For many years I refused to keep a credit card because I knew without a doubt that they are inherently evil, but now I have a few cards because I was discriminated against for not having a credit history when I tried to buy homeowners' insurance a few years ago. It seems the state (FL) regulators are permitting the insurance companies to use one's credit rating as a criterion for evaluating the risk of loss on homeowners' policies, even though there's no causal relationship between the two figures. So if you don't have a record at Equifax you can't buy insurance! No matter that your retirement income is guaranteed by Uncle for the rest of your life, you own the home free and clear and likewise for your second home, and also for your business, and have plenty of other assets to boot: none of that matters if you haven't kissed Equifax's ass by keeping a consumer credit account.