What Does Available Credit Mean? | MoneyLion (2024)

Credit

Nov 23, 2022

Written byJeannine Mancini

What Does Available Credit Mean? | MoneyLion (1)

If you’re a new credit cardholder, you’re likely wondering, “what does available credit mean?” Available credit is the amount of your credit limit you can use in a billing cycle. As your balance changes, this amount will also change. For example, if your credit limit is $0, you have no credit available for purchases and have reached your credit limit. Knowing how much credit you have available is essential for maintaining your account and your credit score.

Difference between credit limit vs. available credit

The amount of credit you can spend or borrow is known as the credit limit. After all your purchases and fees are deducted from the credit limit, the remaining balance is your available credit to spend. After that, any payments you make are deducted from your credit card balance and applied as a credit to your account, freeing up more credit.

How much available credit should you use?

The best way to avoid paying interest on your purchases is to pay your credit card balance in full each month. However, that’s not always feasible. Experts recommend using no more than 30 percent of your total available credit, especially if you want to maintain good credit. For example, if your credit limit is $500, you should aim to spend no more than $150.

What happens when you reach the credit limit?

When you reach your credit limit, you have no more available credit to spend. Your credit card is “maxed out,” and the company can decline charges if you try to use it without making a payment to lower the balance.

What happens if you use more than your available credit?

The credit card company can add on late fees and penalties if you exceed your credit limit. In addition to the fees, it’ll harm your credit score. In some cases, the credit card company may even decide to close your account.

How to increase your available credit

Increasing your available credit limit frees up funds for spending. In addition, it can raise your credit score by lowering your credit utilization ratio (the percentage of credit used versus your credit limit). Here are some ways to increase your available credit.

Pay down your existing balance

If you pay off your credit card balance in full, you’ll have access to your entire credit limit. However, only making the minimum payment can keep your balance high and reduce your available credit. Conversely, you can reduce your balance faster if you pay more than the monthly minimum.

Get a new credit card

Taking out another credit card gives you access to more available credit. If you only have one credit card, the additional line of credit can help improve your credit utilization ratio. You’ll have the entire available limit factored into your overall credit utilization, which can boost your score and offset the hard credit inquiry’s impact.

Ask for a credit limit increase

If you have a history of making your credit card payments on time and keeping your account in good standing, you can ask the credit card company for a credit limit increase. This is often the easiest way to increase your available credit limit instantly. Credit card companies have different procedures for making requests. Some may allow you to do it directly on the website, while others require you to call in to complete the request.

Credit Limit – Current Balance = Available Credit

To recap, your available credit is your credit limit minus the current balance. Whenever your balance changes, this amount will change too. If you make a payment, your available credit increases. When you make a purchase, your available credit decreases.

Can I spend my available credit?

Yes, you can spend your available credit. The available credit is the amount of money you can charge on your credit card.

How can I check the available balance on my credit card?

You can check your available balance on your credit card by logging into your credit card account or by calling the credit card company.

What does 100 percent credit available mean?

100 percent credit available means your available credit equals your entire credit limit. You have either paid the balance in full and have access to your full line of credit or have not yet used the card.

What Does Available Credit Mean? | MoneyLion (2)

Written by Jeannine Mancini Jeannine Mancini, a Florida native, has been writing business and personal finance articles since 2003. Her articles have been published in the Florida Today and Orlando Sentinel. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies and a Master of Arts in Career and Technical Education from the University of Central Florida.

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What Does Available Credit Mean? | MoneyLion (2024)

FAQs

What Does Available Credit Mean? | MoneyLion? ›

It refers to how much credit you have left to spend. The amount of available credit can be calculated by subtracting your purchases (and the interest on those purchases) from the total credit limit on the account. The credit limit is the total amount that can be borrowed.

Can I spend my available credit? ›

For example, if your credit card has a limit of $3,000 and your current balance is $1,000, your available credit may be $2,000. This means you can continue to make purchases or transactions up to $2,000 without exceeding your credit limit (unless you make a payment toward that balance before then).

