Vestiges of the USA

[mtbc]

While in Eastern Tennessee, I built credit that got me a good mortgage. I still hold a US credit card, through which I pay for US landline and cell numbers, which still reach me. However, it looks as if I am to be settled in Scotland for the foreseeable future so, what's the point? I am not sure, and they cost a little ongoingly, money that could be spent elsewhere. The advantages I can think of are but abstract possibilities.

I could just get rid of the US credit card and telephone numbers, and switch to being UK-based only but, once I do that, it's probably a difficult decision to reverse, given that such things are far easier to set up as a US resident. It's not as if I have found a UK-based VoIP provider who will give me a regular US number cheaply, especially one that can receive SMS. Still, if I do not think of compelling advantages soon then I may reorganize away from maintaining any US-based presence.

Comments

[thewayne]

Yeah, tricky proposition. It's not likely you're going to return any time soon. The credit card I'd evaluate based on the interest they charge vs what you're getting out of your European cards and what they charge for international fees. The phone is a bit more complicated.

[maju]

I keep an Australian bank account with Visa debit card, because I still have family in Australia and do visit semi-regularly. Also I buy gifts from Australian online stores for them using the Australian card. However, this is different from your case.

[mtbc]

It is, the American family is from my first marriage, so that's obviously all a bit more awkward! Maybe one of my children will move there someday, they're also dual citizens, but they show no sign of intending to so far.

[mindstalk]

Why not keep the credit card? Does it have a high annual fee?

Dropping it risks reducing your credit report for whenever you might move back to the US.

[mellowtigger]

Having the credit card but not using it (going into debt) every month also results in a lower credit score than using it continuously. The whole industry is a giant and mostly unavoidable scam. :(

[mtbc]

Yeah, this. Paying the telephone stuff keeps it active. Though getting rid of the phones would make it hard to have a US contact number for the card anyway. (Of course, optimal is having the active cards be a proper subset of the total.)