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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think always clearing a credit card is not typical?

246 replies

OneNattyCrab · 16/05/2026 13:56

I tend to pay my credit card off in full each month so I never pay interest but it’s made me wonder how common that actually is. Given how many people carry credit card balances, it feels like always clearing it might not be the norm.

AIBU?

OP posts:
Londonrach1 · 17/05/2026 19:20

I have one which we use if we go abroad, buy something online.. it's cleared monthly, although I don't use it alot Surely that's what everyone does?

missmollygreen · 17/05/2026 19:19

If it were typical then banks would not offer credit cards, they are a business after all.

I pay mine off monthly.

Jade247 · 17/05/2026 19:12

Yes same always cleared every month - in fact multiple times a month after I’ve spent a few hundred x

Slowdownyouredoingfine · 17/05/2026 18:49

I’ll probably be paying off some form of credit until the day I die, surprisingly unbothered by it though. It’s 0% and we just transfer it to another for a fee when the interest starts, we chip away and then need to use for something again, and alas the cycle continues…

Vargas · 17/05/2026 18:22

Always cleared monthly. Direct debit.

Retiredfromearlyyears · 17/05/2026 18:11

Yep! I use mine for just about everything,then pay it off each month. We save the points earned for a couple of wee hotel,spa stays throughout the year.

IfWhippetsRuledTheWorld · 17/05/2026 18:10

Always cleared here, use it for everything possible so we can collect air miles. I don't think it's that unusual?

tripleginandtonic · 17/05/2026 18:10

I don't, and I've trained my dc to via a direct debit set to clear the full amount.

Nourishinghandcream · 17/05/2026 18:09

Had mine for decades and it is paid off in full every month.
Practically all spending goes on it (apart from DD's & cash purchases) but nothing has ever been carried over.

PeloMom · 17/05/2026 18:05

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t clear their balance monthly. The purpose of the cards is to collect air miles/ cash back / whatever the perks are. Not to borrow at obscene interest.

bumblebee1000 · 17/05/2026 18:03

I have a card at 2%, earn 4.4% on savings so i pay every month but dont clear it totally...its almost free money.

lilkitten · 17/05/2026 18:03

I only pay on the credit card if I know I can pay it off in full. I did have debt problems in my early twenties though (petrol mostly, cost of living was still hard for me even then) but since I cleared it all I'm not getting into debt again. I only use the credit card for expensive items that I want buyer protection on, but I have the money in my current account already. I'm guessing it's not that common to pay in full though.

LoveMyBusPass · 17/05/2026 18:02

I use my credit card a fair bit and always pay it off before the due date. If I can't afford to pay it off, I shouldn't be spending.

PurpleCoo · 17/05/2026 18:02

I think it's really common to clear it each month. Loads of people use their credit card to earn points and then just clear it each month.

My credit card is set to take the full balance by DD, but to be honest I haven't used it in years. I only really had it because in the past, some foreign countries wanted a credit card instead of a debit card, or there were no fees for using abroad. However, I now have a current account with no fees for using abroad, so there is absolutely no point in having the credit card. I can't remember the last time I wasn't able to use a debit card abroad. I think this was mostly in the USA, but I haven't been there for 11 years and won't go while the silly orange man is in charge

MsGreying · 17/05/2026 18:02

It's set up to get it all paid every month.

BambinaCucina · 17/05/2026 17:57

I don't have one but, if I did, it would be cleared every month.

However, I'd say that more people don't fully clear it than do. Whether it's because having an amount of debt has been normalised or, as is more likely, because they're using it for living. I really feel for them.

Munchyseeds2 · 16/05/2026 21:37

Ours gets cleared every month.

yoshigizzit · 16/05/2026 21:35

I clear mine every month, if I was going to borrow money credit card wouldn’t be the way I’d do it. I just have CCs for the perks.

pinkpony88 · 16/05/2026 21:33

Yes I only use it for the protection on big items or holidays etc and I don’t even wait for the bill. I just pay it when the balance has cleared on the app to show what I spent. I only spend it if I have that money available anyway.

Somersetbaker · 16/05/2026 21:13

I always clear mine and for many years it's been automatic by direct debit, but in the past there have been a couple of times when I've not been able to because of cash flow, I've always had the money but not always readily available, when you actually had to visit a bank/building society to move funds, but it was always paid off as soon as possible. I'm shortly going to book hotels for a holiday and have already checked that I (will) have sufficient money to pay the bill when it comes in. I'm now retired, but many of my former colleagues were always balancing overdrafts and credit card bills, because they were of the generation who's attitude is "I want it, and i want it NOW",

CaptainMyCaptain · 16/05/2026 20:57

I have always cleared mine every month.

Verityandsquab654 · 16/05/2026 20:50

ZippyGeorgeandBungle2 · 16/05/2026 20:19

That’s the whole point in having a credit card surely? So you can buy things you can’t immediately afford & pay it up????

Not really. Mine is mainly for security and to cope with untoward events while travelling eg flight cancelled or delayed and need to stay in hotel accommodation unexpectedly one night. Car breaks down and needs towing somewhere. Credit cards are invaluable for that sort of thing. Also to make a big purchase like a bed or a sofa when I know I will get refunded if the company stuffs up. I never tend to buy anything if I don’t have the money for it already in my account though.

TheWytch · 16/05/2026 20:44

Cleared in full every month. I only have one to keep my credit history active

BrownBookshelf · 16/05/2026 20:40

NeedyLimeMember · 16/05/2026 20:21

Wow - I'm quite surprised to see I'm in the minority here! I currently have around £3000 on credit cards and my situation has been like this or worse for probably 10 years (I'm mid-30s). I've set myself a target to clear the debt (alongside a loan which I originally took out to buy a car, then ended up consolidating even more CC debt) in the next 18 months. I've been through some financial challenges - well essentially living beyond my means - but also factors such as having twins so 2 years of eye watering nursery bills, redundancy, having to reduce working hours due to mental health then studying. But currently around £400pm, so over 25% of my income , goes on repayments.

Everyone seems to think MN skews higher income, so it makes sense that if half of credit card holders pay off in full every month the figure would be higher on here. I guess most people not having twins makes a difference too!

FunkyFringe · 16/05/2026 20:22

I only use mine for large purchases for protection and when abroad. I always pay it off in full.