<prompt> Human: Hi All,About 2 months ago I completely paid off my credit card debt 8.5k and now I have 3 credit cards open. I was thinking about closing them because Id like to ultimately have one credit card, with a high limit as an emergency. The problem is the biggest limit on one of the cards I have is 8k, but a 30 interest rate. Explained more below: CC1: 1FBUSA - PAID OFF - 8K Limit - 30 Rate CC2: Chase Slate - PAID OFF - 1.2K Limit - 8.24 Rate CC3: Capital One - PAID OFF - 1.75K Limit - 13.9 Rate FICO Credit Score: 826 as of todaySo, youll notice that whopping 30 on that one card. This was one I used in college and it has a non-negotiable rate so I want to get rid of it. However, it has the most money to fall back on in case of an emergency. I really want to cancel this card, but Im afraid itll hurt my score. Ultimately, as I mentioned above, I want to have 1 card with at least 10K and good cash back bonuses, but first I dont know if I should close these or not, or just apply for a new one? The rates seems very high even for my secondary cards. TL;DR - I have 3 open cards 8.24, 13.9, 30 rate paid off and want to eventually have one low rate card - what do I do?  <response>: I answered your question below, but read this first. It sounds like you arewere not paying off the monthly balance on your credit cards. Whatever cards you have, you are hurting yourself by doing this. STEP 1: Spend only what you can pay off monthly. Ideally, spend as little as possible.The rates on the cards you have should NEVER matter if you are responsible. Since you have paid off your CC debt, DO NOT go back into owing any amount. Do not let the interest build up. Spending money on your 30 card and 8 card should have no difference if you pay each off on time. Using a credit card responsibly is like getting small rewards for spending money normally. It punishes you if you use it irresponsibly. STEP 2: It sounds like you need an emergency fund, since you literally stated you need money to fall back on in case of emergency.Credit cards are a HORRIBLE first-choice emergency fund. They should be an absolute last resort in case your liquid assets arent sufficient. Save up cash in a high-yield savings account PF advocates for credit unions, while online accounts like Ally or CapitalOne may be simplest. The savings rate may only be around 1, but thats better than anything else. Keep saving a consistent amount and only use it for emergencies. Now, for your original question. The rule of thumb is to leave your credit card accounts open, even if you no longer use the card. A portion of your credit score is based on the average longevity of your credit accounts. If you close a CC, especially the first one you ever had, you are cutting that average time by a lot and lowering your credit score. What I do is just keep any unused cards in a drawer and leave them unused. The bankcredit card issuer may cancel an inactive card on their own years down the road, but you do not need to worry about that. CARD ADVICE:What I do is use a SallieMae MasterCard best non-fee card with 5 back on groceries, gas, and Amazon; 1 on everything else and the Bank of America Better Balance Rewards Card.All spending goes on the SallieMae - rewards rack up quickly.All recurring bills utilities, Spotify, Netflix, HBO, gym, bikeshare, carshare go on the BofA Better Balance - less than 100 per month total so not a big hit to the rewards. Just paying this card off in full monthly nets you 100 per year in rewards 120 if you have another open BofA account. 