Meredith Dietz
Credit: TetianaKtv/Shutterstock
You know you need to pay your credit card bill on time, and that you should always pay enough to avoid keeping a balance. But if you struggle with managing your money, you might be tempted to pay off your credit card immediately after every purchase. This payment strategy would essentially be treating your credit card like a debit card: Sure, you’d avoid racking up any debt—but you’d also be hurting your credit health along the way. Here’s what to know about the most strategic time to pay off your credit card.
The basics of credit card payments
In order to know the best way to pay off your credit card, you should understand the basics of your credit card statement:
Billing cycle: This is typically a 30-day period during which your purchases are recorded.
Statement date: The last day of your billing cycle when your statement is generated.
Due date: The date by which you must make at least the minimum payment to avoid late fees.
Grace period: The time between your statement date and due date, usually 21-25 days, during which you can pay off your balance without incurring interest.
Basically, at the end of your billing cycle (typically every 30 days), you receive a statement with your current balance. That balance reflects all the purchases made with your card during the billing cycle, plus any unpaid balance or interest carried over from previous cycles.
Your statement will tell you the minimum required payment you need to make before a certain due date (typically a couple of weeks after receiving your statement). The minimum payment is what is necessary to avoid a late fee, but you should always pay more so you don’t accrue interest and accumulate debt.
You should always aim to pay off your statement balance in full and on time. But here’s why you shouldn’t get overeager with paying off your balance too frequently.
What happens when you pay off your credit card too often
While paying off your credit card balance immediately after every purchase might seem responsible, but it can actually have some drawbacks:
Low credit utilization: If you always have a zero balance when your statement is generated, it may appear that you're not using your credit at all, which can prevent your credit score from improving.
Missed opportunity to build credit history: Regular, on-time payments of statement balances are a key factor in building a positive credit history.
Potential for errors: Frequent payments increase the chances of clerical errors or forgotten payments.
The most important point here is that if you choose to pay off your credit card after every purchase, you’ll be screwing over your credit utilization rate, which makes up 30% of your credit score. In most cases, a lower utilization means a higher credit score—with 0% utilization being the exception.
The reason for this is that credit bureaus don’t receive information about your account until the end of the billing cycle. If you always pay off your balance before you can receive a statement, it looks to the bureaus like you’re not using the card at all. And with no credit history to scrutinize, you’re damaging your credit health.
When to pay your credit card
The best strategy for paying your credit card balance involves a balance between using your credit and maintaining a low utilization rate:
Wait for the statement: Allow your statement to generate with a balance. This shows credit bureaus that you're actively using your credit.
Keep utilization under 30%: This demonstrates responsible credit use.
Pay in full before the due date: To avoid interest charges and late fees, pay your full statement balance before the due date.
Make multiple payments if needed: If you're approaching 30% utilization before your statement date, you can make a partial payment to bring it down.
So, unless you’re seriously worried about racking up debt, it’s not wise to pay off every single credit card swipe immediately. But if you’re looking to improve your credit score, it pays to wait until your statement date to pay off your balance. The sweet spot is to have a balance that is less than 30% of your total credit, and to always pay on time to avoid interest or late fees.
Ultimately, the best strategy for you is whatever ensures you don’t fall into debt. It’s better to be paying too much than finding yourself unable to pay at all.
Meredith Dietz
Senior Finance Writer
Meredith Dietz is Lifehacker’s Senior Finance Writer. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English and Communications from Northeastern University, where she graduated as valedictorian of her college. She grew up waitressing in her family restaurant in Wilmington, DE and worked at Hasbro Games, where she wrote rules for new games. Previously, she worked in the non-profit space as a Leadership Resident with the Harpswell Foundation in Phnom Penh, Cambodia; later, she was a travel coordinator for a study abroad program that traced the rise of fascist propaganda across Western Europe.
Since then, Meredith has been driven to make personal finance accessible and address taboos of talking openly about money, including debt, investing, and saving for retirement. Outside of finance writing, Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian who has been a regular contributor to The Onion and Reductress. Meredith lives in Brooklyn, NY.
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