3 Credit Cards for the rest of your life

[Thomas_Thumb]

---

@jetsfan2013 wrote:

If you had to choose and use only 3 credit cards you currently own for the rest of time, what 3 would you select and why?

I will kick this off:

Amex Platinum - the travel perks fit my life 

Blue Cash Every Day - No AF gas and groceries

NFCU Visa - My largest limit and have had opened the longest (35K - 8 years and running)

---

I'll just keep my 3 oldest cards. Too much history to change now.

1) AMEX from 1984

2) Discover from 1989

3) AT&T Universal Mastercard from 1990

Other cards have come and gone.

[NoHardLimits]

---

@Thomas_Thumb wrote:
I'll just keep my 3 oldest cards. Too much history to change now.

1) AMEX from 1984

2) Discover from 1989

3) AT&T Universal Mastercard from 1990

Other cards have come and gone.

---

That is probably the wisest answer.  I would like to change my response to reflect this strategy.  Rewards and perks are nice, but nothing can replace time.

My 3 cards to keep in order of age:

- Chase Freedom Visa (5% rotator)

- Discover It (5% rotator)

- Amex Everyday Preferred (4.5 points grocery, 3 points gas, 1.5 points misc categories plus grocery beyond the $6k cap)

This is actually a pretty good outcome for rewards.  It even meets my criteria for 3 financial institutions and 3 payment networks.  If product changes are allowed, I would switch the Freedom to a Freedom Flex to add 3% categories for drugstore and dining.

[Anonymous]

Yes, absolutely. You can't go wrong with choosing to keep the oldest three cards. Clever.

[Gunnerboy]

AMEX Gold - Already EDC this. Fits my lifestyle, plus I enjoy accumulating MR points.

Citi Costco - Already EDC this. Shop here weekly.

BECU Cash Back- They're local to me.  Makes the most sense.

[Anonymalous]

I only have 3 cards. Guess that means I might as well put some effort into getting Cap1 to increase my CL.

[Anonymous]

CFF:

Earn 5% cash back on gas station purchases on up to $6,000 spent in the first year(I'm groceries)

Earn 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories:
Earn 5% cash back on different categories like gas stations, grocery stores (excluding Target® and Walmart®) and select online merchants on up to $1,500 in total combined purchases each quarter you activate.

Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.

Earn 3% on drugstore purchases.

Citi DC

Disco It CB

[Trini88]

Amex BCP for Gas,Groceries,Subscriptions

Apple for 2% everything plus 3% bonus categories 

Discover for rotating categories 

[cws-21]

I, also, would not be happy to cut to only three credit cards because I would be leaving money on the table. However, I would keep the following, purely based on the cash back they yield, if I had no choice.

1. Affinity Cash Rewards Visa Signature: 5% cash back at Amazon, Hi5 rotating categories, and no foreign transaction Visa
2. Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% cash back on whatever is not a Hi5 category for the quarter (groceries, dining, or gas)
3. AOD Visa Signature Credit Card: 3% cash back on everything else, low APR, and no foreign transaction Visa

[ptatohed]

---

@cws-21 wrote:

I, also, would not be happy to cut to only three credit cards because I would be leaving money on the table. However, I would keep the following, purely based on the cash back they yield, if I had no choice.

1. Affinity Cash Rewards Visa Signature: 5% cash back at Amazon, Hi5 rotating categories, and no foreign transaction Visa
2. Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% cash back on whatever is not a Hi5 category for the quarter (groceries, dining, or gas)
3. AOD Visa Signature Credit Card: 3% cash back on everything else, low APR, and no foreign transaction Visa

---

Excellent selection.  

[cws-21]

---

@ptatohed wrote:

---

@cws-21 wrote:

I, also, would not be happy to cut to only three credit cards because I would be leaving money on the table. However, I would keep the following, purely based on the cash back they yield, if I had no choice.

1. Affinity Cash Rewards Visa Signature: 5% cash back at Amazon, Hi5 rotating categories, and no foreign transaction Visa
2. Citi Custom Cash Card: 5% cash back on whatever is not a Hi5 category for the quarter (groceries, dining, or gas)
3. AOD Visa Signature Credit Card: 3% cash back on everything else, low APR, and no foreign transaction Visa

---

Excellent selection.  

---

Thanks. I still prefer my seven card setup, but I probably could live with these three.