How Many Credit Cards Should I Have?
4 min
Over my 30-plus-year career as a financial educator, I’ve answered thousands of credit-related questions, but there’s one that’s always on the top of the list. “How many credit cards do I need?” There’s no set number that’s right for everyone. The average American with a credit score has three cards, according to Experian . (Though people with perfect credit scores tend to have six.) The truth is, while there is no magic number of credit cards that will work for all people, there is probably a sweet spot that will work for you. It will be based on your spending habits and credit, as well as how much time and effort you want to put into managing the plastic in your wallet. Use this guide to identify what kind of credit card user you are—and how many credit cards you should have.
If you need to build credit…
How many cards: 1
Most issuers require credit scores of 680 or above, especially for premium reward cards. If your scores are below 630, though, you’ll probably need to consider a credit card that will help you build or rebuild credit. (Not sure of your credit score? Free credit scores are available from a variety of sources.) A secured credit card can be a smart option if you don’t have a very good credit score . Secured cards typically require a security deposit that is refundable when you close the account. Your credit line is often equal to your deposit. Make your monthly payments on time and you’ll build credit that may help you qualify for additional cards in as little as six to 12 months. Once your credit scores are higher, you can shop for the card you really want.
If you don’t want to play the points game…
How many cards: 2
You want a credit card for convenience and you like perks, but you want to keep it simple. A cash back card is a perfect choice for you, as everyone can use more cash. Although you’re likely to use that card for most of your spending, I recommend you have a second card as a backup in case your card is stolen or declined. A second credit card can also help boost your credit score . That’s because having more credit available to you will lower your “credit utilization ratio,” which compares your credit limit to your balance. If your credit report lists a credit card with a $10,000 limit and a $3,000 balance, for example, your utilization is 30%. “Try to keep utilization below 30%,” recommends Jeff Richardson, vice president and group head at VantageScore Solutions. (VantageScore is one of the two major companies that creates credit scores. FICO is the other.)
If you want points but not a lot of hassles…
How many cards: 4 to 5
You want points and perks but you won’t agonize over every purchase to make sure you use the optimal card each time. You can benefit from a few cards that offer bonus rewards in the categories where you spend the most. Popular reward bonus categories are U.S. supermarkets, restaurants/dining, gas stations/fuel and hotels. Make sure other purchases go on a card offering a good ongoing reward rate: Aim for 2% cash back or 2x points. In addition to two cards from major issuers, you may also want a store card from a favorite retailer. But be careful with store cards. I once missed a payment on a retail card because it wasn’t in the normal rotation of bills I pay, and the late fee and interest were steep. To pick the right card, you’ll need to understand your spending habits. Your current credit card issuer likely offers a spending report that will break down previous spending for you. Or if you use a budgeting app , such as Mint or YNAB, you can view your top spending categories there.
If you love points—and you’re willing to be a little obsessive…
How Many Cards: 10 or more
You want to earn rewards, lots of them, and your goal is to earn more than one or two points per dollar spent, or 1% to 2% cash back, whenever possible. You have excellent credit and you’re comfortable opening new cards. You’re also willing to pay an annual fee of several hundred dollars when you know the rewards you earn will easily offset that cost. That means you’re willing to use specific cards for different types of purchases, which may mean one card for groceries, another for gas and another for travel. When you’re trying to earn a welcome offer, though, you’ll prioritize using that card to meet the spending requirement, which usually means spending several thousand dollars in the first three to six months after you’re approved for the card. You may also want a co-branded airline credit card with the airline you fly frequently to earn perks such as free checked bags and priority boarding, and a co-branded hotel credit card with your favorite brand to earn upgrades and free stays. All of this analysis takes a lot of work, and it may mean you use a spreadsheet to keep track of perks, annual fees and progress toward spending requirements. Or you may turn to a number of apps that help you decide which card to use for specific purchases.
If you have a small business or side hustle…
Cards: 2 in addition to your personal cards
Use business credit cards to make tax time simpler by separating your business and personal purchases. And to earn rewards on business purchases, of course. You don’t have to have a huge payroll—or any payroll at all. Freelancers, gig workers and side hustlers qualify for many small business credit cards that can be a great addition to your personal card. Most small business credit cards require a good personal credit score and sufficient income from all sources, not just the business. However, many business credit cards don’t appear on consumer credit reports, which means they don’t impact your credit scores as long as you pay on time. Similar to choosing a personal credit card, pick your business credit cards based on your spending habits. Someone with an e-commerce business, for example, may spend heavily on shipping and online advertising, while a service-based business may have higher fuel expenses. As your business grows, you’ll likely need more cards for different types of purchases or to increase your credit lines.
