What credit cards do you use and why?

[orsorum]

I'm always curious as to where others stand in their credit card management and why they make the choices they do.

Credit Union Visa (5 years) - it was the first one for which I qualified, I'm holding onto it now because it's my oldest account. They've raised my limit slowly (chunk by chunk each year), but it's still low for always having paid on time. Otherwise I'd close it because I never use it.
Discover (3 years) - I felt like extending my credit base a little more and I wanted some cash back options. They give me a ridiculously low limit. I'm holding onto it now for the same reason as my first Visa.
Bank of America Visa (2 years) - they gave it to me when I opened a checking/savings account. In retrospect I should have refused it immediately and insisted they take the inquiry off my credit report, but the damage is done. They give me a decent limit so it's not all bad.
Citibank Dividend Platinum Select (2006) - damn good cash back program, Rossman's seal of approval, and all online access - what more can a man ask for? My favorite card so far and the one I use most often.
American Express Blue Cash (2006) - I use it for Costco purchases and nothing else. They gave me a crappy limit so I'm doing everything I can to raise my limit by July, since I'll be making some large furniture purchases on this card, and running over 50% of my limit on a $1,500 purchase doesn't make me happy.

Never carry a balance past the grace period, never go over 10% of my limit.

Now you share. :P

[RossMAN]

/me waits for mugs to post CitiBank Dividend Platinum Select and Amex Costco TrueEarnings.

I agree with whatever he says.

[icanhabsum]

Captial One Visa- never use... got it in hs to start building credit, limit has grown sloooowly. lol

American Express Blue- its all about the points (no ann fee) limit has exploded in 1 year. Started @ 2,000 and its up to $16,000. Always pay it off @ the end of the month. :cool:

[outnumbered]

I see no need to post our credit limits, but I have a Schwab MBNA Visa because they gave me money for getting the card (and the interest rate is good, no fees, etc.). I rarely use it for anything though. I also have a Sears card that I got years and years ago when I needed to buy a refrigerator for my apartment back home. It's paid off too and I don't plan on touching that one with a ten-foot pole. Sears has issues with correctly reporting info to the credit bureaus.

Dh has a Chase platinum mastercard that we've paid off and don't touch. It was pretty much the only no-annual-fee card that approved him. (Hilariously, I was approved by Schwab and he was denied; he was approved by Chase and I was denied!) I actually signed him up for it. He's very anti-credit and I thought it was stupid of him to be 25 and have no credit history other than our car loan...so I signed him up, we used the card on our vacation last year, it's now been paid off, and so now he is 26 with a very short, but stellar, credit history. Still not good (since he hasn't had credit long), but much better than no credit at all.

[orsorum]

I see no need to post our credit limits...

Too personal?

[mugs]

/me waits for mugs to post CitiBank Dividend Platinum Select and Amex Costco TrueEarnings.

I agree with whatever he says.

Hah... :P

Yeah, Citi Dividend Platinum Select is my main card for its 5% cash back on gas (which sadly I don't use much of anymore), groceries and drugstores.

Costco Amex is used at Costco (1%), traveling (2%, and usually reimbursed by work anyway so FREE MONEY! :P) and restaurants (3%)

Target Visa is used at Target only. For every 1000 points (which takes at most $1000 to earn, but they usually give bonus points for certain purchases) we get a 10% off coupon. If we spend more than $100 with the coupon we get > 1% back, which is the best we'd do with any other card at Target. And it's not hard for us to spend $100 at Target, one of our two favorite stores. :)

Amazon.com Visa For Amazon.com purchases only (effectively 3% back)

I have some others that I don't use... Home Depot, 1st Financial Visa (no benefits, but it was my first card), Charles Schwabb Visa (free $150).

I couldn't tell you what my limit is on most of them.

I haven't really kept track, but I'd bet my credit cards have paid me around $1000 since I finished college 3 years ago.

