acceptable use of specialty credit cards

[tsukikage]

Should I close my Zales card? On the one hand, I rarely use it (bought myself my watch and earrings, and a necklace for Allie as a Christmas present, and that was all before Christmas), and since I got my credit line increases I wouldn't need it either. Plus, I know that using a card too rarely is bad for one's credit. On the other, I also read that closing an account can be bad for one's credit, so it might be better to keep it around for that very rare occasion. Really, I just wish I knew how rare is too rare, especially on such specialty cards like that. You'd think a $100 purchase every 12-18 months (or the equivalent) makes sense when it comes to jewelry.

Weiß Kreuz music is awesome. It's like getting all the shmexy (albeit audio shmexiness only) and delicious angst without the shitty plot and animation. Shallow Nastassja is shallow...

[EDIT: I think I've figured it out: low balance > no balance > closing account. So yeah, I'll leave the account open.]

Comments

[lugia222.livejournal.com]

They talk about this on Marketplace all the time. Don't close it, that will hurt your credit score. I've never heard that using a card too rarely is bad for one's credit, and I listen to Marketplace pretty religiously.

[tsukikage85.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the input. :)

[ellie-desu.livejournal.com]

Leave it open. It will help your credit score to have that avail credit line. Sure you won't gain the points of regularly using it, but just leave it there.