{"id":249835,"date":"2026-04-19T15:00:55","date_gmt":"2026-04-19T15:00:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=249835\/"},"modified":"2026-04-19T03:57:28","modified_gmt":"2026-04-19T03:57:28","slug":"spring-cleaning-my-wallet-how-i-decide-which-credit-cards-stay-or-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/brie-spring-cleaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Spring Cleaning My Wallet: How I Decide Which Credit Cards Stay or Go"},"content":{"rendered":"

Spring always seems to trigger a little life reset for me. Closets get cleaned out, clutter gets tossed, and I take a fresh look at the things that have slowly piled up over the past year. Credit cards are no exception. Every so often, I like to step back and ask a simple question about each card in my wallet: Is it still earning its keep?<\/p>\n

In this post, I\u2019ll walk through how I decide whether to keep, downgrade, or cancel a credit card and the simple questions I use to guide those decisions.<\/p>\n

Why I Clean Out My Cards<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let me be blunt: I currently have 25 credit cards open. That's not counting the cards my household's “Player Two<\/a>” holds. However, there are only five in my wallet. The other twenty are what we affectionately call \u201csock-drawered.\u201d In other words, they stay open but rarely get used.<\/p>\n

How did I end up with so many cards? The answer is simple: welcome offers. In the points and miles world, that is where most of the value comes from. A single sign-up bonus can unlock flights or hotel stays that would otherwise cost thousands of dollars. Over time, those offers add up \u2014 and so do the annual fees.<\/p>\n

Even after earning the welcome bonus, some cards still offer ongoing value through perks like annual free night certificates, travel credits, or elite status benefits. But with annual fees often attached, it is worth taking a step back from time to time and asking whether each card still maintains its value.<\/p>\n

That is where a little periodic \u201cspring cleaning\u201d comes in. When I review my cards, I run through a handful of simple questions to decide whether each one is still earning its keep in my wallet.<\/p>\n

\"hands
Credit: AdobeStock<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n

First Sweep: Do the Perks Outweigh the Cost?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Card issuers rarely charge an annual fee without offering something in return. Travel credits, free night certificates, lounge access, elite status, and other perks are all designed to make the fee feel worthwhile. But those benefits only matter if you actually use them.<\/p>\n

When I review a card, I start by asking a simple question: Am I truly getting value from the perks it offers? And just as importantly, are those benefits things I would naturally use anyway, or are they just \u201cextras\u201d that sound nice on paper but rarely make it into my real life?<\/p>\n

Some cards make this decision easy. For example, The Ritz-Carlton\u2122 Credit Card<\/a><\/span> carries a $450\u00a0<\/span>annual fee, but it also comes with a ton of perks. These include a $300 travel incidental credit<\/a> and an annual 85,000-point free night certificate. On top of that, it offers excellent airport lounge access<\/a> and some of the strongest trip protections available on any card. Between the certificate and the credits alone, it is fairly easy for me to extract more value than the annual fee.<\/p>\n

Other cards tell a very different story. My Hawaiian Airlines\u00ae<\/sup> World Elite Mastercard\u00ae<\/sup><\/a><\/span>, for example, costs only $99\u00a0<\/span>per year. But despite the relatively low fee, I rarely use the perks that come with it. Since it is not providing meaningful value for the way we travel, it is currently on my list of cards to cancel when the next annual fee comes around.<\/p>\n

This first sweep helps me quickly identify which cards are clearly pulling their weight and which ones deserve a closer look.<\/p>\n

Second Sweep: Am I Actually Using This Card?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Next, I ask a very practical question: Do I actually use this card?\u00a0Some cards earn a permanent spot in my wallet because they are strong earners in the categories where I spend the most. Citi Strata Premier\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/a><\/span>, for example, is a card I regularly reach for because it earns bonus points in everyday spending categories like groceries and restaurants.<\/p>\n

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Citi Strata Premier\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/div>\n
\"Citi<\/div>\n
Apply Now<\/a><\/div>\n
Rates & Fees<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n
Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 60,000 bonus ThankYou\u00ae<\/sup> Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n Citi Strata Premier\u00ae<\/sup> Card<\/strong>\n
Welcome Offer<\/strong>\r\nEarn 60,000 bonus ThankYou\u00ae<\/sup> Points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening, redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com.<\/div>\n
Annual Fee:<\/strong>$95<\/b><\/div>\n
Show more<\/a>Why We Like It<\/a>Highlights<\/a>Earning Rates<\/a>
The Citi Strata Premier\u00ae<\/sup> Card offers some of the best earning rates of any rewards card with an annual fee under $100. This card offers excellent rewards on an unusually generous list of earning categories, including air travel, hotels, car rentals, groceries, and dining\u2014and it tops our list of the best cards for gas & fuel purchases<\/a>. <\/div>