psychtobe

I can hardly keep track of my cards anymore, since I'm always applying for new ones for the bonuses. The churning of a single type of card adds to the confusion. I've had to create a spreadsheet just to keep track of everything: when the annual fee is due (must cancel!), if I'm currently waiting for points/miles to post, etc.

Part of the reason I have so many is because I've read you should never cancel a card because it MAY hurt your credit score and can never help it. The only cards I cancel are to avoid annual fees or specifically to churn the same card several times, though I know I'm not the most aggressive churner out there.

So here's the damage:

bank credit/charge cards: 14 including the 2 newest I applied for today
store cards: 4 (Mrs. Psychtobe has another 3)
debit/ATM cards: 6

I have no corporate cards to use, unfortunately! I'd love to be one of those "million miles a month" folks.

Any ideas to share about managing the database or increasing the churning?

andol469

I only have 8 open accounts, no store cards. 1 Visa debit card and 1 ATM card. I'm a little more conservative with everything, but I too use a spreadsheet to track bonuses. A service like Yodlee is useful to some.

A business card binder may also be useful to those with (too) many cards.

I don't really "churn" so no help there.

afang

Read the money blog by Jonathan. I'm afraid he's got more CCs than any of us!

http://www.mymoneyblog.com/archives/...use_yodle.html

Myself, i use Fidelity version's Yodlee and have about 10 CCs, 3 Checking accounts, 3 Savings accounts and all Mileage/hotel programs setup with Fidelity

ContinentalFan

That very question was asked in this post. It generated 88 responses.

drbond

12 American Express
2 Discover
23 Master Cards
19 Visa
27 Store
15 Gas
1 Car Rental
1 Hotel
14 Other

the_nomad

Is the OP asking how many we have or how many we have had?

travelwave

^ how many pages is your credit report?

carlitos

Lets see, including American, Mexican and European Credit cards.

3 Mexicans (2 visas and 1 mastercard)
4 Spanish (3 mastercards and 1 visa)
1 UK (mastercard)
4 American (3 Mastercards and 1 visa)

Yes, I don´t like American Express, jejeje, to expensive outside the US and not always accepted in Europe.

kiam

US Credit Cards (active):
3 AMEX
2 Credit Union Visa (my employer's credit union)
2 Chase Visa
1 Discover
3 Citi
1 Bank of America Visa
1 Dell
1 GAP

Thailand Credit Cards:
At least 12 in total !!!

srallen

1 Citibank MC that I use
2 Citibank MCs that I have acquired and cancelled in the last 2 months
1 United whatever that I never use
1 Capital One that I transfered $30000 from my home equity line to because it's zero percent

More credit cards mean more confusion to me, and more things to keep track of. Not good.

psychtobe

more credit cards mean more free stuff to me!

PantyWaster

And your total balance?

Ed Rooney

Amex Plat.
Citi Div. Rewards MC(good for gas)
Cap1 MC
Sears

Once I buy the new house:

Citi PP Elite or Chairman
Maybe downgrade Amex Plat. to Gold Rewards Plus (depending on which Citi card I get)
Cancel Cap1

drbond

Less than 100k.

drbond

I only listed current and I just added a Visa and two American Expresses this week. I am considered a JCB.

Have had well over 900

All of the above does not count my wifes.