Cards and More Cards

**Michael** · 05-05-2007, 09:30 PM

I was wondering about this combo of cards in my wallet:

) AMEX BLUE - for everything except dining, travel, and car repairs

2) Chase BP Visa - for dining and travel (2%) and everywhere else where AMEX is not accepted. I usually do not buy BP gas.

3) Shell Mastercard - for Shell gas (5%) when I am under the $6500 AMEX spending tier (about 2.5 months).

4) Discover Gas - for gasoline when I am under the $6500 tier on AMEX and for all car repair expenses. This card can be used in conjunction with Shell MC, because the $1200 5% gas spending limit for Discover will go fast, at today's (and tomorrow's) prices.

If I carry the above four cards, is this overdoing it? I already have these, so there is no need to apply for anything.

**jeremy** · 05-08-2007, 09:58 AM

Wow Michael, that appears to be a lot of cards. I now use the Blue Cash. But before that when I was always flying around, I had the amex gold and starwood card. But I now find that one card is enough for me.

But I think it really depends on you. It would be interesting if you could tell us how much rebates you earned after one year of using this combination of cards and the rebate percentage is.

**freddyg** · 05-16-2007, 11:39 AM

Hey Michael

I would really be interested to see how much rebates you earn and the breakdown of how you earn these rebates from the different cards you have. Could you keep us posted once you have enough data?

thanks

**Michael** · 05-17-2007, 03:02 PM

Discover Gas is now being screwed up again, effective 10-1-07.

Look on their website. Effective 10-1-07 only the first $100 of monthly gas and auto repair charges will earn 5%. After $100, all charges for gas and auto earn the regular Discover rebates, which are very low. You can do this for 12 months and still earn $60, but so what?

This virtually destroys the card.

I am going to severely sock-drawer this card, because it is now a joke.

I was wondering, for my above combo, if I should subs***ite the ExxonMobil Mastercard for Discover. It only pays 3% on ExxonMobil gas, but when I am under the $6500 AMEX tier, and Shell (where I would use Shell MC) is more expensive than ExxonMobil, maybe ExxonMobil would be useful. It is my only other major bank card, other than the ones listed above, and Discover is definitely headed to the sockdrawer.

What do others think? Or should I limit my wallet portfolio to only three cards (AMEX, BP Visa, Shell Mastercard)?

Obviously, the big issue here is GAS, and I DO NOT want another card.

**rlu929s** · 05-17-2007, 06:07 PM

Well I"m glad I didn't go the Discover route. It would depend on your gas buying habits I guess.

I'm personally going to try and make with just 2 cards. A BP Visa and my AMEX.

I have a BP down the road from work and me and my wife work in the same area so we're going to try and buy only from that BP until the AMEX hits the tier.

I'm not a big on the road all the time traveler so that works for me.

Stinks to hear discover doing that. Hopefully the others don't catch on.

**aquariancore** · 06-26-2007, 02:07 AM

I think too many cards leads to too temptations so I will keep it at three.

**SageMother** · 06-26-2007, 04:04 AM

Having tons of cards can work against you when purchasing things like a home. It might even do that if you try to rent an apartment where a credit report is pulled. Even if you don't carry balances on most of your cards, they can look at your projected debt, or the amount of debt that you can ac***ulate.

The more that is sitting out there, the more likely it can work against you.

**berlinlife06** · 06-26-2007, 07:57 AM

I have reduced my credit cards considerably! Now I only have 5, and basically use only one of them.... I haven´t pull my credit records but I have no problems in it whatsoever! At least that´s what I think!