[outnumbered]

Too personal?
Well, mainly, ours are lots lower than everyone else's, lol, and I will feel bad seeing that in front of me. So I didn't post them.

[noehlp]

I have a Capital One Platinum Mastercard

Why do I use it?
I filed bankruptcy after divorce, and had never had a credit card. About 1 yr after the filing they offered me via mail, it was the first of LITERALLY TONS of almost daily credit card offers I now get.
It was an EXTREMELY low credit amount offer at first, but for me I wanted to get it just so I could rebuild my credit (buy something and make monthly payments/etc). But after 6-9 mos they bumped the line up 10 times.

The one thing that bugs me is I swear I am paying out the nose in finance charges, but then again maybe not. The current APR on last months bill was 17.65%. Is that average? High? Low? Let me know as I have NO CLUE!

[DigDoug]

I have closed a lot of nonessential credit lines I opened when I was a college student so I could get a free tshirt or a slinky. They always said I could just cancel the card when I got it. Little did I know, playing blindly with credit cards can make you shoot your eye out.

Anyway, I had perfect history on my credit reports but it bugged me to have all those cards on my credit reports. I disputed the accounts and they were removed. They were in perfect standing so I didn't get a fight.

Drum roll.... currently I have the following:

Chase Plus Rewards Visa - 5% cashback at gas stations, grocery stores, and drug stores. 1% for everything else. I use this card for everything I buy and have a couple bills charged to it.

MBNA Clemson Quantum Wolrd Points Mastercard - This card has continually changed since I first got it. The name got longer. LOL This was the first line of credit I had, the rewards program is pretty crappy, but it has a high credit line and they love sending me 0% cash advance offers. I just took advantage of the entire line of credit to pay off my HELOC, thus avoiding interest on the HELOC and earning interest on the remaining amount left over.

Best_Buy - I got this to get interest free financing on some major purchases. I don't use it anymore.

Marshall Fields - I got this when I bought new living room furniture. It gave me payment deferral for 12 months with no interest and an extra 10% off the furniture.

Men's Wearhouse - I got this when I was close to graduating college. I was still a poor college student and I needed a suit to interview in. I looked pretty damn dapper in that suit too! :P

That's all folks!

[RossMAN]

Hah... :P

Yeah, Citi Dividend Platinum Select is my main card for its 5% cash back on gas (which sadly I don't use much of anymore), groceries and drugstores.

Costco Amex is used at Costco (1%), traveling (2%, and usually reimbursed by work anyway so FREE MONEY! :P) and restaurants (3%)

I was right on the money :groovin:

[freesia39]

i have:

Citi Dividend Platinum Select - for one reason only - the 5% cash back for gas, groceries and drugstores. i actually have two accounts - one is the bf's, the other is mine. we charge up the bf's first, and if for some reason we max out the rewards, then we use mine.

Chase - with all their mergers, i now have two chase cards. i don't know why i have the second chase card and i can't remember why i applied for it, but i also have a united miles card. that thing helped me out towards the free ticket i have on united that i still HAVE NOT USED.

Discover - i was using this card but it frustrates me how it is not accepted everywhere. i'm seriously starting to consider closing this account, because it does nothing but look pretty in my wallet (my card has a tiger on it.) i have plenty of other lines with history open.

MBNA - i applied for this when i first got to UCLA, and i've kept it since. it offers absolutely nothing back to me, and i haven't used it in an eternity, but because it's my oldest and largest line of credit, i won't close it. that and it has royce hall on it, and i like how it says UCLA Alumni Association.

GapCard - i don't use it alot, occasionally if i buy something at gap or banana (FINALLY they merged all three cards into one. it was ridiculous that i couldn't use their card at banana. i've stopped shopping at old navy.)

Best Buy - i only opened this to take advantage of their financing deals.

[kranky]

Citibank Dividend Platinum Select (2 accounts) - cash back rebates (so far, $1,100 over 3+ years). We have two accounts so we aren't limited to the $300/year cash back.

