman. Keeps the card active, and paid off, without me having to think about it. Bonus points (pun intended) if the card also offers rewards when it gets used, so you can get a little bit of that utility payment back

If the reason you don't want to use the card is because you're worried about self control or discipline, the above technique is totally automatic which means you can lock the card away or cut it up or whatever, without having any of the risks or downfalls of closing the card (or having the card closed by the bank from inactivity)