Welcome to Ask Clark, a column designed to answer your financial questions, by money expert Clark Howard.
What Are the Benefits of Getting a Second Credit Card?
Greg from Georgia asks: “I’m constantly receiving offers from credit card companies to apply and get their cards. I currently have one major credit card, and I’m in good standing with this company. Would it be beneficial for me to get another major credit card in order to boost my credit score, or would the extra card cause my score to drop? Can you explain how that works?”
Clark’s Take on Whether You Should Get a Second Major Credit Card
Clark says: “Definitely get that second credit card.”
“This is a Clark Noah’s Ark rule: You always want to have two major credit cards from two different issuing banks or credit unions.”
Clark adds that the reason it’s important to get two credit cards is to protect yourself in case your current card issuer drops you for some reason. If that happens, Clark says, “you suddenly have no available credit that is reflecting on your credit report.”
Team Clark likes the Citi Double Cash Card because the rewards are simple: You get 1% cash back when you make a purchase, and then unlock an additional 1% cash back when you pay your bill.
Want more cashback options when you swipe? Here are the best reward credit cards.
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More Resources From Clark.com:
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