To use a credit card to pay off another credit card

[Wittyend]

Hi I have just got a credit card which I planned to do a balance transfer so I can clear my old credit card. (The new one allows 0% interest for 12 months)


However I have just tried to do the balance transfer and it won’t allow me as they are both issued from the same provider.


Is it possible to make a payment from the new credit card to the old one instead rather than doing it as a balance transfer? So I will still benefit from the 12 month no interest?

Or is it possible to use my other credit card (with nothing owed and from a different provider) to pay off the card I’m wanting to clear and then transfer that balance to the new 0% one?


It’s so confusing , just wanting to clear this debt as quick as I can without continuing to pay loads of interest

You will need to open a new credit card from a different provider

If they have a money transfer 0% offer you could potentially get around it using that though by taking the money transfer and using it to pay the debt

@OnlyFannys thanks for replying I will check about the money transfer. I’m so annoyed with myself for not realising they’re from the same
provider was so looking forward to getting it paid off asap.

Bit wary of applying for another so soon after getting this one

If you go through Experian or clearscore you can usually get an idea of how likely you are to be approved without it showing on your credit score, might be worth a look?

I’ve just checked my app and they do a money transfer but no interest free period 😫

So I’ve got 3 cards

1 - new balance transfer card
2- old credit card I’m wanting to clear (same provider as card 1)
3- card from different provider that has been paid off

Do you think it’s possible to use card 3 to pay off card 2. Then transfer card 3s balance to card 1 with no interest?

Im sorry if not making much sense I find this so confusing

You can't use a credit card to pay a credit card

Will also check Experian now thanks so much, do you think I would need to wait a few weeks before applying for a different one or will it not make any difference?

@mernuts oh really 😫 well that answers that then 🤣

You should be able to do this but there will usually be a 2-3% fee for each transfer so be conscious the debt will increase. You will need to have a high enough limit on both cards to accommodate the debt

If it says you have a strong chance of being accepted then go for it but if not you might need to wait 3-6 months. If the new card is very recent it may not have been picked up by your credit score yet so you might be able to apply for a new one without issue

Is your new card interest free on purchases as well as balance transfers? If so could you:

use the new interest free card for all your purchases until you reach the amount of the debt - supermarket groceries, petrol etc. Then use the money you would have spent on those things to pay off the credit card with the debt. Then pay off the interest free card in the same way you were planning to if you’d just done a balance transfer.

I hope I’ve explained that ok…

You can do a balance transfer from one to the other. I'd read the fine print though in terms of minimum term of balance transfer or something like that.
If you are good with reading the full T&C's of credit card #3, transfer from #2 to 3, then from #3 to # 1.
If you want to paste the T&C's we can look for you.

That's a good plan B if its 0% on purchases (assuming the debt isnt very high)

I have 3 credit cards

1. 5.4% on new purchases
2. 3.9% on balance transfers but 26% on balance transfers
3. 39% on everything new purchases

So, I balance transfer from # 1 to #2 but make the purchases on card #1. No balance transfer fee, but there is an interest rate on the balance transfers albeit lower than leaving everything on #1.

I don't use #3

Balance transfer to the 0% card but only put new purchases on the card with the lowest interest rate for new purchases.

It's messy if you don't understand it.

#2 should read 3.9% on balance transfers but 26% on new purchases.

I've just confused everyone now lol

Really my aim is to pay off the debt and then get rid of the credit cards or just keep 1 for emergency use. It’s not a huge amount roughly £2000 but at the moment a lot of what I pay each month is just going on interest I think it’s something ridiculous like 34 % or something 😫 made mistakes when I was younger which affected my credit score negatively so I think the cards I got accepted for had rubbish interest rates, wanting to nip this in the bud now so I don’t make the mistakes again.

I will go through each one now to check all the interest rates etc and if I post them here would yous mind advising me what is the best way to pay it off. Really appreciate all your comments just find it hard to understand

Your credit rating is good if you're getting a 0% balance transfer offer.

I can't as I'm not working. 3.9% is what I transferred over at, today incidentally, balance transfers are 5.6% for the same care (but I'm locked into the 3.9% interest).

Happy to read them for you.

The only way this wouldn't work is if Card #3 requires you to keep the balance with them or if Card #1 won't accept the balance transfer from Card #3 to them.

I'd call card #1 Customer Service to see whether they would accept a balance transfer from #3 after a short period.

If you go through the process and are rejected, that lowers your credit score. So read the T&Cs of cards #3 and #1 carefully.

You’re amazing thank you so much

1. new card for balance transfer (0% for 12 months 4% fee)
2. card with £2066 debt (from the same provider as card 1 so not allowed to transfer the balance) purchase rate 27.98%
3. card with no debt, from another provider purchase rate 30.34%

hope these are the right figures I just checked my latest statements for each one and that’s what it states.

It's called a balance transfer.