How many credit cards can I have?

dreamvendour

I already have a Barclaycard and Paypal credit and looking into getting another one or two credit cards. I ALWAYS pay my balance off straight away or use the interest-free period offer. I shop at Amazon a lot (about 50-100 pounds a month) and wondering if it makes sense for me to take out the Amazon credit card, as not only I'll get a voucher, but I'll also earn bonus points eventually (not a lot but still!)
I'd also like to take out a 20-month interest-free credit card to spread out a big purchase of £1000 I'm planning, so that would make it 4 credit cards.
Is that too many cards? That would of course mean that some cards won't have much going through them, like up to 100 pounds a month, is that ok?
I'm confident that I can manage all my payments and finances and view this opportunity as building my credit rating and also spreading out purchases + earning some bonus points while doing it  
Thanks in advance!

[Deleted User]

You can have as many as lenders are prepared to offer you.

That may be two, or somewhere in the high teens.

D3xt3r5L4b

3-4 is the minimum you should have

dreamvendour

D3xt3r5L4b said:

3-4 is the minimum you should have

Can I ask why? Is it because it will help my credit rating?

[Deleted User]

No. 

Because it shows that lenders trust you and gives you back ups for when other cards are rejected or closed.

D3xt3r5L4b

It will help with your credit history as well as showing lenders you can use credit responsibly. 

dr_adidas01

D3xt3r5L4b said:

3-4 is the minimum you should have

Why is this the minimum?  I kinda feel like I have to many now with having 8

willmoac

You can have as many as lenders will let you.
BUT I got burnt a few years ago, I had around 10, some were balance transfer cards other regular cards.
I became ill, and whilst I had the money available to pay the monthly amount for the balance transfer cards and the income for the regular cards. I was unable to manage it myself, result was getting into default on a few of them. Purely a case of too many plates spinning.
Since then I reduced to 2, a low cost card for foreign travel, and a loyalty MasterCard for a hotel rewards scheme. I have this year increased to 3 by adding an Amex which offers better benefits for the same hotel rewards scheme than the MasterCard.
However I just use these 3 cards for spending and always pay them off in full.

MallyGirl

and you can set up a direct debit so you don't get caught out not paying in time

D3xt3r5L4b

dr_adidas01 said:

D3xt3r5L4b said:

3-4 is the minimum you should have

Why is this the minimum?  I kinda feel like I have to many now with having 8

Cover all basis. One visa, one MasterCard, one Amex..

Paully28

You can have as many as you want, and I for one, would recommend the Amazon card if you spend at Amazon as much as you say. I have one and the points seem to rack up quite quickly, and they send you vouchers without request.