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Best way to 'spend' and bounce balances via credit cards/savings

fimonkey
fimonkey Posts: 1,238 Forumite
Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
Sorry the title sounds a bit daft, I am looking for advice on what to re: balance on an exisitng credit card (CC), balance transfer deals and a future purchase.

I have just put £886.24 on my virgin credit card, APR 12.9%

I can pay this off immediately if I should from my cash ISA, which is currently attracting 3.2% p.a. current balance is just under 20K

I am about to book a holiday which will cost £1130 which I will pay with by CC.

My questions are:
- The halifax clarity card offers 2% payment (not fee) for balance transfers. If I put the £1130 on to the existing CC that takes the balance up to £2016.24, which I can then bounce to the halifax clarity card and get paid 2% which is approx £40. I can then pay the balance off in full from my ISA which would be £1976.24.

-Alternatively I can take out another CC with a 0% balance transfer for 13 months with a 3% fee and 0% for purchase. Put the holiday on this, and transfer the £886.24 to there to pay off over 13 months. This would cost me £27 ish in fees.

-Or I can pay off the £886.24 from my ISA, take out a 0% on purchases for the holiday.

Which is best? I am confused about taking money from my ISA as I hear people say that you shouldn't really touch it, and I see its best to pay off a debt at 0% whilst accumulating interest on the ISA. PLus paying 2K from my ISA is more interest to loose than paying 886.24 (though the interest rate is just 3.2%)

I want to get a halifax clarity card anyhow because its best for spending abroad, but I will also need to get a card with 0% purchase and getting 2 cards at once may be an issue (though would close down the virgin card I currently have).
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