Whats the best way to save with cc's?

[dre1]

do you pay all  bills with cc's?and let pay checks pile up for 3 or 4 months then pay cc's off and start process over again with the idea of regulated spending your checks will overtake the bills anyone have any methods that are effective please share

[athensguy]

I pay off my CCs every month. If you don't pay them off every month, it gets expensive paying interest.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

CC interest was great when it was deductible. Now it is death. Just say no!

[haulingthescoreup]

I put every bill I possibly can on a CC, preferably a rewards card, and pay each off monthly. No penalties, nice rewards, lots of simplicity.

The idea of letting anything at all pile up for 3 or 4 months makes my toes curl.

[Watchmann]

In my view utility bills, groceries and such don't belong on credit cards.  Why have another layer of payment issues involved paying everything with a card, especially bills.  People have fallen in love with 'rewards', but a couple of goof ups or getting overextended will wipe out that 2-3% reward.  When bills come in they get paid immediately from my CU bill payer, they don't go on a CC.  Day to day stuff is paid in CASH so I don't have to think about the bills coming in later.  To each their own.  Use what works for you. 

[Karatz]

---

@Watchmann wrote:
In my view utility bills, groceries and such don't belong on credit cards.  Why have another layer of payment issues involved paying everything with a card, especially bills.  People have fallen in love with 'rewards', but a couple of goof ups or getting overextended will wipe out that 2-3% reward.  When bills come in they get paid immediately from my CU bill payer, they don't go on a CC.  Day to day stuff is paid in CASH so I don't have to think about the bills coming in later.  To each their own.  Use what works for you. 

---

I totally agree. If you can charge $50 in gas, run home, send a bill pay to your visa from your checking account for $50 immediately, the charge is ok. Next step is to be able to charge up to only what you can pay in full...Otherwise, pay cash.

[Anonymous]

All of our bills are first budgeted, then set up on automatic payment.  I make one payment to my CC, and then the bills are charged to the CC as they are scheduled on automatic payment.  That way if there's a brain glitch (mine), there are still no late payments.  I PIF my CC's (the ones that temporarily have a balance) twice a month - so there's never any interest, and those CC payments are already written into the budget, so there's no pain.  I like the rewards!

I don't like anyone having access to my checking account - it's easier to handle problems (like overpayments or double payments or continuing payments when they shouldn't) if they're pulling from a CC.  We've had that happen before and it was a painful surprise to our checking account.  Although I keep a cash cushion in my checking, I have a greater cushion on my CC balance than I do in my checking account.

We put all groceries (and eating out) on one card - it makes it very easy to budget.  And again, the rewards.

We don't let anything stack up for 3 or 4 months - I'm probably not getting what you're talking about there.  Every dollar spent is already on the budget - including a small budget for cash for some random spending every payday.

I agree with Watchmann - whatever floats your boat.  It's just fun to see what others are doing - sometimes you get a good idea from someone else and sometimes our needs change and we need to look at something new.  Good thread with great responses.

[hemi961]

I pay everything with a credit card. I just deposited a $250 rewards check from Chase on Saturday and when my statement cuts on Sept. 17th I'll have another $50 in rewards accumulated. No check numbers to keep track of, no checkbook to lug around, all charges itemized and downloaded to Quicken and $1000 a year in rewards. One transfer on the 16th of each month to pay the balance with a 25 day grace period in case I forget, which I never do. I go out to the mailbox, scan the rewards check with edeposit from Alliant and within minutes it is earning interest in my savings account. Works for me.

Message Edited by hemi961 on 08-27-2009 08:22 AM

[Jazzzy]

I make a couple of thousand dollars each year in rewards. My rewards pay for travel to see my grandbabies...trips that I otherwise might not be able to do as often. It pays for other things as well, but reward travel is especially important to me.

Rewards right now are very valuable, but you have to have the personal discipline to collect the rewards by charging on the cc and then paying before interest kicks in. We also won't pay an annual fee for those rewards. That works for us.

[creditwherecreditisdue]

Those CC rewards are like coupon-less coupons. Plus, you can use the coupons, too! I've also never seen a perpetual coupon for 5% off my gasoline purchases. I will keep doing what I need to do to get my rewards!