I like carrying two cards, one Visa and one MC. I use one as my primary and keep a recurring monthly payment on the backup one to make sure it doesn't go inactive. I never carry any balance, and all cards offer a reward. I choose the primary based on the best reward.

I recently got a new card with a better reward deal. I'd prefer to get rid of the older Visa instead of going through the inconvenience of dealing with 3 cards.

The problem is that the card I want to cancel is my oldest one. I don't want to cancel the MC b/c Sam's Club doesn't take Visa, and it's nice to have one of each for those kinds of situations.

I've had the MC for about 5 years and the original Visa for about 8. My credit is pretty good; I had no problem getting a home loan a couple of years back with good rates. I anticipate obtaining a loan for a car purchase in the next year. Each card carries roughly the same limit in the roughly 12 to 16k range.

Can I cancel the older card with impunity or will it impact my credit? If there is an anticipated impact, is it a big deal or not worth the inconvenience of keeping the extra card?

Thanks so much.

Brian