What happens if you dont use a credit card?
Andrew Campbell
Updated on January 20, 2026
1. Your card could be canceled. Credit card companies make money from credit cards in a number of ways, including annual fees, interest fees, and late fees. So, the most common outcome of letting your card go unused is that the card issuer simply cancels your unused credit card and closes the account.
How can I purchase without a credit card?
How to Make Purchases Online Without a Credit Card
- Use a Debit Card for Online Shopping.
- Shop With Prepaid Cards.
- Pay With Gift Cards or Store Credit.
- Redeem Amazon Cash.
- Check Out With PayPal or Other Merchant Accounts.
- Carry a Digital Wallet.
- Buy With Cryptocurrencies.
- Use Your Checking Account.
Does it cost money to have a credit card and not use it?
A credit card doesn’t have to cost anything, but to use a credit card for free requires discipline. The first step to avoiding credit card costs is choosing a credit card that doesn’t have an annual fee. Cash advances, balance transfers, and foreign currency transactions are most commonly charged a credit card fee.
Does it hurt your credit if you don’t use a credit card?
Not using your credit card doesn’t hurt your score. However, your issuer may eventually close the account due to inactivity, and that could affect your score by lowering your overall available credit. For this reason, it’s important to not sign up for accounts you don’t really need.
How much money do I need to open a credit card?
To open your account, you’ll first need to put down a cash deposit. Your credit limit is typically equal to your deposit. Minimum deposit requirements range from $200 to $500, depending on the card.
Is it possible to get a loan without a credit card?
While such a service allows you to get credit for good payment habits without a credit card, it won’t help you get a loan if your lender doesn’t accept scores from the credit-reporting agency offering it. 12 The difficulty of building credit without a credit card makes those with bad or no credit an easy target for scammers.
Can a credit card be activated if you don’t use it?
Unfortunately, even if your card is not activated, the account is probably open. Your credit scores may be better off if you leave it open and don’t use it, as long as the card doesn’t have an annual fee. Is My Credit Card Account Open Even If I Didn’t Activate the Card?
What can I do to build my credit without a credit card?
If you’re a renter with a history of positive payments, you may want to use a service like Rental Kharma or Rent Reporters that reports your credit information to the credit bureaus. These services typically require verification with your landlord and charge a registration and monthly fee.
How can I get a CD loan without a credit card?
To get a CD loan, you can use either whatever savings you have accrued or a CD account. Whoever grants the loan uses those funds as security should you fail to pay them back. Obviously, this isn’t going to be an easy route to take for most average Americans, who have little to zero savings.