# of cards vs. # of issuers and availability of alerts

[Anonymous]

I have 11 cards from 5 different issuers. For some people, monitoring 11 cards would be a lot, and for others it would be trivial.

Having 11 cards doesn't bother me because alerts and efficient websites kind of let me feel like I have three cards: one Chase card, one Amex, and one Discover.

I don't use Arrival, Sallie Mae, or Brooks Bros most months. The potential for fraud on the Brooks Bros card is limited, since it can only be used at BB and clothing isn't as easily converted to cash as, say, consumer electronics. Plus, I get email alerts to my phone every time the card is used (which is only about twice a year if there's no fraud). I don't have to check the website for months.

Barclaycard sends me alerts any time there's more than a trivial amount of spending on either Arrival or Sallie Mae. I can log in and pay off any balances every other week or so.

I use most of my Amex, Chase, and Discover cards regularly, but I can monitor all 8 of those from 3 websites and apps that have lots of alert options and let me switch easily between cards. All in all, I'm able to stay on top of 11 cards in a pretty low-hassle manner.

I'm curious how many other people take the same approach I do of having many cards while trying to use and keep track of them efficiently. There must be some lenders that don't give customers the option of getting various spending alerts. I probably wouldn't want a card with one of them.

Some lenders will give a person multiple cards, but require that each card comes with a separate login. It seems like that would be a headache. I know some spreadsheet users just sit down and go through one account at a time, though. If I can easily and quickly pay off the cards associated with 3 to 5 different logins, I suppose it's not so difficult to do 25 with a spreadsheet or bill pay.

It's possible that once I get into bonus hunting and getting cards with the intention of later closing them, I might have 20 accounts open at the same time. I guess it would still be pretty efficient if I could set up activity alerts. I just know I wouldn't want to spend regularly on major network cards from 25 different issuers, and I kind of wonder how others are able to do it. Having many cards with just a few lenders (with efficient websites, multi-card access, and lots of alerts) seems totally different to me than the same number of cards with a huge number of lenders.

A bit all over the place, I know. Thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Having 20 balances on 20 cards is a bad choice scorewise and sanity wise. 2 accts per prime bank is more than enough. Its rare to get shut out from one bank, if youre in good health… usually a mistake, but in the meantime you still need the credit elsewhere to make an adjustment .store cards are more of a headach because of separate logins but theres a handful from synchrony who offer no interest financing so the juggle is necessary to save money.

[Discover2016]

I am in a similar situation, I have 9 cards from 5 different issuers and I can manage them because most of the cards are on just 3 websites which makes it easy to keep track of them. I also have alerts on all of my cards that lets me know if there is a charge of $1 or more ($10 or more on Amex). I love when I use my Discover for example and a second later I feel my phone vibrate, it's so convenient and prevents nasty surprises.

[Anonymous]

Easy solution. Pay each transaction off the next day. Less work to keep track of. lol

Also, you might want to check out reddit churning if your intention is getting a bonus.

Just  bookmark each login page and have that in a easy to access place. 

I wouldn't have a problem having 50 cards.  As long as most dont have an annual fee, I keep most of my due dates around the same time. I don't worry much about that at all.

What I do worry about is if my actions appear strange to the lendor, as most people would carry a balance not pay off each transaction the next day lol.

The one thing I have written down are monthly expenses that CAN be paid with a credit card, what their total is for 3 months...that way I know what to do for a new bonus.  As long as you arent going for a mortgage in 12 months, do as you wish.  I would try to have some consistencies. I would like to think a person that opens a card 2 to 3 times a year regularly, and then closes other accounts slowly, would have best results....

speaking of... I am sadly NOT working on a bonus :-(