[sokoloff]

If you carry a $10 balance, you're probably giving up the free float. Since I pay the card off each month, I get between 31 and 61 days of free float on purchases. If I don't pay it off in a given month, finance charges accrue from the date the charge is posted.

As to having utilization on the card, normal usage is enough to ensure that there is always a balance due on the card anyway. (If you spend money on the card regularly, the payment you send in August is for things you bought in July and by the time it posts, you have more August charges on the card, meaning the balance is only ever zero if you do a massive return or if you have a multi-week spending embargo hit at just the time the credit company pulls your report.)

[graedus]

> If you carry a $10 balance, you're probably giving up the free float.

Not sure what the mechanics are behind the scenes, but I keep an eye out for interest charges and I haven't seen any for years.

> meaning the balance is only ever zero if you do a massive return or if you have a multi-week spending embargo hit at just the time the credit company pulls your report.

I think I implemented the $10 policy because I wasn't using my cards very much at the time. Your system makes the most sense for anyone who uses their card regularly.