Discover - use when their short-term promotions give better cash back than the Citibank card.

AAA card from MBNA - got it when it was the only card to give 5% back on gas, I keep it because of the monstrously high credit line, but don't use it. If we ever need a short-term loan, I'll use one of the frequent 0% balance transfer offers.

AmEx corporate - work

And at least ten other cards (MC/V or store cards) we never use.

[dtdoda]

Citi Dividend Platinum Select - only for 5% cash back for gas and groceries. (Got one acct, applying for a 2nd since we'll be reaching the cash back limit this summer)

Discover - Cashback bonus helps fund our lobstergram Christmas presents that we give to a bunch of folks every year. They love them and they're free to us.

DCU Visa - My credit union Visa. We use the points for airline tickets.

Best Buy - Use the no interest option whenever we're making big electronics purchases

Home Depot - use the no interest option for large home improvement purchases. (next up, granite counters)

We never carry a balance.

I tried to get the dealer to let me charge the PT Cruiser on the Visa when we bought that and they said no. Next new car purchase, I'm going to try harder.

[Dfitz]

Surprising to see how many of you have more than a few credit cards.
I had heard a year or so ago that americans are more and more opening credit lines....blah, blah. Cant remember the remainder of that one...

Her Bank Debit/Visa


My Band Debit/Visa


Carson Pirie Scotts since I had worked there a short time, and it was the only way to get the employee discount. I used it last christmas so she wouldnt see what I got her. In retrospect I probably should have closed it after leaving that company.


Paypal Debit (new, we just recieved this last week. Since my job is outta our home office, it made since to use this since it takes a few days to transfer funds)


Capital One $500 credit line, not the wisest card we ever applied for.


I'm not a big fan of credit cards due to actually having to remember to pay the bills and the rates and the like. I've come to the conclusion that its better to pay it with the debits or not buy it all, cause I know I'll forget to put the amount owed into the budget.

I carry the Capital one in case of an emergency, such as car breakdown.
But thats all I'll use it for.

[mrn8]

Citi Dividend Platinum Select - same reasons as others 5% / 1% back on purchases. Got 0%, no fee, balance transfer initially which paid off the last of some outstanding debt.

Chase Plus Rewards - Same benefits as Citi card.

Chase Platinum - Got in college, earns points for car rentals. I usually redeem 1 rental every year. Last year I got an '05 Mustang Convertible free for a week.

[orsorum]

I'm not a big fan of credit cards due to actually having to remember to pay the bills and the rates and the like. I've come to the conclusion that its better to pay it with the debits or not buy it all, cause I know I'll forget to put the amount owed into the budget.

I carry the Capital one in case of an emergency, such as car breakdown.
But thats all I'll use it for.

I only use one on a regular basis (the Citibank) and I check all my other cards' balances online each week, just to ensure there's no activity. Other than the recent openings, my credit report is flawless; have student loans that are repaid, and a car loan that is well on its way to being paid off early. I don't plan on opening any additional credit cards any time soon since I'm happy with what I have.

[mugs]

Surprising to see how many of you have more than a few credit cards.
I had heard a year or so ago that americans are more and more opening credit lines....blah, blah. Cant remember the remainder of that one...

Having a lot of credit card debt is worse than having a lot of credit cards... actually I'm not sure that having a lot of credit cards is inherently bad. It lowers your utilization %. I believe some lenders may ask you to close some before they'll give you a mortgage, but what's most important is your FICO score. Most of the people here who have a lot of credit cards have 0 or very little credit card debt.

[forsberg]

I only use the Citibank Dividend Platinum Select card. In a few years, will probably have to open up a VISA card in order to buy 2010 Winter Olympic tix since the Olympics ONLY accept VISA.

[conj]

we use our Citibank Upromise card for just about everything. Money goes into the kids college accounts. Great way to save, as we don't have tons to spare for such a thing.

We pay it off every month.

