<prompt> Human: Im not looking to buy a house or car in the near future but good rating is usually something good to have. So I have a few cards that are always at 0. I never put anything on them unless Im short on the checking account and that has been never recently. Is it better to have a 0 balance all the time or to have a few bucks paid off each cycle? I think activity is a good thing but how much?  <response>: I never put anything on them unless Im short on the checking account and that has been never recently.This is the opposite of how you should use credit cards. If you dont have the money in your checking account to pay for something, dont put it on a credit card. Your credit card is not an emergency fund. 