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

[PoliteCyanViewer]

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?

We do.

We do too.

Depends why you use it surely? If you use it because you can't afford things, you won't be paying it off quickly. But some people only use it for the buyer protection.

Yes, I do and always have. Had credit cards for 40 years and never used them for actual credit!

Clearly some people do and some don't - for many people it's fine.

I always do but I'm fortunate that I don't rely on it for everyday costs. I just use it for larger purchases where I may need the protection a credit card brings.

Ours always get paid in full every month.

I only have my Which? subscription on it to make it easy to maintain a good credit rating, so the amount is minimal.

I only use mine to get the Avios. I hold two and always pay full balance by DD.

In my twenties I had about four cards and racked up loads of debt. I learned the hard way.

Always It's Amex and used to collect Avios points. Use it for everything I can and pay off monthly

I always do 11 months of the year. Around January I sometimes spread the cost over two months as pay our holiday balance that month as well as Xmas costs and car tax.

I do too

Put simply, if you can't pay off your credit card at the end of the month, you've overspent.

If you've had an emergency - well, that's a little different, but you should still be looking to clear the card asap, otherwise it's a bloody expensive loan.

Obviously, if you have a 0% card, that can be a great loan option. But you need to be on it, and ready to pay it back.

Always have
lucky that my first year at work I was able to save loads ( no car ,no holiday, cheap room) which meant that I then had a buffer against unexpected high expenses ; and after that I wouldn’t buy until I had saved enough to clear the card by the time the bill was due

We don’t use a credit card. Surely if you don’t pay it off in full every month the debt will just build up?

I always do.

Gogogo12345 · Today 11:52
**
Always It's Amex and used to collect Avios points. Use it for everything I can and pay off monthly

One of ours is a Tesco Bank card and we did the same for the points. Was really useful when the kids were growing up. Not so much now points value has been reduced.

I do. I don't buy a huge amount on it, I mainly use it for online purchases and I always, always clear it.

Always. Rarely use it.

We pay our off in full every month. Always have done. We use it for pretty much everything, all household expenses, unless they don't take CC.

Builds up Tesco points and gets us a couple of Eurotunnel journeys for free each year

I use my credit card for all of my spending because I want the insurance that comes with it in case I get defrauded (happed once and very minor). There’s been a handful of times when I haven’t completely cleared it due to a temporary cash flow issue, but the vast majority of the time I do.

Another one here who always pays the full bill at the end of the month. The only time I don't is if I want to take advantage of zero %, and then I make sure I have to complete amount in a savings account earning interest, before I purchase so that I'm able to pay the remainder when the interest free period runs out.

Lucky enough to pay it off in full each month.

I do. I never pay interest. If it’s a really large sum I’ll do a balance transfer for the cost of 1% of the money.

I only use it to do big purchases like a holiday or new sofa. I get a 12/24m interest free one, divide the cost by 12/24m and pay it off by the end of the term.

Always. We have a standing order to pay it off in full each month, not a set amount.

I do, except for maybe 3 or 4 cashflow crisis periods in my 30 years of having one, when I didn’t for 3-6 months. It’s an infuriating waste of money not to.