How many credit cards do you carry in your wallet? Do you have any other active card accounts lurking in a lockbox or secure filing cabinet at home?
In a Money Crashers post a few years back, I gamed out multiple answers to a question that you’ve probably wondered at before: how many credit cards you should have.
Let’s stipulate upfront that there’s no wrong answer to this question. There’s no absolute limit, no hard cap on the number of credit cards that one can have. There are practical limits, of course, and sensible limits — for instance, more credit cards often means lower average account age, a credit detriment.
The right answer is different for everyone. Read the whole post and decide for yourself which of the archetypes I lay out most closely resembles your own lifestyle and purchasing habits.
While you’re at it, take a moment to request a free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus — TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax. Federal law entitles you to one free credit report from each bureau, each year. Better to know how your credit stacks up before you apply for your next card than to receive the unwelcome news that your application has been declined.