 TITLE: Will Closing a Credit Card Hurt Your Credit? CONTENT: Alternatives to Canceling a Credit Card\n---------------------------------------\nIf you've decided it's worth it to keep your card around to help your credit, there are a few ways you can remedy the issues that were leading you to want to cancel the card.\nFor credit cards with burdensome annual fees, call your issuer and ask if they would consider lowering or waiving the annual fee for a year. Some credit card issuers are willing to do this as a way to retain customers.\nIf you're worried you'll overspend or get into more debt if you keep the card, stash it somewhere secure or even freeze it in a block of ice. If you're really struggling to resist the temptation, some issuers will let you pause your credit card account, meaning it can't be used by anyone, but it isn't closed. Call your issuer's customer support and ask whether this is an option.\nIf you want to cancel the card because you rarely use it, keep it active by either putting one small purchase on it each year or putting a small recurring monthly charge on it—for example, your Netflix account. Just make sure you don't forget about it, and always pay it off right away so you don't get stuck paying interest. This will help keep your account open and active without you having to think much of it, since some issuers will automatically cancel a card if there is no spending activity for a year. END