Which credit card bonus to use - too many choices

[disneysteve]

From time to time, one of our credit cards does some special promo for double points or 5% cashback or something. For the first time, 2 of our cards - AOL Visa and Discover - are doing the same things at the same time. For Jan, Feb and Mar, Visa is paying 5x reward points for gas, groceries, restaurants and hotels. In Jan, Discover did 5% cashback on hotels. Now, they are doing 5% cashback on restaurants for Feb.

I have to double check, but I think 5% cashback is slightly more valuable than 5x reward points on the Visa. If so, for Feb, it will be Discover for restaurants, AOL Visa for gas, groceries and non-Marriott hotels and our Marriott Visa for everything else. I'm going to need to carry a guide in my wallet to remember which card to use where.

[simpleyme]

get out the sticky notes and label each card?

I am going over to the dark side LOl I hate to get bills that's why I have not used my cards,I have a my points visa the limit is super low only 2K
but I get one point per dollar
but i realized finally that if I put my phone bill and my cable bill on it I go from writing 3 checks to one one and get the points

I would imagine once i catch on I could just pay the CC online and not write any checks,one thing at a time ;-)


so It will actually be easier,i like the gift cards from my points ,its will allow us to eat out and go to the movies every now and then

[Caoineag]

Yeah, I am starting to do the same thing. I have a 1% cashback card with more for certain vendors that I will use as my bill card. But I will be gradually easing into it as well.

I am a little nervous about using my debit card ever since my one credit card number got stolen...Credit cards are much faster to the punch when it comes to fraud.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by simpleyme

I would imagine once i catch on I could just pay the CC online and not write any checks,one thing at a time

Yep. I have many routine bills charged to the CC and then pay the bill online. Gives me a nice record of my spending and racks up the reward points.

Originally Posted by Caoineag

I am a little nervous about using my debit card ever since my one credit card number got stolen...Credit cards are much faster to the punch when it comes to fraud.

True. Credit cards have many advantages over debit cards.

[moneybags]

I write mine on the back of a business card & put it in my wallet with the cc's. Don't forget to read the fine print - For example, Discover has 5% back on travel for the first quarter, but only up to $800 in purchases.