How many CREDIT CARDS do you have? Only credit cards that are reported to the credit agencies.
I will start, I have 16!
Just thought I would post this to get some discussion going.
Also, do you use them all on a regular basis or how do you manage them.
I have two and plan to have them paid off in the next two years. I’m not actively using either card, just paying down balances.
Good for you, keep it up and keep it simple like you are. Its much easier to manage.
The sad part is, just to be safe, I only need like 4 of them. The 4 have everything I really need.
Problem is, I had to have all the other cards to get my credit GOOD ENOUGH to be approved for those 4 cards.
With this many you have to actually manage, plan, and rotate the cards you spend on to keep them all open, active and at the limits they are. So it really is a task to keep them all in good shape.
I have too many but I open new accounts for travel rewards. I currently have 7. Only two have annual fees which are the most current reward cards we used for a recent vacation and won’t be renewed. The others served their purpose at one time but are now just being kept to keep my account history and keep my score up. I don’t keep a balance on any of my cards and I make sure to rotate in all of them at least every 4 months with normal things I would spend on anyway (groceries, gas, etc.).
I’m currently at 7. I use one for day-to-day purchases and am paying down two more.
I have one and it has a good limit. I use it for my subscriptions- Netflix, on star, etc. Also for gas. I pay it off monthly.
And I use it for online shopping for Christmas and when needed. I save in cash and pay that off monthly as well.
I could increase my credit score with more available credit, but I’m good.
i have five and they are all paid off, i only use them when i need to, but i do pay some bills with them
Only 3, and 1 is only used for travel. I carry no balances on any of them, but use the other 2 on everything I can to get the rewards points. Love/hate relationship with rewards. I can’t imagine having 16! The management must be time consuming!
Everyone ignore that person. That is SPAM and probably identity theft at that email they posted
not a spam. Apologies, i Shouldn’t have posted that openly.
I have 8 personal credit cards. One has a big balance that I’m working toward paying off this year! Another is used for everyday purchases and subscriptions, and paid off at the end of each month. One store card has a huge credit limit, and I wonder how long it’ll stay open without any future purchases. The others are used on rotation and paid off - doggie, annual subscriptions, gifts. I don’t want to keep all the cards, but I like maintaining a good credit history/score. Two cards have annual fees, but the airlines/travel rewards are worth it to me. My credit score was in the 800s, but dropped just below 800 after I paid off one card and another card (Care Credit) closed after no usage. I’m looking forward to being back in the 800 club!
I also have 3 business credit cards. Two have balances from signing up for a course and also paying an attorney to transfer my LLC to a new state. The third is new and paid in full at the end of the month.
It actually takes work to keep these accounts in good, active status.
To avoid accounts getting closed for not using it, like the store card. Go shopping there or online and use the card instead of other ways, then just pay it off the next bill cycle.
No interest and you keep it open and put off payment for a few weeks.
I even use my cards I don’t use to buy gas or to go out to eat, then just pay it off.
I have a Walmart card, I buy groceries online at 5% cash back, then pay it off every month.
If you don’t use them they will lower your limit or close them and that hurts your credit. So be creative.
I have an excel spreadsheet that tracks everything including the last date it was used so I make sure they all get a turn.
i never knew any of this, and one day i get a letter stating my credit card with Walmart is closed so when i got a email saying if i didn’t use my credit union card i would loss it, so i use it once in a while and pay it off thanks for sharing
Your welcome.
What I do, and suggest for others, is this.
I keep track of the last time I used each card. Then if a card has not been used in over 3 months, I use it for something.
Groceries, gas, something I need anyway. Then I simply pay it in full a few weeks later.
No interest, card stays active, and all is good.
You don’t have to use a credit card for just a special or large purchase. You can use them to pay your regular monthly bills and get your cashback rewards from everyday bills.
3% back on your monthly bills adds up especially after a year.
$2000 a month in regular bills at 3% cashback is $60 over 12 months is $720 in free money a year!
Thanks for sharing I needed that I forget to use them and they close me out
