Debt Dumpers 2026

[Bellex917]

That's just what I had heard. But I don't think that's necessarily true. I hadn't charged on my card with the AF since September, and it hadn't closed. But there'd always been a balance. Now there's no balance, I'm not sure how it works. I need to Google it. You might be correct.


This comes from experience. Last time I closed a paid off a CC and closed it, my score plummeted because my credit utilization dropped so much. I've been working for 3 years now to get my score out of the deep freeze from when it dropped so much. It's plummets so much, and it's such a long process to get it back.

I have found that some creditors will close an account if there is no activity over a period of time, and closing an account if it is your longest history of credit OR a majority of your available credit can definitely hurt.

Honestly, if it was me, I'd send one small bill there automatically each month (like my Netflix or something) and then set up autopay so that bill is paid in full each month. Set it and forget it. I think you're right not to close them since you're working to repair your credit, as long as you KNOW you won't use them for frivolous purchases.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

I have found that some creditors will close an account if there is no activity over a period of time, and closing an account if it is your longest history of credit OR a majority of your available credit can definitely hurt.

Honestly, if it was me, I'd send one small bill there automatically each month (like my Netflix or something) and then set up autopay so that bill is paid in full each month. Set it and forget it. I think you're right not to close them since you're working to repair your credit, as long as you KNOW you won't use them for frivolous purchases.

Yea, we won't be using them anymore. Looking back, I hate I paid so much interest. I know it's not the case, but I almost felt like I was giving the bank free money. I know that wasn't the case, but sometimes it felt that way.

 

[Bellex917]

Yea, we won't be using them anymore. Looking back, I hate I paid so much interest. I know it's not the case, but I almost felt like I was giving the bank free money. I know that wasn't the case, but sometimes it felt that way.

It was the case. You gave them free money. Now you signed up and agreed for that when you took on the card, saw the APR, and still didn't pay it in full (which is not a judgement, we had a LOT of credit card debt at points in our lives before we got serious)... so they didn't steal it from you, but you DID give them free money. Be mad about it so you don't do it again.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

It was the case. You gave them free money. Now you signed up and agreed for that when you took on the card, saw the APR, and still didn't pay it in full (which is not a judgement, we had a LOT of credit card debt at points in our lives before we got serious)... so they didn't steal it from you, but you DID give them free money. Be mad about it so you don't do it again.

Oh I know I agreed on it. I'm not doubting that. I'm not mad. I was dumb. I'm hoping I've smartened up a little bit, and I hope I don't do it again. I'll charge a little something and pay it off each month. And not run it up like I did before on stupid stuff (groceries, light bill, etc).

 

[barkley]

Honestly, if it was me, I'd send one small bill there automatically each month (like my Netflix or something) and then set up autopay so that bill is paid in full each month.

I think that's the way to go as well-and I would use a card that at minimum charges no fee, at best it also pays me back. the basic no fee american express card (blue cash everyday card) has a benefit wherein if you set up your Disney+, Hulu or some kind of ESPN streaming to pay from your card you can get up to a $7 statement credit each month.

 

[barkley]

Honestly, if it was me, I'd send one small bill there automatically each month (like my Netflix or something) and then set up autopay so that bill is paid in full each month.

I think that's the way to go as well-and I would use a card that at minimum charges no fee, at best it also pays me back. the basic no fee american express card (blue cash everyday card) has a benefit wherein if you set up your Disney+, Hulu or some kind of ESPN streaming to pay from your card you can get up to a $7 statement credit each month.

 

[firefly_ris]

Not much change over here... I have to push off starting that extra mortgage payment another month though.

I think we may have finally solved our attic moisture issue by adding 2 louvre vents, seems like the ridge vent just wasn't pulling enough up and out even after replacing it... another "wait and see" sort of thing, but fingers crossed that is the final component. Later this spring we will climb up there and pull some of the soffit away and make sure that's not blocked anywhere.

The next house thing that is delaying some other goals is window replacements. We still have 6 windows that are original to our 1963 home, and they've been hanging in there, but this winter was really rough on the 2 worst ones and I have one that is literally crumbling at this point, so finally biting the bullet. They are wood windows that will be getting replaced with maintenance-free vinyl. Because of their custom size and our utter lack of time lately, we opted to have them professionally installed by a local company and so this will set us back 8 grand. I have not had someone other than us put windows in (or frankly much of anything else for that matter) and I'm always wary of hiring out for work but hopefully all will go well. I guess one advantage is they have a labor warranty on them so if they screw it up they have to come and fix it.

I have at least been keeping up with my personal goals, been keeping up with book reading and working on dropping a couple more pounds. I will still be on target to max out the IRA and I also want to open a Roth and add to that too, but I think both of those targets will wait until closer to the end of summer to dump all of that in. Looks like I can still try for an extra mortgage payment next month, but I'll probably wait until after we do our taxes to see what the damage will be there first.