Questions and Answers

I have found myself collecting several new credit cards this year (and it’s not even April yet)
So a practical question for members of this blog who have large numbers of credit cards.
How do you carry these cards around. Do you use a large wallet or a separate credit card portfolio, or do you filter the cards the cards before a trip and take only a few you intend to use.

Any and all practical advice greatly appreciated
GBOAC

i only carry around the ones i need on a daily basis and change things around when necessary for a trip

I agree with David. I have several cards that stay in a drawer unless I need them. Some cards I only keep because they offer a free night each year so it’s cheaper than paying for a room.

I do carry around quite a few but that’s based on experience of what cards I may need on a daily basis. When I travel I rarely take more than 4 but it will depend on where I’m traveling and what type of expenses I’ll be racking up.

Agree with both [USER=29]@David W[/USER] and [USER=184]@MidSouth Skier[/USER]. No point in hauling around cards that you are not actively using. I do carry a few and use a big skinny wallet. It’s not very fancy but I’m amazed at how many cards I can comfortably carry.

Have to agree with the others here, no need to carry all your cards.

Personally I normally bring an extra wallet when traveling and keep 1-2 cards in that plus local currency, and lock my real wallet with my most important cards in the hotel safe.

Two credit cards and one debit card are what I carry. I have around a dozen credit cards. Just take the ones I plan to use. Some of my cards are only used for online purchasing and never make it to the wallet.

I keep in mind what categories of spend get me extra points as well as whether I’m working on a minimum spend for a sign up bonus. For instance, if in the current quarter there’s a five times bonus for gas, then the Chase Freedom card is in my wallet. If there’s no gas bonus that quarter, then it’s not. If I need to meet a minimum spend and think I can find ordinary spend that wouldn’t get me a bonus with other cards then I’ll use those to meet it and carry the card until I’ve met the minimum. Once the minimum is met, it goes into the drawer, unless it has compelling bonus categories I’m likely to use in day to day life. And another important consideration, make sure when you travel internationally to only bring cards with no foreign transaction fees and that give bonuses for travel related expenses.

I have a small wristlet that serves as my everyday wallet, with 4-5 cards in there at a given time.

I also have a travel wallet that holds another 6-8 cards, my passport, currency, etc., that I take on trips.

And then everything else (including canceled cards) goes in a binder near my desk.

I find business card holders to be really useful for organizing and storing cards :).

I feel like 1-3 is enough to carry around, the rest should stay at home

I carry 3 credit and 1 debit in my wallet. Throw the amex plat and priority pass cards in backpack when travelling. Rest of them stay home.
When traveling international, many lounges need to swipe the PP card without which you don’t get in to the lounge. Same with Centurion lounges.

[QUOTE=”PhatMiles, post: 15293, member: 522″]I carry 3 credit and 1 debit in my wallet. Throw the amex plat and priority pass cards in backpack when travelling. Rest of them stay home.
When traveling international, many lounges need to swipe the PP card without which you don’t get in to the lounge. Same with Centurion lounges.[/QUOTE]
isn’t there the priority pass app which you can use instead of card?

[QUOTE=”Jacob McCarthy, post: 15301, member: 104″]isn’t there the priority pass app which you can use instead of card?[/QUOTE]
I tried it but had bad luck in Asia. Especially TPE, SIN and BKK.

The app isn’t universally accepted although it does show which lounges are supposed to accept digital cards. Not sure how accurate that is. I tend to carry my Citi Prestige based PP card too just in case.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 15308, member: 79″]The app isn’t universally accepted although it does show which lounges are supposed to accept digital cards. Not sure how accurate that is. I tend to carry my Citi Prestige based PP card too just in case.[/QUOTE]
yep, i wish the app was accepted everywhere. For the Citi Prestige how do you go along about bring two free guests in? Do you just “pay” for two guests on the card and they get reimbursed, or do the lounge agents know you get two free guests?

When you swipe or get your card scanned, the agent will know your guest entitlements.

Not sure if the agents know entitlements (some of them have seemed pretty clueless) but you just tell them you have guests and they swipe the card for that number of people. I was under the impression that PP bills your sponsoring card if you are over your free allotment.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 15321, member: 79″]Not sure if the agents know entitlements (some of them have seemed pretty clueless) but you just tell them you have guests and they swipe the card for that number of people. I was under the impression that PP bills your sponsoring card if you are over your free allotment.[/QUOTE]
That is correct. When I had more guests than entitled I was billed to my Amex Plat automatically.