Heading into the peak holiday season, some shoppers are still paying off the gifts they purchased in 2023. Still, Americans, overall, are doing better when it comes to managing their credit card debt compared with previous years.

This, in turn, has forced more people to rely heavily on their credit cards to make ends meet, leading to a spike in consumer debt. Right now, for example, the average cardholder carries about $8,000 in credit card debt.

There's no specific event that happens if you keep a credit card open for over a decade. However, keeping credit cards open for more than 10 years can significantly boost your credit score. The "length of credit history" category of your FICO® Score specifically includes the ages of your revolving credit accounts, among other factors.

Being late on your credit card payments can have a negative impact on your finances. Not only will missing your credit card payments cause serious credit score damage, but making

Unlock a bonus worth $250 and pause interest into 2026 – this credit card is the perfect combo! Learn more here. However, some expenses just shouldn't be covered with credit car