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The lunar flyby would be the deepest humans have traveled in space in decades.
4 min
It’s go time for the highest-stakes mission at NASA in more than 50 years.
On April 1, the agency is set to launch four astronauts around the moon, the deepest human spaceflight since the final Apollo lunar landing in 1972.
The launch window for Artemis II , as the mission is called, opens at 6:24 p.m. ET.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration teams have been preparing the vehicles to depart from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on the planned roughly 10-day trip. Crew members have trained for years for this moment.
Reid Wiseman, the NASA astronaut serving as mission commander, said he doesn’t fear taking the voyage. A widower, he does worry at times about what he is putting his daughters through.
“I could have a very comfortable life for them,” Wiseman said in an interview last September.
“But I’m also a human, and I see the spirit in their eyes that is burning in my soul too. And so we’ve just got to never stop going.”
Wiseman’s crewmates on Artemis II are NASA’s Victor Glover and Christina Koch, as well as Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen.
What are the goals for Artemis II?
The biggest one: Safely fly the crew on vehicles that have never carried astronauts before.
The towering Space Launch System rocket has the job of lofting a vehicle called Orion into space and on its way to the moon.
Orion is designed to carry the crew around the moon and back. Myriad systems on the ship—life support, communications, navigation—will be tested with the astronauts on board.
SLS and Orion don’t have much flight experience. The vehicles last flew in 2022, when the agency completed its uncrewed Artemis I mission .
How is the mission expected to unfold?
Artemis II will begin when SLS takes off from a launchpad in Florida with Orion stacked on top of it.
The so-called upper stage of SLS will later separate from the main part of the rocket with Orion attached, and use its engine to set up the latter vehicle for a push to the moon.
After Orion separates from the upper stage, it will conduct what is called a translunar injection—the engine firing that commits Orion to soaring out to the moon. It will fly to the moon over the course of a few days and travel around its far side.
Orion will face a tough return home after speeding through space. As it hits Earth’s atmosphere, Orion will be flying at 25,000 miles an hour and face temperatures of 5,000 degrees as it slows down. The capsule is designed to land under parachutes in the Pacific Ocean, not far from San Diego.
Is it possible Artemis II will be delayed?
Yes.
For safety reasons, the agency won’t launch if certain tough weather conditions roll through the Cape Canaveral, Fla., area. Delays caused by technical problems are possible, too. NASA has other dates identified for the mission if it doesn’t begin April 1.
Who are the astronauts flying on Artemis II?
The crew will be led by Wiseman, a retired Navy pilot who completed military deployments before joining NASA’s astronaut corps. He traveled to the International Space Station in 2014.
Two other astronauts will represent NASA during the mission: Glover, an experienced Navy pilot, and Koch, who began her career as an electrical engineer for the agency and once spent a year at a research station in the South Pole. Both have traveled to the space station before.
Hansen is a military pilot who joined Canada’s astronaut corps in 2009. He will be making his first trip to space.
Koch’s participation in Artemis II will mark the first time a woman has flown beyond orbits near Earth. Glover and Hansen will be the first African-American and non-American astronauts, respectively, to do the same.
What will the astronauts do during the flight?
The astronauts will evaluate how Orion flies, practice emergency procedures and capture images of the far side of the moon for scientific and exploration purposes (they may become the first humans to see parts of the far side of the lunar surface). Health-tracking projects of the astronauts are designed to inform future missions.
Those efforts will play out in Orion’s crew module, which has about two minivans worth of living area.
On board, the astronauts will spend about 30 minutes a day exercising, using a device that allows them to do dead lifts, rowing and more. Sleep will come in eight-hour stretches in hammocks.
There is a custom-made warmer for meals, with beef brisket and veggie quiche on the menu.
Each astronaut is permitted two flavored beverages a day, including coffee. The crew will hold one hourlong shared meal each day.
The Universal Waste Management System—that’s the toilet—uses air flow to pull fluid and solid waste away into containers.
What happens after Artemis II?
Assuming it goes well, NASA will march on to Artemis III, scheduled for next year. During that operation, NASA plans to launch Orion with crew members on board and have the ship practice docking with lunar-lander vehicles that Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin have been developing. The rendezvous operations will occur relatively close to Earth.
NASA hopes that its contractors and the agency itself are ready to attempt one or more lunar landing missions in 2028. Many current and former spaceflight officials are skeptical that timeline is feasible.
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