@GatorGuy wrote:Can't say I agree. Target and Amazon are two of my most valuable cards with uncapped 5% back.
Those are great examples (like the Costco card I mentioned) of when to make exceptions, though. It sounds like they are both places that you shop often and naturally, so that's a great fit. In other words, the rewards far outweigh any potential nerfing of the card, changes in terms, or transfer of the lender. In my case, I found myself with retail cards that didn't fit enough of my natural spending and some were impulse adds at the register to save a few dollars when prompted by the cashier. It can get out-of-hand.
I know that Target and Amazon are popular cards and fit a lot of spending patterns well. I had a Chase Amazon card many years ago but closed it after after six years when I was simplifying my card lineup and wasn't spending enough at Amazon to make the card worthwhile. Likewise, I had a Target card which is now closed. Neither one of them fit my spending enough although I also had some issues with Target separate from my spending patterns. When it comes to hotels, it wouldn't make sense for me to get a Best Western Rewards Mastercard (First Card) or Choice Hotels Privileges Visa (Barclays) since I don't frequent either chain, but my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Visa (Chase) and World of Hyatt Visa (Chase) are both good fits for me.
I believe this is just one subset of the topic of how much complexity and change you're willing to accept in your card lineup. We have members who firmly believe that three, five, six cards is all they ever want and need and enjoy the simplicity of a slim wallet. (Those members probably have few if any cobranded cards.) And we have others who optimize to save a few dollars a year and might collect 50 cards in the process. In deciding on how far each of us want to take lender diversity or rewards savings, we pick the cards that are the best fit. Cards that offer more lender stability as well as stability and flexibility in where they are accepted or best valued, and flexibility in rewards redemptions are often more attractive to those on the lower end of the card simplification continuum.
