topic Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...? in Credit Cards

Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:41:53 GMT

Wondering if anyone has any suggestions on what to use or how to label the 4 credit cards in our wallet for specific uses? Up until now we have had just one credit card for everything...

The 4 specific cards we have now are as follows:

Uber - Dining (4%)

Ducks Unlimited - Gas/Convenience Store/Sporting Goods Stores (5%)

Bank of America Cash Back - (5.25% Online Shopping, 3.5% on Grocery & Costco)

Bank of America Platinum Rewards + Preferred Rewards - (3.5% Travel, 2.625% on everything else...)

Do I simply try to use a label maker and add notes to the back of the card...? Don't want to interfear with the magnetic stip and want to make it easy to reference... Curious if anyone else has had to go through this with their spouse...

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

Anonymous — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:42:24 GMT

Is it your wife that needs “reminders” or you? Just talk to her, see what she thinks. I’ve got 18 cards, so I sometimes lose track of which may be best from month to month. I have a note page in my phone for quick reference. With only 4 cards, your wife may not feel it necessary. Is she as much into the Cash Back - Point game as you are? If not, that could make the conversation a bit more difficult.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

wasCB14 — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:42:43 GMT

Maybe trim a 3x5 card down to the the size of a credit card and write on that.

Some wallets have clear plastic to carry IDs. I used to keep track of rotating categories that way.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

dragontears — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:43:03 GMT

What I did when "training" my SO on rewards cards was to write the card's purpose in the signature strip on the back of the card with a sharpie since we never have to sign the cards these days. Worked well except for the rotating category cards, those I just put a little sticky note on the card at the start of the quarter.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

McNugget — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:43:24 GMT

I use a Google Keep widget on my phone. It contains common categories (gas, dining, grocery) and then shows the order of which card to use by percent.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

pinkandgrey — Fri, 29 Mar 2019 23:43:46 GMT

@wasCB14 wrote:
Maybe trim a 3x5 card down to the the size of a credit card and write on that.

Some wallets have clear plastic to carry IDs. I used to keep track of rotating categories that way.

Oooh this makes my OCD so happy lol

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

JaseT — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 02:04:43 GMT

I use a credit card sized laminated piece of paper that has my categories/cards on one side and my due dates/statement dates (I do the PIF/AZEO method) on the other. I just keep it in my wallet for easy reference.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

Shooting-For-800 — Sat, 30 Mar 2019 23:22:22 GMT

I put labels on front of wife’s cards. No issues.

I think I am going to do laminated cc size index card now.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

UpperNwGuy — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:40:03 GMT

I just remember. Of course, I have never had more than 9 cards at one time, so remembering might be easier for me than for those who have cards in the double digits.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

NRB525 — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 00:50:43 GMT

A small piece of scratch paper, pen to write your “category plan” and keep that in your wallet or purse. Then dispose of, or update as needed.

Writing/ labeling the card, especially the signature panel seems like a bad idea.

The marginal cost of missing an exact reward alignment is outweighed by the result that you don’t use the card exclusively in high reward categories and perhaps show the CCC that you aren’t THAT much of a cost to them.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

Anonymous — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 18:28:19 GMT

Surely there's an app for this now days, right? lol

Seems like a spend tracker built into an electronic wallet is needed, that prompts which card to use at checkout. If that could ever happen.

I usually only keep the main 4 categories with me, and know which one is which by the card design. As I phyisically cannot fit all of my cards into one wallet, even have a phone case with 3 slots for CCs. lol If a card is needed that is outside of my current category, I just grab it from the SD.

Re: Labeling Credit Cards for Use...?

xaximus — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 18:32:54 GMT

Generally, I have a spreadsheet that has all my cards and rewards. I updated it weekly if necessary. Otherwise, I usually know where most of my spend goes so I usually know what card to select. It's pretty easy for me to pop it open prior to going to the store or even when I'm on the line in checkout. Takes less then a minute to see what card is best and then I use that.