Is it a good idea to leave credit cards open that you have recently paid off open to help your credit score or

Is it a good idea to leave credit cards open that you have recently paid off open to help your credit score or should you pay them off?? Also if you have signed up for a store credit card recently and they added that money to your bill but you havent activated that card, if you have no intentions to ever use that card again should you even activate it or not???

Public Comments

1. You most certainly want to keep, as an open active account, a credit card that demonstrates your positive repayment history. And your current zero balance owed versus available credit limit, represents another positive credit activity. Not clear about your other question regarding in-store credit. Sorry
2. I've been told to leave your accounts open for at least two years on a credit card you recently acquired and paid off so it won't go against your credit rating. I believe if the store charged your card, then the card has been activated if only by the store.
3. John F. is right- keep those cards open in order to boost your % of available credit,which us becoming a bigger and bigger factor in the lending process. As for the card activation, the account itself is active insofar as you now have a balance, which will be reported to the credit bureaus, and you will need to begin making monthly payments. The actual piece of plastic is probably NOT active, which only means that you would have to call and activate it prior to making a purchase. If you have no plans to use it, you may as well lock it away in a safe place or cut it up, but KEEP THE ACCOUNT OPEN. ;-)