Encouraging a B/T offer from Barclays

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onlyfoolsandparking
onlyfoolsandparking Posts: 1,779 Forumite
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I wonder how others have been doing this. I,ve been paying my Barclaycard steadily for the last 9 months and am now down to making the last payment in August, they are offering me at the moment 12 months interest free 2.4% fee which seems reasonable. My question is though I don't need a B/T till March 2019 (I will absolutely need it then unfortunately) so do I make that last payment to take my balance to zero or maybe split it into 3-4 payments taking me to say December. Which way of me paying it off would encourage them to offer me a good B/T rate??? or is there no real way of telling, I read somewhere they use algorithms or something similar to track spending/paying patterns, I could pay it all now but would leaving my balance at zero for 6-9 months do me any favours??
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  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242 Forumite
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    Clear your balance. Then use your card as normal, clearing in full.

    Offers will normally then come through fairly regularly, depending on their assessment of your risk.
  • onlyfoolsandparking
    onlyfoolsandparking Posts: 1,779 Forumite
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    Yes I could do that but I wouldn't be using the card I don't need to use that card at all at the moment well not for spending its just been a B/T card although as I said another deal around Feb-Mar next year will come in very handy.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User] Posts: 35,242 Forumite
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    All you need to do is buy a packet of crisps or other potato based snack each month and pay it off.

    It would be worth it for a decent offer in a few months.
  • onlyfoolsandparking
    onlyfoolsandparking Posts: 1,779 Forumite
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    Yeah I go along with that idea, cheers
  • EarthBoy
    EarthBoy Posts: 3,045 Forumite
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    Deleted_User wrote: »
    Clear your balance. Then use your card as normal, clearing in full.

    Offers will normally then come through fairly regularly, depending on their assessment of your risk.

    I wouldn't bother using the card if you don't need to.

    I took out my Barclaycard for a balance transfer offer and when the offer period was over I transferred the balance out elsewhere. The card has remained unused for about 4 years, but I have received balance transfer offers in the post almost every month since.
  • Nebulous2
    Nebulous2 Posts: 5,130 Forumite
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    Are you paying interest?

    If you are pay it off as quickly as possible.

    If you aren't it really doesn't matter, if you have another use for the money.
  • Anthorn
    Anthorn Posts: 4,362 Forumite
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    edited 12 August 2018 at 9:30AM
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    onlyfoolsandparking wrote: »
    I wonder how others have been doing this. I,ve been paying my Barclaycard steadily for the last 9 months and am now down to making the last payment in August, they are offering me at the moment 12 months interest free 2.4% fee which seems reasonable. My question is though I don't need a B/T till March 2019 (I will absolutely need it then unfortunately) so do I make that last payment to take my balance to zero or maybe split it into 3-4 payments taking me to say December. Which way of me paying it off would encourage them to offer me a good B/T rate??? or is there no real way of telling, I read somewhere they use algorithms or something similar to track spending/paying patterns, I could pay it all now but would leaving my balance at zero for 6-9 months do me any favours??

    Usually if you are arriving at the end of an offer and after that interest or increased interest will be payable then pay off the card. Otherwise put the money into an interest-bearing account and use that to pay off the card when due.

    On further BT offers after the current offer has expired, it depends on the card you have: My Lloyds low interest card has ongoing offers which keep on coming and it's virtually the gift that keeps on giving. But some other cards use BT offers as a carrot to attract customers and after the offer expires you're expected to use the card as normal and pay interest. The latter type are just paid off when due and a new, different card obtained.
  • twokcc
    twokcc Posts: 243 Forumite
    edited 12 August 2018 at 10:35AM
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    Also have Barclaycard with an outstanding balance from a 2yr interst free period thats due to expire in about 12months time. Get a transfer offer every month from Barclaycard, this has gradually got better. Early ones were like yours for 12 mnth period. latest is for 2yrs with 2.4% charge.
    In your situation I wont use card at all then just do a transfer when you need to. Offers posted on my account on website and if you look about 25th of month you will see current month offer and next months offer. If one is dramatically better or worse you can do transfer on last day for current month or 1st for next months offers.

    Pay off balance in full or you will incur 18% interest on it if you pay off over next 3 or 4 months
  • onlyfoolsandparking
    onlyfoolsandparking Posts: 1,779 Forumite
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    Lots of good options here, yes I know about the 2 offers showing near the end of the month as well, i think the best option is gonna be pay it off and see what offer i get next feb/mar if its not good enough i,ll just transfer to another one of the many cards ive got
  • Nasqueron
    Nasqueron Posts: 8,928 Forumite
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    I paid off my BC BT card and left it open for a while with no balance, when I had something else I wanted to buy I used it again. I get regular offers for more BT even though I don't need them.
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