how many is to many?

[afbar1114]

how many credit cards do you have and i mean all of them..... charge/store/ credit...i have 10 or 11 but plan on closing 2 or 3 this year. but most are store cards and i only have 3 major credit cards and a amex

[Ron1]

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@afbar1114 wrote:

how many credit cards do you have and i mean all of them..... charge/store/ credit...i have 10 or 11 but plan on closing 2 or 3 this year. but most are store cards and i only have 3 major credit cards and a amex

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It is hard to say.  10 or 11 is too many. It is nice to have more credit cards as backup cards.

Ron.

[CreditScholar]

I'd personally say 3-6 is a good number. If you have more than that either you have very abnormal needs, or you have way too many credit cards. 6 should be plenty to cover everything for the vast majority of people.

[Anonymous]

I don't think there's one right answer. It depends on what cards you have. If you have store cards that give you discounts for using them (such as Target or Kohl's), it makes sense to keep store cards like that open.

Otherwise, I'd say 3-4 actual credit cards is good. That way you can try to optimize the benefits - for example mixing up a Discover More card and a Chase Freedom with something from Amex and some generic cash back card. That way you can maximize the benefits and you also have backup cards. 10-11 starts being a problem only if you're constantly using all of them, since it would get harder to make sure it's all paid off in full in time. But if you can manage it and your income supports it.. hey, whatever works.

[afbar1114]

lol i just dont know what ones to close most are store cards that i go to all the time walmart card is for free fico, kohls i get alot of clothes cheap, HD house stuff, jared was for GF's promise ring and then engagement ring soon, bestbuy i bought my macbook and i love bestbuy, amex is like a debit card lol and then slate is a prime card, and then 2 cap1s. plan on closing one cap1 if i can this year or wait to get another prime first, and then close both. in all i really only have 3-4 major cards all others are store cards that i dont use all the time just moslty UTL. 

[Anonymous]

Lets see, in order from oldest to newest.

J.Crew

US Bank Platinum

Citi Dividend

AMEX Clear

Chase Freedom

AMEX Blue Cash Everyday

Citi Forward

Total of 7

US Bank Platinum used to be my college student card, and I used to shop a lot at J.Crew.  AMEX Clear was primarily for Costco and I got it before BCE/BCP existed.  I don't remember why I applied for Dividend, but it is still my highest limit card ($5200).  I picked up Freedom for the 5% categories, and just recently BCE for gas/groceries and Forward for restaurants/amazon.

I don't plan on apping anything else until my spending habits change or a new card pops up that is better than a card I currently have in my wallet.

I'd say if you have a use for each and every one of your cards, then you don't have too many.

[LS2982]

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@afbar1114 wrote:

how many credit cards do you have and i mean all of them..... charge/store/ credit...i have 10 or 11 but plan on closing 2 or 3 this year. but most are store cards and i only have 3 major credit cards and a amex

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12, pruning a few this year.

[visorboy1974]

I have 8 cards currently.  At my peak, I had about 15 cards (most were rebuilder toy cards), but they just proved too much for me to handle/maintain.

Go with what makes you comfortable.   

[anderl]

In my siggie below......want Discover and another Amex.

[Juan123]

i have 14... 5 with balances. Theres no definite answer... But at the point where you can't name all of your credit cards without looking in your wallet is where you have too many.