Inactive Credit Card Closing?

[Anonymous]

Currently I have 4 cards. I'm travelling at lot so I barely used it. But I dont want those cards be closed due to inactivity.

If I charge like $1 on each card, then pay it before statement post, does it consider some activity for those card?

OR should I charge $1, lets the statement post, and then auto pay it? Which one is better?

[Anonymous]

Either approach is fine.  I favor the autopay approach because then your activity is visible to all creditors and removes the additional burden of remembering to pay.

I question the wisdom of making purchases of one dollar, because in my experience few people have things they really want that cost $1.  When you make 12 monthly purchases of $1 on four cards each you are paying in effect $48/year in annual fees.  Better is to buy stuff you actually want on them.  That might be gas, groceries, the occasional meal out, recurring bills like a cell phone, etc.

The frequency of charges doesn't have to be monthly either.  Unless a card is issued by Wells Fargo, using it once every six months is enough.  (With WF better make it every four months to be safe.)

You write:

Currently I have 4 cards. I'm travelling at lot so I barely used it.

By it do you mean one card (singular)?  Or do you mean them (plural)?

Either way I am not sure I grasp the connection between travelling and an inability to use cards.  When I travel that's when I only use credit cards (airfare, hotels, food, transportation, etc.).  Do you mean that you are traveling for long periods in countries where those four cards cannot be used?  If so, how would you be able to make the proposed $1 purchases?

[Anonymous]

I plan to reload my amazon gift balance. thank you for your help again. 

[Anonymous]

You are very welcome.  I like your idea of adding a small amount to your Amazon Gift Card balance.  I do that myself as a strategy for keeping virtually unused cards active.

I seem to remember that Doctor of Credit reported somewhere about some CC issuers getting irritated with people who's sole transactions were ultratiny amounts (e.g. a buck or less).  That's one of the reasons I personally make my Amazon "activity" transactions for a larger amount.  I choose $3.02 as my amount since it is > $3, and then I only do it every 4-5 months.  The accepted wisdom here on these forums is that every six months is fine, unless a card is issued by Wells Fargo, in which case every four months is completely safe.