is it better to keep credit that you dont use or get rid of it?

Answer 1

Keep it.

1. You raise your credit line.
2. You have more credit history.
3. Your debt ratio is lower.

As long as you are reponsible person, having credit cards you dont use is better then closing them out.

Answer 2

As long as you have a good history with the credit that you have, it's best to keep it open for all of the reasons above. However, if there are cards on which you have had late payments or delinquencies in the past, it's best to close those out.