To make badges or to trade.

Crafting badges increases your XP. That's all.

Unless you care about your e penis or want to get a small chance to get a booster pack. sell them

Badges level up your account.

• Each level increases your friend list by 5.
• Each 10 levels gives you a showcase and increases the drop chances for a booster pack.
• As seen with this sale, there may be events that will require a certain account level.

crafting badges gives you 100xp, a random background for that game, and a random emoticon for that game.
other than that, i really don't see any benefit from having badges, other then they look cool.. well some of them do.

i think it's better to trade them / sell them for games, or maybe trade for a different card set that may interest you more, but all depends on how you feel about it.

Trade everything, steam levels are pointless

I traded all of my cards and earned 7,5$ in 2 days, I think it's worth trading.

Make badgers

With idling all but killed, using cards as a source of in game revenue is an option if you are interested. You can keep the cards you have, but offer a card swap service. Swap out cards for a modest "tip". The tip can be TF2 items (metal/weapons/crates/whatever), emoticons, other in game items, whatever. But from looking at your Steam profile, I am assuming you don't care about this as an option.

When it started, I said I would make badges until I am level 10 and then stop, now I am at level 30. But I will probably stop making badges from now, since I need like 300 xp each level now.
Most of the cards are almost worthless now, you wont get rich by selling them.

simple... you really liked those games, and whant to show the world that you like them?, craft the badge... your backlog is big enough like to play for 3 lifes? craft the badges...
need free games? sell/trade the cards

I traded all my cards and I got 6 of my Wishlisted (when the cards were worth more) and some good bundle games, for free!

I'll probably trade all my cards but grab 1 badge of a game I love.

I like having more friends.