A 21-year-old Reddit user recently shƒ20ared a post that sparked hundreds of replies after revealing he has 20 credit cards and is wondering if that's something to be concerned about. “I didn't set out to ‘collect’ them, it just kind of happened,” he wrote. “Started at 19 with a Quicksilver card then discovered rewards, [sign-up bonuses], travel perks, and yea the designs are pretty cool too.”
“I'm 21 and somehow ended up with 20 credit cards… is this normal or should I chill?” he asked. That one line turned into the post's defining quote and the center of a passionate debate.
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Some Say Chill, Others Say Cut Back
The post included several questions for more experienced cardholders: Should he prune old cards? Is this hurting or helping his long-term credit? Is it time to stop before he ends up with 30?
“Chill,” one person replied simply. Others were more specific, advising him to keep older cards with no annual fees and consider closing or downgrading newer, redundant ones. “If you are serious about SUBs, close the accounts you do not use anymore,” one user suggested. “You might be able to receive it again in a couple years, depending on the card.”
Many noted that having no-fee cards is a plus, but holding multiple American Express cards with high annual fees might not be worth it. “You're paying over $100 a month in Amex Card yearly fees. Is that really worth it?” one commenter asked. The original poster replied, “I do travel and dine out a lot as well as use all the perks… I'd say it's somewhat worth it.”
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It Might Hurt You More Than Help
Seasoned credit card users warned that having too many new cards can drag down the average age of credit, which plays a big role in credit scores. “Once you get the max points for number of bankcards… there’s not a lot of scoring benefit to having more cards,” one person wrote.
Some worried about what could happen during a financial emergency. “If you are forced into a difficult position like losing your job… it's easy to max out that many cards,” one commenter warned.
There were also comments that touched on privacy and security. A few people pointed out the OP had accidentally doxxed himself in a photo, revealing his full name and several card designs. “You don't need to dox yourself just to flex your cards lol,” one person said.
Others chimed in with their own habits. “I'm 30 and I have six cards,” one said. Another added, “I'm 50, have four cards, and an 847 credit score. More does not equal better.”
As one popular comment summed it up: “They're lines of credit, not Pokémon. Chill.”
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