Except last month, where I was late, adn got zapped with interest and a late fee. I called. They took off the late fee. I was legitimately late, my bad, I'll pay the interest.

[Frieked]

GM Card, so far have over $2k towards a new car (although I will probably end up buying a car that only lets me use $1k's worth since they limit you for cheaper cars)

[bugsette]

Discover for th cash back bonus
Chase Toys for the same

[hpowers]

My Choice Visa that gives 3% cash back on everything.

[mugs]

My Choice Visa that gives 3% cash back on everything.
Link?

[orsorum]

My Choice Visa that gives 3% cash back on everything.

Whenever I get my own Costco membership, will probably ask AmEx to switch my Blue Cash to a TrueEarnings and keep it on the same credit line. For now, though, Blue Cash works better for me.

[hpowers]

Link?
I've had it for probably 10 years. How would I found one? It's Choice Visa, that's all I know.

[lennon2004]

I don't have a credit card at the moment, but I'm thinking about looking into it sometime this year.

[mugs]

I've had it for probably 10 years. How would I found one? It's Choice Visa, that's all I know.

Oh ok, they probably don't offer it anymore then (with the 3% that is). :) I was just wondering because that's a really good all-purpose card and I've never heard of it. :)

[forsberg]

My brother uses a credit card that pays 3% back. But it's only offered to college students (for obvious reasons) and I'm sure they've made a lot of money off him with all the debt he's accumulated.

[joshsipes]

Our primary is the Citi Upromise Card (opened in 2002). I looked into switching to a Citi Dividend Platinum Select, but it would only mean that we would hit our $300 maximum even more quickly than the 1% Upromise Reward.

Plus, with the Upromise, I get more than $300 back per year since other companies kick in $$ if I purchase their products. And, if you read all of the fine print and follow their process, you don't have to put the $$ into a 529 for education. We cash out our savings and put it into an IRA for our 5-month old (62 years of growth potential), which won't be counted against him in financial aid equations when he goes to college. Theoretically though, you could use the rewards for bubble gum and beer if you wanted...

Other cards include:

MBNA Quantum - only have it open b/c $25,000 credit limit & oldest card (1996). I make 1 purchase a year with it to keep it open.

GM Card - Opened in 1999 and not used since 2001. Only have it open to carry over the reward $$. Once I buy a car I'll close it.

Sam's Club Discover -- used only at -- you guessed it -- Sam's club

Lowe's Card for home repair


All told, I probably have 12-15 cards open, but only 1 or two are active. I probably have ~$150K in credit limit due to high balances in my past and good credit. My % of credit used to credit available is rarely over 2% these days, and I pay my balances off every month. FICO score under the old scoring system (haven't checked since July last year) was over 730, so I don't think that the # of cards is hurting me

[kranky]

My Choice Visa that gives 3% cash back on everything.

That would be the holy grail of credit cards. I'm jealous! :)

[dionx]

Navy Federal CU Visa Platinum - oldest line of credit, use sparingly as there are no direct rewards

Best Buy store card - signed up for 0% financing deals while i was a college student

CompUSA store card - same as above

American Express Preferred Rewards Gold - use as my primary card for everywhere Amex is accepted

American Express Blue - use it for ExpressPay and for buying things online that accept Amex. keep it in my backup wallet

MBNA Merrill+ Visa - use it as my primary backup where Amex is not accepted

MBNA Charles Schwab Visa - part of my backup wallet. it's a backup to the Amex Blue when Amex isn't accepted

MBNA UC Irvine Alumni Association Mastercard - use the BillPay feature to pay the gas and electric utility bills. no rewards on the card and since san diego gas & electric doesn't take credit cards directly, using BillPay is a good way to keep the card active

Chase Amazon.com Visa - use it for Amazon.com purchases only

Chase Buy.com Visa - use it for Buy.com purchases only

Chase SonyCard - use it for buying Sony products

i PIF all my cards (except those carrying 0% APR deals)