Store Credit Cards

My wife and I were just married in December and are in the process of trying to improve both of our credit scores. We've both had some credit issues in the past but are on our way to correcting them.

My question is about her credit cards. She currently has 3 regular credit cards and 3 store cards. All of which were either over limit or close to being maxed out. After the wedding we used a good chunk of the money we received as gifts to pay down most of our debts. As of right now, all 3 of her store cards have $0 balances and the other 3 have balances of about 50% of the limits.

What I would like to know is should we close those store card accounts? 2 of them have been "Closed to further purchases" so they can't be used, but does having them open still help with her credit utilization percentage? Or do they not count towards that since they are not available to be used?

Any advice would be appreciated.

Following are some of the drawbacks of using a Store Card:
* Store credit/charge cards tend to carry higher interest rates -- e.g. 20%-plus APRs -- than your standard issue bank credit card. One month of carrying a balance, and kiss that sweet signup discount so long.

* Even if you use the card once, pay it off, and stash it in a sock drawer, that line of unutilized credit will factor into your credit score as long as the account is considered open. Too much available credit can raise red flags with lenders wary of being stuck with a deadbeat customer who may decide not to pay them back someday.

* Store credit cards do not carry the same dispute regulations as general-use credit cards. If you're not happy with your purchase, you likely will not be able to stop payment or enlist the lender to resolve the issue on your behalf.

I would suggest you to keep working on with your credit cards and make timely payments on them, to improve your credit score quickly.