 TITLE: What to Know Before Closing Your Old Credit Cards CONTENT: Alternatives to Canceling Your Credit Card\n------------------------------------------\nIf you're not ready to cancel a card, you have options. First, contact your issuer and let the company know you're interested in remaining a customer but that you no longer want to use this particular credit account. You could downgrade to a card within the same network that has no annual fee. Ask the issuer how it will treat any rewards you've accrued on your previous card. Or you could request an interest rate reduction, which could help you make a dent in any balance you're carrying and make the account less pricey to maintain.\nMaybe you want to close a credit card because it's tempting you to spend more than you normally would. Curbing that temptation is a solid reason to get rid of a card, but if you're worried about the impact on your credit scores of closing the credit line, limit your access to it in other ways. Take it out of your wallet and keep it in a drawer where you won't see it daily. Some have even taken to literally \"freezing\" a credit card in a block of water they keep in their icebox. You don't have to go that far—just put it in a place where you won't encounter it daily and be encouraged to use it.\nThere is one caveat, however, when it comes to keeping cards open that you don't use. Card issuers may notice that you're not spending anything on them and close them or decrease their credit limit due to inactivity. Such actions can still negatively impact your credit scores. So if you're keeping a card around in order to maintain your credit scores, be sure to use it once in a while—just pay it off immediately to avoid any credit card interest. END