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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think most people don’t actually pay off their credit cards in full each month?

455 replies

PoliteCyanViewer · 29/03/2025 11:48

I always hear advice about clearing your balance each month to avoid interest but how many people actually do it? With the cost of living, unexpected expenses, and temptations everywhere, is it realistic? Do you pay yours off in full or do you carry a balance?

OP posts:
Munchyseeds2 · 29/03/2025 16:06

RampantIvy · 29/03/2025 16:02

And I suspect most of the responses on here are from high earners.

Show quote history

We aren't high earners, we just live within our means.
If we can't afford it, we don't have it.

Lovegame · 29/03/2025 16:06

We do. But we only use it for high value things like holidays. We would always make sure we have saved for them before we use the cc to pay for them.

TroysMammy · 29/03/2025 16:04

RampantIvy · 29/03/2025 16:02

And I suspect most of the responses on here are from high earners.

Show quote history

Nope, minimum wage, 25 hours a week. I go without instead of being in debt.

Castlerigg · 29/03/2025 16:03

I have an M&S credit card because I get vouchers when I spend & pay it off. I don’t clear it to zero, but I do track my spending on it and make sure no transactions remain unpaid long enough to incur interest. I don’t let the balance get above about £250. I hate paying interest so I try to make sure it doesn’t happen.

MiseryIn · 29/03/2025 16:03

Always. Have never paid a penny of interest.

i am not a particularly high earner. I just don’t spend what I don’t have.

BeehiveBasics · 29/03/2025 16:03

I have had credit card for 20+ years

I pay it off each month

bobby81 · 29/03/2025 16:03

We both pay ours off in full every month.

TroysMammy · 29/03/2025 16:02

I do. I only use it because either I don't know how much I have in my current account towards the end of the month so it's to avoid embarrassment at the checkout or for online shopping or big purchases.

RampantIvy · 29/03/2025 16:02

Poonu · 29/03/2025 15:49

Lol what a surprise unlike the rest of the world on planet Mumsnet 99.9% of people clear their cc balance monthly 😂
It's like the mythical Mumsnet chicken that makes 6 meals 😂

And I suspect most of the responses on here are from high earners.

Cantabulous · 29/03/2025 16:01

I do now but for 20 years of school fees, lumpy self-employment income and spendthrift XH I juggled credit card debt on 0% deals, a mortgage and an overdraft fairly efficiently - it was a means to an end, which I achieved 🤷‍♀️

ThatAgileLimeCat · 29/03/2025 16:00

We do. Hasn't always been like that though and got into some tricky situations when younger.

glittereyelash · 29/03/2025 15:57

Yes always. We only got a credit card once we knew we wouldn't be reliant on it. Its mainly used for online purchases.

MarioLink · 29/03/2025 15:56

We do, it's a cash-back one. If we couldn't we'd rather borrow the money on a new zero-rare card or a low rate loan.

Sid9nie · 29/03/2025 15:53

We both pay ours off every month.

Els1e · 29/03/2025 15:51

I pay in full each month.

HorrorFan81 · 29/03/2025 15:50

I collect air miles on mine so put most of our monthly spending on it and pay it off fully every month. I wouldn't use a credit card to pay for something I couldn't afford due to the interest rates

Poonu · 29/03/2025 15:49

Lol what a surprise unlike the rest of the world on planet Mumsnet 99.9% of people clear their cc balance monthly 😂
It's like the mythical Mumsnet chicken that makes 6 meals 😂

Lencten · 29/03/2025 15:40

I do have a varaible DD to make sure it happens. I tend to use it on-line shopping or big buys for extra portection credit card gives.

Though last year I was bouncing between credit card and overdraft - it's better this one.

DH doesn't always- sometime he has to wait to get paid back from work with overseas travel before can pay it off in full- without raiding long term savings - but it's never more than a month or two at most.

Trolllol · 29/03/2025 15:40

We do but some people must not because otherwise credit card companies wouldn’t make money. Apart from seller fees of course

applegrumbling · 29/03/2025 15:26

This is why I don’t have a credit card, as I don’t want to be tempted to spend beyond my means.

AelinAG · 29/03/2025 15:26

I don’t, but that’s because the last time I paid it off in full my credit score took a massive dip, so I leave a grand or so on it, 0% interest. I don’t have a mortgage etc so I don’t have any other way to keep my credit score up. I do have more than enough in savings to pay it off without an issue if I had to

Fairyliz · 29/03/2025 15:22

Had a credit card for 45 years and paid it off in full every single month.
I only buy things I have the money for and use the credit card for the insurance.

JHound · 29/03/2025 15:19

I did not used to pay off my credit card in full each month because I spent more than I earned.

That kept me in credit card debt for 20 years. I finally paid of my final o/s balance a month ago and was so happy I almost cried (yes this seems pathetic I don’t care. There maybe people using credit cards to meet essentials but most who don’t pay their balance in full are just bad with money.

Takersgonnatake · 29/03/2025 15:16

We do. Only use it for big ticket stuff where we want the protections, interest rates are punitive otherwise.

NetflicksAndSleep · 29/03/2025 15:16

My credit card only has £500 limit which I pay off in full every month.