I just have to say I am totally in love with my Amex.
Their website is just fricken AWESOME!! I love how it shows you all of the recent transactions and what's pending along with what has cleared. But most of all, I added my DH and DS as an AU on it and it gave them a different cc number on their cards. Therefore, I can see THEIR charges versus MY charges.
I wanted to start helping my 18 year old build his credit and what better way than with Amex. So when his card came, I quickly hid it away (no way I want him walking out the door with a 10k limit card...that would just freak me out). So I took it back out to day, just to activate it and found that you can ALSO put a spending limit on it AND restrict a cash withdrawal limit as well. SAY WHAT??? I have complete control over the card. How amazing is that? So I started him out with the lowest limit ($200) and gave him a nice long talking to about credit and the card and payments and sent him on his way with a stern look. I did talk to a rep on the phone about it, which informed me that the $200 limit is PER MONTH, so I'm not sure how much I like that idea, but we'll see. I mean I don't care how much he charges per month, just as long as he charges and pays me for it within the week of charging (he gets paid every week so he needs to learn to budget this on his own).
So, I'm logging onto my Chase Freedom account and it's just SO BLAH!!! It doesn't even compare to the Amex site. I don't know, just something about it doesn't strike my fancy but oh well.
So now comes the "gripe". When I added them as an AU, they have the SAME cc number as I do. 
So when they use the cards, there's no way for me to tell my usage versus their usage. Yuck. It was going to be our "gas" card with the 5% rewards for this month and now I won't be able to tell what charges belongs to who. Also, it doesn't give you the option to "limit" other cards because it's the same card number. I just have to say I'm not liking the "features" with that part and even more usage is going on the Amex card now instead. 
Anyone else know of cards like the Amex that gives a different card number for AU holders to keep track (for future use when I'm out of the garden).
One of the reasons they are my favorite.
Discover has a great website also....
Starting Score: TU 595 EX 600 EQ 585
@Creditaddict wrote:On the subject of Amex and AU, as an AU cardholder to Amex your son can go create an online account just like you have done off of his own card and he will only see his limit and his charges, if he has his own bank account, he could also set that up to be able to make payments... Just a step further in teaching him how to use the credit and pay for the credit vs. handing it to you which might make it seem less real...
Yes, it made me do that in order to activate his card.
@navigatethis12 wrote:I am unsure if the numbers are different, but Citi lets you set limits on authorised users. Sovereign Bank issues a different account number for authorised users and breaks down their spending online.
Thanks for the info. Are either one of these cards good? Do they have good "benefits" to having them?
Careful with the AMEX spending limit restriction. It doesn't quite work as there are ways to get around it. Talk to AMEX rep about it as I never quite understood why it wouldn't work. I know it can't restrict spending overseas. Also know if someone has $100 limit left and gets restaurant bill for $97, it will approve and the person can go over the $100 via tip etc. Not sure how else.
But after all that, AMEX still has the best system for handling AU and spending.
LIMITS IN CARD DESCRIPTIONS
@Crashem wrote:Careful with the AMEX spending limit restriction. It doesn't quite work as there are ways to get around it. Talk to AMEX rep about it as I never quite understood why it wouldn't work. I know it can't restrict spending overseas. Also know if someone has $100 limit left and gets restaurant bill for $97, it will approve and the person can go over the $100 via tip etc. Not sure how else.
But after all that, AMEX still has the best system for handling AU and spending.
What do you mean the spending "limit"? I'm confused. They did tell me about the restaurant thing, which no worries there, he never does anything but fast food or the grocery store. He would mainly be using it for gas and things for his car, clothes, shoes and gifts for the gf. That's about all he ever spends money on (other than his actual "bills"..car insurance and cell). I did put a restriction on not being able to draw out money (which I don't think that will ever be a problem either, he doesn't even know you can do that and you have to have a pin anyhow). He's definitely not going over seas. 