Swipe it two or three times a month to ensure the account is considered active. There's just no reason to use it any more than that, or make it your primary way of paying for things. A secured credit card is a tool for repairing damaged credit from an unsecured card or cards or establishing and building credit. To simplify your finances, it's best to make other purchases with cash or a debit card. Studies show that consumers who pay with credit tend to spend more than they would if they paid with cash, so if you're trying to right the ship or start on the right track, it's best to first establish a budget through cash or debit card purchases to ensure you don't spend beyond that budget.