AZEO and ... nuthin'

[trusty]

---

wrote:

Slightly off topic here, but I'd like to add that from my research a $3 statement balance will report with every creditor I've run into; I have yet to find a $3 balance that is forgiven/adjusted/reported as $0 to the bureaus.  I started a thread on this topic once here:

http://ficoforums.myfico.com/t5/Credit-Cards/Master-List-of-Lowest-Balances-CCCs-will-report/td-p/50...

I know we commonly recommend a $5-$10 balance as the definition of a "small balance" but I'd like to go on record saying that $3 is fine.  $2.99 gets forgiven by Discover and reports as $0 but a penny more than that will report as $3 and most other creditors will report $1 or $2.  Anyway, $3 and you're safe in my book until I hear a data point from someone stating otherwise!

---

I just want to add the disclaimer that card issuers may eventually take AA over abusing these system quirks. About a decade ago Discover lowered my limit and eventually closed my account, without ever being late; and you better believe I always left $2 off of my payment, knowing that they were too daft as to give out a crisp $2 bill each month. I mean, why not take it? Granted, it could also have been due to something else on their regular review. There were some issues with Transunion around the time, that I needed to get corrected.

But, now that I think of it, it's possible that taking advantage of their generosity (or lack of accounting prowess) contributed to the AA; or at the very least, the failure to recon at the time.

It didn't bother me much, since their card limit was child's play compared to other issuers. But, I did like their unique card number app. Of course, I probably abused that too. So, who knows. lol

[Anonymous]

---

BOA's Better Balance Rewards card apparently has had amounts as high as $4.75 forgiven.

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/psa-put-a-5-charge-on-that-better-balance-rewards-card/

---

Nice find, CGID!  I'll add that data to my thread.  Much appreciated.

[HeavenOhio]

Sub had $5 forgiven on his BBR. To top it off, because of the month that it happened, it affected two rewards periods.

[Anonymous]

---

wrote:

---

wrote:

---

wrote:

If you need or want to have a Chase card coninuously report a non-zero balance, it's certainly possible to pull that off without paying interest. To do that, you'd need to have a new charge post before paying your statement balance in full. Generally, it's easier to choose a non-Chase card to report the positive balance. That way, you can let Chase's mid-cycle zero reporting work in your favor rather than trying to work around it.

---

Yea. I use a chase as my AZERO, but I use it for restaurant purchases so I’m using that card a lot. When statement cuts I keep using the card and by the time I pay beyond the full statement balance there is still charges left unpaid. So I pay no interest but the card is never at $0. For most people it’s hard to explain in writing how to use chases card as AZERO. So it’s easier to say just use another card lol. Less typing.

---

If you use your Chase card organically then there's probably no need to explain how to AZEO the card. More likely than not you'll have new charges posted when your statement cuts, so unless you pay more than your statement balance, you won't ever even realize Chase reports whenever you hit 0. 

---

Oh I found out the hard way that when I payed the total balance that chase reported that zero balance within two days and my score dropped 18 points. I saw the reporting at a weird time not normal. Lesson learned before someone even told me about chases different reporting on zero balances.... 

[HeavenOhio]

If you get caught in that predicament, Chase will report anytime you call and ask them to.