Originally Posted by
xcalibir
Hey guys,
One of my longest credit history cards was just canceled by the CC for inactivity for 2 years. I was really pissed and my credit score took a hit.
My question is
1. Is it enough to charge 5 dollars a year on my no fee credit cards?
2. Do the CCs that have fees i.e. IHG Card, ever get terminated for inactivity?
Thanks
My understanding is that charging $5 per year will keep cards alive. Conventional wisdom says you should use the card for a small purchase once every six months just to be safe.
Cards that charge an annual fee shouldn't be at risk because the fee itself gives you activity every 12 months.
On a side note, while $5 is enough to keep a card active, it seems pointless to work so hard to minimize your use of one card. If you were to use it to make an actual, real-life purchase you intended to make anyway like a tank of gas or one trip to the grocery store, would it really kill you to give up a few points on one of your other cards?