We have an American Express card, also not taken everywhere, so we carry a Visa, too. We get rebates on both and pay the bill in full every month. So they both pay us to use them. No annual fees, either, or we don't use the cards that have them.

But you could potentially have as many cards as the banks will give you, I suppose.

I suppose there is a reason, but I can't think of one. Status, maybe? we have only one, a Visa debit card, and we have a separate account just for it, so if soemone steals it, they can only get a set amount.I use the card mostly for things I order through the computer.

I'm not sure a dozen credit cards is a good idea, but I do have several, and use them for different purposes. One is only for gas purchases, another is just for Costco, and another is for internet purchases. All of them have good cash-back plans, and are no-fee, so they're worth keeping. I should add that I always pay in full each month. (credit card companies HATE that!)

Lots of times stores will give you a good discount on your purchase if you open a credit account with them. For example, I bought some jewelry at Macy's. It was on sale for a nice price and if I opened an account I got another 20% off. It was very well worth it. I don't use that card now, but I have it and the account is open. Other stores do that and then give you a reward after charging a certain amount to the card, such as Talbot's and TJX (Marshall's, TJ Maxx, etc.)

We used to have numerous credit cards, but it's hard to keep track of what you're spending. We got rid of everything but the Visa from our bank. Now I can track everything we spend without getting in over our heads. Never again will I accept another credit card for anything other than our bank. Now I keep track of accounts, visa, and loans all on the same website.

I have had them all at one time or another, but now only have one - the Visa I've had for 20 years.

Now that it was mentioned, I do remember on a couple occasions years ago, applying for a store credit card to get a 10/15% discount on just that one purchase. But I never put them in my wallet when they came nor ever used them though. Maybe that's why the lady had so many CC's.

It would depend on if they were store branded credit cards or all visa/mastercard type credit cards. Many have store brand cards for the discounts mentioned above.
I have very few store brand cards, I do have Lowes and Home depot because they offer the no interest options at times which is a great deal. Costco and Sams cards are membership cards.
As to mastercard etc, I have one that is specific for online purchases only so that I know immediately if something strange was charged.
I have one that we use for gas and meals regular day to day stuff that is paid in full each month never has a balance.
I Never use a Debit card.
My husband has an American Express that is solely used for his expense account and is separate from our home expenses.

Sometimes my wallet looks full of cards but so many of them are the supermarket cards that so many use now to get their discounted prices, even Big Lots now has the rewards card, and the pharmacy uses one too.

Using multiple actual credit cards and keeping a balance on all is counter productive since you are then paying interest accrued on each one rather than just one with a balance and an interest rate. I shopped and compared before choosing one so that I know I have the lowest rate, new offers come in the mail daily but none beat what I currently have so they go in the shredder. I have had the same one for many many years and each time they threaten to up the interest rates I call and talk to the highest supervisor I can get to and have always had luck in either keeping it as it was or even having them lower it, being a good paying customer for long term is a valuable commodity these days, as well as having a great credit score.

I have two and just applied for #3. My AM/EX card owes me money. I accidentally overpaid my last bill. My Visa is through my bank. I took it because they offered a low interest rate to transfer my AM/EX debt to them. BUT, the company I work for has a card with only 1.9% interest for six months, so I've applied and if and when I get approved I'll transfer it over and my card will be paid off in a few months and I'll finally be credit card debt free. But I'll have 3 cards......

Having too many open lines of credit is not good for your credit score, even if you carry a 0 balance. You are better off keeping one or two in good standing over a long period of time. It's hard to resist the store cards that offer the extra percent off, I know, but after that initial purchace they are no good to me as even if I wanted to use them I wouldn't due to the high interest rate if I couldn't pay them off within the month, or grace period.

Were they all credit cards? I carry my Costco card, and ATM card, a Visa card, a gas card, then I have same-sized ID cards for drivers license, medical insurance, car insurance, then discount cards for Safeway, Borders, Petsmart, and a couple of others. Plus the tip-calculation card, and the punch cards for a couple of lunch places and Papa Murphy's. I think there are a couple of other things, too. So my wallet is crammed, but not all are credit cards.