What does $1000 available credit mean? ›

Credit limit is the total amount of credit available to a borrower, including any amount already borrowed. Available credit is the difference between the credit limit and the account balance, or how much you have left to spend before you reach your credit limit.

What is the difference between available credit and balance? ›

Your current balance is the total of all the posted transactions as of the previous business day. Your available credit is figured by subtracting your current balance (or amount already used) from your credit limit and adding any outstanding charges that have not posted yet.

What does 100% available credit mean? ›

100 percent credit available means your available credit equals your entire credit limit. You have either paid the balance in full and have access to your full line of credit or have not yet used the card.

Why can't I use my available credit? ›

Why is my available credit less than my credit limit? You can think of available credit as your credit limit minus your current balance. If you have outstanding charges on your credit card, they will reduce your available credit.

When can I use my available credit after payment? ›

Typically, you'll be able to use the funds one to two (1-2) business days after you make your payment.

How much of your available credit limit should you use? ›

A good rule of thumb is to keep your credit utilization under 30 percent. This means that if you have $10,000 in available credit, you don't ever want your balances to go over $3,000. If your balance exceeds the 30 percent ratio, try to pay it off as soon as possible; otherwise, your credit score may suffer.

Why does my available credit say $0 after payment? ›

A credit card or other type of loan known as open-end credit, adjusts the available credit within your credit limit when you make payment on your account. However, the decision of when to replenish the available credit is up to the bank and, in some circ*mstances, a bank may delay replenishing a credit line.

How do I access my available credit? ›

The easiest way you can check your credit card's available credit is through your online or mobile account. Alternatively, you can find your available credit by calling the customer service number you see on the back of your credit card or on your monthly account statement.

How much should I spend if my credit limit is $1000? ›

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recommends keeping your credit utilization under 30%. If you have a card with a credit limit of $1,000, try to keep your balance below $300.

Why is my available credit more than my credit limit? ›

Your credit limit usually refers to the maximum amount that your card's issuer is willing to lend you. Meanwhile, your available credit is the maximum credit limit, minus any outstanding balance or pending charges on the card.

Does available credit reset each month? ›

Does Your Credit Card Limit Reset Every Month? Every time you make a payment to your credit card account and that payment is credited to your account, it will reset your credit limit. So if you make a payment every month, then it will reset your credit limit monthly.

Does available credit mean what I can spend? ›

Available credit refers to how much you have left to spend on a credit line. You can calculate available credit by subtracting your purchases from the total credit limit on the credit account. For credit cards and other types of revolving credit, payments increase your available credit.

Can I go over my available credit? ›

Can you go over your credit limit? Yes, you can go over your credit limit, but there's no surefire way to know how much you can spend in excess of your limit. Card issuers may consider a variety of factors, such as your past payment history, when deciding the risk of approving an over-the-limit transaction.

What is the credit limit for Capital One Quicksilver $10000? ›

You can get a Capital One Quicksilver credit limit of $10,000 if your credit score and overall creditworthiness are good enough. You will need at least good credit (a credit score of 700+). But the higher your credit score is, the better are your chances of getting a $10,000 credit limit.

Can you spend your available balance? ›

Your available balance is the amount of money in your account, minus any credits or debts that have not fully posted to the account yet. This is the amount of money you can spend, but it may fully reflect the money you have at your disposal.

Can I withdraw from my available credit? ›

Unlike withdrawing money from a bank account, a cash advance pulls money from your line of credit through your credit card. In addition to repaying the money you withdraw, you'll need to pay additional fees and interest as well. The fees for a cash advance can be substantial.

How can I turn available credit into cash? ›

Insert your credit card into an ATM. Enter your credit card PIN. Select the “cash withdrawal” or “cash advance” option. Select the “credit” option, if necessary (you may be asked to choose between checking, debit or credit)

Can you go past your available credit? ›

Going over your credit limit usually does not immediately impact your credit, particularly if you pay down your balance to keep the account in good standing. However, an account that remains over its limit for a period of time could be declared delinquent, and the issuer could close the account.

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