Should you use your credit cards or lose them? Credit cards can give you a cushion as you wait for your first unemployment check. After that it would be best to pay them off and put them away. It may be that you have so much debt you can't pay them off, and even making the minimum payment is a “big rock” You hopefully have credit insurance to make that payment for you. Keep your credit cards available for real emergencies, but do not use them for monthly expenses.