Getting FIREd up 😀

South_coast

Hi TG, good thinking but I've checked my report and all correct. Only one hard search in the last 6 months (for a new mobile phone), two cards (including this one) at 0% utilisation, one at 78%, one at 84% and then three at 98%, 97% and 95%. So definitely not great, but no payments missed and no balance on this one at all and not as though I have been any kind of risk to them in the time I've had the card 🤷‍♀️ 

Oh well, whatevs. Looks like I can close it by filling in an online form, so will do that shortly and take 7 cards down to 6. It will hit my overall utilisation percentage, but no more than virtually removing it altogether will

BookWorm

Agree that does seem odd.

Could you apply for a new card? Or balance transfer one of the others and free up that way?

South_coast

I've looked, but the only ones available to me at the moment are credit builder ones - which I always think look worse on your credit record? Don't know why I have that idea? The three really high ones should be under 90% by the end of the year (as long as I don't spend any more 😬) and the first 0% doesn't expire until March, so I've got a bit of breathing space. Have decided for my everyday spending I'm going to pay on the 84% used card, but pay the equivalent amount straight off either the 97% or 95% card via their app (would do the 98% one, but you can only do that by debit card - too annoying), so that will boost the payoff on those without increasing the other one too much

South_coast

Of course, I could just use my debit card, but I always find that intensely annoying for some reason!

Baileys_Babe

South_coast said:

Of course, I could just use my debit card, but I always find that intensely annoying for some reason!

I don't like using my debit card either. I prefer to use cash or my credit card. It is years possibly decades since I last used my debit card.

julicorn

Hi South Coast! It's been a long time since I checked in on your diary. I'm also in the 'use a credit card for everything' boat, aside from on holiday, where I tend to use my Chase card. I hope you find a good solution, how annoying that they just slashed your credit limit.

ruby_eskimo

Baileys_Babe said:

South_coast said:

Of course, I could just use my debit card, but I always find that intensely annoying for some reason!

I don't like using my debit card either. I prefer to use cash or my credit card. It is years possibly decades since I last used my debit card.

I don't even know the pin to my debit card anymore, it's been that long since I used it 😂

I bet as soon as you start to close the account they'll try to offer you a higher limit again.

South_coast

ruby_eskimo said:

I don't even know the pin to my debit card anymore, it's been that long since I used it 😂

Er, I have the same pin for all my cards 😳🤣! BF also knows it, so it's also always used for the hotel safe whenever we go away!

I use my debit card once a month to add money to my S&S ISA, then maybe a couple of times a year to take cash out (actually, can't remember the last time I did this 🤔), but using it for paying for things....weird 🤣!

South_coast

Also, my current account balance is usually £0.00 once the direct debits have come out, as my spending money is separated out into my different pots, so I'd imagine the bank will be having 40 fits if I start tapping the card left, right and centre 🤣!

South_coast

Have decided I'm going to do my everyday spending on the 78% used card for the minute (but still pay the equivalent amount off the others). Gives me a chance to flash the beautiful Barclaycard again for a few months too 😀

It also looks like my non-ISA savings are getting very close to exceeding the personal savings allowance this tax year, so instead of putting the extra £50s into the neutral fund, I'm going to pay them straight off the cards every time I hit £50. Not the best decision financially (I'd be better off earning the interest and paying tax on it), but I've just done the first one and it felt goooood....😀😀😀