By LaToya Irby
Edited by Michelle TipswordHow Often Should I Use My Credit Card?
By LaToya IrbyEdited by Michelle Tipsword
Quick Answer
- A good rule of thumb is to use your credit card at least once every three months to keep it active.
- Not using your credit card for a period of time could lead the company to close your account, which can impact your credit score.
You don't have to use your credit card every day to keep it open, but letting it sit too long could have consequences. Some credit card issuers may close inactive accounts, which could impact your credit scores.
While there's no rule for how often you need to use your credit card, a general rule of thumb is to use your credit card at least once every few months to keep the account active. Here's what to know about keeping your credit card active and using it responsibly.
How Often Do You Need to Use a Credit Card to Keep It Active?
Credit card issuers have their own policies for handling inactive accounts, so there's no universal rule for how often you need to use your card. As a general rule of thumb, using your credit card at least once every three months is often enough to keep it open and active. Even a small purchase—like a streaming subscription—can help prevent inactivity.
It's also important to note that inactivity policies can change over time. For example, during periods of economic uncertainty, some card issuers may be more likely to close unused accounts to manage risk and reduce credit exposure.
Learn more: How to Avoid Credit Card Cancellation
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What Happens if You Don't Use Your Credit Card?
The most significant consequences happen after you haven't used your credit card for several months.
- Account closure: If you go months without using your credit card, your card issuer may close your account. Card issuers have their own timeline for closing inactive accounts and they're not required to warn you before they shut down your account.
- Credit score impact: When a credit card is closed, your total available credit decreases, which can increase your credit utilization ratio and lower your credit score. While a closed account may eventually affect the average age of your accounts, closed accounts in good standing generally remain on your credit report for up to 10 years.
- Missed rewards and perks: When you pay with cash or debit card instead of a rewards credit card, you may miss out on cash back, points or miles. Depending on your card, you could also lose access to benefits such as purchase protection, extended warranty coverage or travel protections. And, if your issuer closes a rewards credit card account, you could lose any rewards you have in your account.
Learn more: Does Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit?
What Should You Use a Credit Card For?
Using a credit card strategically can help you earn rewards and build credit. Here are some of the best ways to use a credit card.
- Online shopping: Credit cards offer valuable protections when you're shopping online. If your card information is compromised, you generally won't be responsible for unauthorized purchases. You may also be able to dispute charges for items that never arrive or don't match the seller's description.
- Large purchases: You can take advantage of a 0% intro annual percentage rate (APR) promotion to pay off the balance over time without interest. Depending on your card's benefits, you may also receive purchase protection or an extended warranty, which can provide additional coverage.
- Subscriptions and recurring bills: Paying recurring expenses like streaming services, phone bills or gym memberships with a credit card can keep your account active and build a positive payment history when you pay on time. Setting up autopay can help ensure you never miss a payment on the card.
- Travel expenses: Many travel credit cards offer benefits such as trip cancellation coverage, lost luggage protection and travel rewards earnings. When you book hotels or rental cars, authorization holds are typically placed against your credit limit instead of temporarily reducing the cash available in your bank account.
- Everyday spending: Using your credit card for budgeted expenses like groceries, gas and dining can help you earn rewards on purchases you'd make anyway. Paying your balance in full each month allows you to avoid interest while maximizing the value of your rewards.
- Emergency expenses: A credit card can provide a financial cushion when you have an unexpected expense, such as a car repair or emergency travel. While it's best to have an emergency fund, a credit card may provide short-term flexibility if you need time to pay off a large expense.
Learn more: The Best (and Worst) Ways to Use a Credit Card
How Much of Your Credit Card Should You Use?
Ideally, you should only use your credit card for planned expenses that you can afford to repay in full each month. This can help you avoid interest charges, keep your balance manageable and lower the risk of accumulating debt.
It also can help keep your credit utilization ratio low. Credit utilization is the percentage of your available credit you're using, and it's an important factor in your credit scores.
Example: If you have a $10,000 credit limit and carry a $2,000 balance, your utilization ratio is 20% ($2,000 / $10,000 = 20%).
As a rule of thumb, many experts recommend keeping your utilization below 30%. This is just a guideline, but in general, lower utilization is better for your credit scores because it shows that you're not heavily relying on your available credit.
Tip: Using your card regularly can keep your account active, but that doesn't mean you need to carry a large balance. In fact, paying off your balance every month can be best for your credit scores, and your finances overall.
How to Use a Credit Card Responsibly
Here's how to use your credit card responsibly.
- Review your statements. Look for unauthorized transactions and billing errors. Report fraudulent charges quickly to limit your liability and resolve issuers faster.
- Pay in full. Paying your entire statement balance each month allows you to avoid paying interest. On a rewards card, this can help you get the full value of your rewards without increasing the cost of your purchase.
- Automate payments. Schedule at least your minimum payment to avoid late fees and ensure your account remains in good standing. Just make sure you maintain enough money in your checking account to cover your scheduled payments.
- Use account alerts. Stay on top of your account with alerts for upcoming due dates, large purchases and balance warnings. These notifications can help you catch potential fraud and avoid accidentally overspending.
- Spend only what you can afford. Use your budget rather than your credit limit to determine how much to spend. Treating your credit card like a debit card can help you maintain a manageable balance and avoid debt.
Learn more: Credit Card Tips You Should Know
Frequently Asked Questions
The Bottom Line
Using your credit card regularly can help keep your account active. The key is to use your card for purchases you can afford and pay your balance on time. Even occasional activity like a small recurring charge can help keep your account open.
To keep an eye on how your credit card activity impacts your credit score, sign up for free credit monitoring with Experian. You'll receive alerts to changes to your credit profile, including new inquiries, changes to the balances of your credit cards and more.
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About the author
LaToya Irby
LaToya Irby is a personal finance writer who works with consumer media outlets to help people navigate their money and credit. She’s been published and quoted extensively in USA Today, U.S. News and World Report, myFICO, Investopedia, The Balance and more.
Read more from LaToya