Automatic transaction on credit card to stay active
I have 4 credit cards.
I use 3 of them frequently for individual purposes as they offer different cash back for different things.
However there is one that I rarely use. Is there a way to set up automatic transaction on that card of something like $10 each month to keep it active?
EDIT: I know I can add the card for subscriptions and bills, but I get better much better cash back from other cards and thus use those cards for them. I want to know if there is an app or service that does just that ,i.e., keep credit card active.
Putting money into your Amazon gift card balance is also a very convenient option, but I like these recurring Red Cross and Wikipedia ideas also.
I agree with the rest of the answers — you’re probably better off just using it for some predictable flat-rate recurring monthly service like NetFlix, or making a charitable donation if you’re into that sort of thing.
But since that wasn’t what you asked, I’ll try to provide an answer:
If you don’t mind throwing away money, send money to yourself using PayPal.
Here’s how:
Set up a PayPal Business Account, and use your personal PayPal account to send funds to it by setting up a PayPal subscription.
PayPal says “You can have one Consumer account and one Business account.” A PayPal Payments Standard business account has no monthly fee — only transaction fees.
According to PayPal, “in order to set up a repeating payment, [you] would need to create a Subscription or Recurring Payments button from the Merchant Services tab” (in the Business Account). You would then click the link/button to set up the subscription from your personal PayPal account, to make it send money to your Business account on an automatic schedule.
You can then, at your own leisure, send the money back to your personal account without paying a second transaction fee, then finally send it back to your bank account. Or, if your bank account is not yet tied to your personal account, you can tie it to the business account instead, and deposit the funds into your bank account. Unfortunately, this step can’t be automated.
Again, to reiterate, you’re much better off just using it for something recurring.
credit cards are almost never closed for inactivity. i have had dozens of cards innactive for years on end, and only one was ever closed on me for inactivity. i would bet a single 1$ transaction per calendar year would keep all your cards open. as such, you could forget automating the process and just spend 20 minutes a year making manual 1$ payments (e.g. to your isp, utility company, google play, etc.). alternatively, many charities will let you set up an automatic monthly donation for any amount (e.g. 1$ to wikipedia). or perhaps you could treat yourself to an mp3 once a month (arguably a charitable donation in the age of file sharing).
side note: i use both of these strategies to get the 12 debit card transactions per month required by my kasasa checking account.
Put one of your monthly bills on it. (Utility bill, Netflix, monthly donation to charity, etc.)
I have several automatic, recurring monthly charges on my credit card.
If you don’t have any current monthly bills that you want to switch, contact the Red Cross, or a charity of your choice. They would be very happy to charge your credit card once a month.
Alternatively, it might be okay to let it close.