We have one but never use it. Never have used a credit card.

No credit cards at all...we Have our Visa Debit card thru our bank and that is it.....no charging ever! Stacy

If they were all credit cards, well, that would be a lot of accounts to monitor. Even if you used some of them only a few times (like for the "special customer" discounts), you still want to make sure no charges show up that you didn't make.

But we are all so loaded down with so many types of cards--ATM/debit cards, store credit cards (Sears, Target, the big-box hardware stores), "loyalty" cards from the groceries and Barnes & Noble, Costco/Sams membership cards, library cards, gift cards and store-merchandise credit cards for returns...

They're loading down my small purse!

I put a lot of these grocery/library cards and others that you just have to scan or swipe on a key-chain ring. But all the others are stuck in my divided wallet.

Personally, I only have one, and use it only very, very rarely.

But I do know someone whose stack of credit cards is about 2" thick (I'm NOT exaggerating--it may be closer to 3"). Of course, that's because she doesn't have the money to buy all the things she wants--she just keeps getting more and more credit cards, charging more and more--that she cannot pay for. So in that case, having many cards is so that she can find one or two that aren't maxed out when she simply 'must' have something.

A long time ago we got messed up with a couple of credit cards and have never had one since.I have a bank debit/credit card but I can't spend more than what I have in my checking account.A lot of people have many so they can spend money they don't really have.LOL Before they know it they are in debt up to their eyeballs and most of the time are never able to pay more than the minimum amount due each month.We don't live like that.Learned our lesson a long time ago.There are people too that fill their wallets with credit cards they don't use just for "show".I know a few like that.

I have lots of cards in my wallet, but they're certainly not all credit cards!

Let's see...medical insurance card, prescription drug card, bookstore discount card, AAA card, a few business cards which look like they might be credit cards, and two credit cards. One is mine in my name alone, and one is the DH's with my name on the account as a verified user. We mostly use his for monthly purchases, because he has a rewards card.

My personal excellent credit is tied to my credit card, and I do believe every woman should have her OWN credit record. I've had this card longer than I've had my DH, so that makes it about 35 years.

I only have one credit card, but if I opened my wallet you would think I have more.

have plastic cards for the ATM debit card, prescription PPO, Flexible Spending, Wellness card for Rite Aid, Costco membership, AAA membership, PetSmart, United Health Care, Dental PPO and Chevron (I guess the Chevron card is one - so I only have 2 credit cards).

I have cards for most all of the clothing stores I shop at but only use them if I am getting a % off for using it~~I have 2 credit cards one if used only for online ordering.

I have a Master Card for main purchases and a gasoline card. That's it. I am considering adding a third card with a low limit for on-line purchases.

I have one card, Discover, which I use and love for the rebates. I have another I never use unless they don't take Discover. That's a GAP Visa.

One with a very low credit limit for buying things online.

ole joyful

I only have one card and it is paid off every month. I seldom pay cash for anything. If you saw all the other kinds of cards in my wallet you might think I had a lot of credit cards.

Sue

Maybe they weren't all credit cards. I've got a stack of cards in my wallet but four are my insurance cards for me and each kid. I must have about five "membership"cards for local grocery stores, one library card, a TON of gift cards that all have perhaps a few dollars or cents left on them - I suppose if someone assumed things, they might think my wallet was full of credit cards too.

I agree with Amyfiddler. I have lots of cards that look like credit cards. They even have the scanning strip but I only have one credit card and one debit card in my wallet. Those are hidden in my wallet so when I open it, these you won't see. It is possible these are not credit cards. But it is also possible these are credit cards. I do know of people who have many store credit cards and other such cards. But I can see no reason to have more than one or two credit cards. Actually, we have two different credit cards. My DH has one and I have another. I'm glad we have it this way too because there are times when one card would not work and the other of us had to use theirs. This only happens when we travel.