Juggling 4 credit cards. Best way to use them?

williewonder

Does one need to be utilising their cards for them to stay active? This is the way I'm planning using mine to build my credit worthiness. Does this sound okay?

Vanquis (£500 limit) direct debit coming out for Apple Storage - £0.79. Paid off I'm full each month when bill generates.
Post office (£200) direct debit coming out for Limitless Cinema card - £12.99. Paid off in full each month.
Barclaycard Forward (£1200) Spend £150 per month General shopping. Paid off in full each month.
Capital One (£1250) spend £150 per month General shopping. Paid off in full each month.

Obviously will spend more some months but since I want to start saving I only want to spend £350 a month on food/coffees out. I will pay all on credit cards and pay off in full from current account when payments are due. I'm lucky that I'm in no debt. Does this sound okay?

WillPS

There is no one answer. Lenders may look favourably, negatively or indifferently on cards barely/rarely used - but on the whole using your credit facilities and fulfilling your obligations in terms of making payments in time can only really be a good thing in terms of making yourself a more attractive customer for prime lenders.

Do ensure that you are allowing a bill to generate (sounds like you are) before settling your debt, otherwise your lender may report that your balance is 0 (which looks the same as not using it).

Ebe_Scrooge

This sounds fine to me - the crucial thing is to always always always repay in full each month, which it sounds like you are doing.  Perhaps my only suggestion might be to "rotate" the cards a bit - so one month use 1 card for the general shopping, then the next month use another card, etc.  Just so that you've got a bit more than 79p a month going through the Vanquis card, for instance.  If this means your Barclaycard doesn't get used for a month that's no big deal.

It sounds like you're being sensible - and for heaven's sake, don't spend on the card "just for the sake of it".  But if you're just using them for stuff you need to buy anyway, and can afford, then you'll be fine.