To think always clearing a credit card is not typical?

[OneNattyCrab]

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?

I have always cleared mine every month.

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",

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.

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.

Ours gets cleared every month.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Always cleared monthly. Direct debit.

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…

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

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

I pay mine off monthly.

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?

Cleared monthly. I only use it to maintain a good credit rating and to collect the money back vouchers I get.

I pay mine off in full also. My main reason for having one is for online use and the fact it gives insurance and security for certain purchases. I often dip into savings to do so though.

Well, about 60% of people in the UK who use a credit card pay it off in full every month... so it's pretty typical but definitely not everyone.

I have two credit cards currently, used it alot when I was a single mother as I was adding things onto it when I had to start over. I pay each month and try and add more than the minimum to get it down quicker as I have a better paying job now but the interest is high as I can't get a new one due to the amount. However, I have spoken to other friends and they all have cc with debts given their circumstances. They pay off each month of what they can.