How Do You Keep Track of Which CC to Use for Max Benefits ???

[Anonymous]

Just curious if there's an app or any easy way to figure out which CC I should use for max benefits ??? I've got Amex Platinum, Amex Delta PLAT, and BCP, Cap One Silver & Venture, Citi Costco & Prestige, Chase Marriott, Slate, and CSP, Discover, SDFCU, FNBO, USAA, Wells Fargo Propel Amex & Visa, and a few others I know I'm forgetting. I can keep track of which to use for certain purchases, such as my new Citi Costco for gas as it's 4% and Amex BCP for Supermarkets as it's 6%, but I'm not sure when it comes to other everyday purchases, including travel, airfare, hotels, etc.... which card I should be pulling out for maximum benefit potential. I'm just curious if there's an easy method to this madness. I realize having less card's is the easy answer, but that's not the direction I chose to go. While I have approx a dozen or so card's, I don't plan on adding anymore unless I receive a really good sign up bonus AND it's a card I plan to keep longterm. I'm not looking to "churn", but I find myself getting confused at times as to which card I should be pulling out. Any advice or system people are using would be greatly appreciated. Thank's in advance !!!

[Anonymous]

I finally broke down and cut an index card down to credit card size and made a cheat sheet so it fits in the wallet with my cards. I had dining and general spend down no problem, but kept forgetting what other categories to use what for. I've held up too many lines trying to decide.

[takeshi74]

If you can't manage it you should reconsider your strategy.  Based on your list it doesn't seem like you carefully consiered your cards so it's no wonder you're overwhelmed.  Unless you have a massive amount of spend you're probably spreading your spend too thin among multiple rewards programs with that lineup.  I seriously recommend carefully reconsidering and running the numbers for your spend before applying for any cards in future.  For rewards programs like Membership Rewards, Ultimate Rewards, Thank You, etc you need to consider much more than just the earn rates.  You need to run the numbers all the way from purchase to redemption to determine rewards value.  Just one of those prorgams generally requires a large amount of spend in order to maximize benefit and you have all 3 of the ones I mentioned.

However, if you're insisting on the number of cards then create a cheat sheet as you'll need a reference that you can carry with you and easily reference at a moment's notice.

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@Anonymous wrote:
but I'm not sure when it comes to other everyday purchases

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Again, this is something you should have sorted out before you applied for your cards and something you need to reevaluate every time you apply for a new card so you can tell what unserved niche the new card is filling.  If you can properly leverage one of the rewards programs I mentioned then you should be using the program that earns you the maximum value for all your noncategory spend.  If you cannot leverage those programs then you should consider not using them from a reward perspective.

You have to know where the majority of your spend is going and use that info to find cards that maximize rewards for your spend.  You need to crunch the numbers.  You need to do a proper analysis.  It's never just about the cards but your specific requirements and which cards serve you best.  Again, don't just look at earn rates.

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@Anonymous wrote:
I realize having less card's is the easy answer

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It's not just a matter of easy but what makes sense.  Unless you've calculated that having the number of cards actually maximizes rewards for you then you're just making things much more difficult than they need to be.  For many, a 2% card is probably the best solution for most spend categories with maybe a couple of higher earn rates on major spend categories.  Don't just assume that more is better.  Carefully consider your lineup and how well it serves you.

[kdm31091]

It's not that having less cards is the "easy" answer, it's just math. Your total spend, divided amongst more and more cards, will produce spread out, lesser rewards that you may not be able to redeem because you won't have enough. Like takeshi said, unless your spend is massive, you probably have too many programs right now.

You need to look into the programs, research earning and redemption, and decide which works best. Then, stick with one or two for your major spending. Otherwise you won't be able to reap any benefits.

As far as maximizing rewards, you can put little notes on the cards, you can make a list and put it in your wallet or on your phone, or you can just try not to stress about it. I gave up trying to worry about what card to use for every transaction because at  some point it becomes silly. I think for a lot of consumers it's going to be more beneficial to use a couple of cards for their daily spending, like mentioned above. Unless you are really spending a lot of money, it's going to be hard to reap meaningful gains by spreading across many cards.

[RonM21]

I've gone as far as creating a spreadsheet. That's what works for me, but everyone has their own way.

[Anonymous]

Download the Wallaby app. Integrates with Google maps to show you businesses in your area and once you add each of your cards, it tells you what card provides you the max benefit at each store.

[Anonymous]

Z8, that's awesome. I'm going to definitely give it a try. Thank you !!!

[Anonymous]

I guess I should've stated that I'm in the transportation industry and I travel 4 - 6 day's a week and therefore have quite a few transaction related to my job going thru my cards. Besides airfare, I have lot's of hotel, restaurant, gas, and supermarket charges on a daily basis. Based on that, I get confused as to which card might benefit me the most. As I stated above, gas is covered with my new Citi Costco as it's 4% back. Supermarket purchases are covered with Amex BCP with 6% back. I usually fly Delta First Class, so I have been using my Amex Delta PLAT, but occasionally I need to use United. When I stay at Marriott, I use my Chase Marriott card. But when I stay at other hotel's, I'm not sure which card would offer the best return. Thank's for all the suggestions. I realize a dozen CC's seems excessive to some, but I personally like the benefits that many of them offer, including the airport lounge access, 4th night free, free WIFI, 250.00 a year airline credit, TSA reimbursement fee, hotel upgrades, late check out, etc...
I'm just trying to figure out, for those of you who carry several cards, how do you keep track of which CC will offer the greatest benefits. Thanks !!!

[Anonymous]

I use TPG "the points guy". App shows all business big and small. Gives you best reward options from all of your cards from first to last. You can even search a business before you get there, so your not on your phone when your trying to pay...

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Download the Wallaby app. Integrates with Google maps to show you businesses in your area and once you add each of your cards, it tells you what card provides you the max benefit at each store.

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Great suggestion! I just put it on my phone. This looks awesome. Thanks so much.