How many Credit Cards do you have?

[Beta4Me]

Just wondering how many credit cards people have (if any). If you feel so inclined, please post what you have.

I currently have:
- Westpac Altitude Platinum Plus (1.5ppd Amex / 1 supp holder - counting this Amex/Visa duo as one)
- Citibank Clear Platinum (for a BT)
- Woolworths Qantas MasterCard (1ppd Visa / 1 supp holder)
- Macquarie Platinum Visa (1ppd Visa / 1 supp holder - $0 first year with nice points bonus)
- Amex Platinum Edge (3/2ppd earn / 2 supp holders)

 

[harvyk]

Zero, I don't like credit cards as whilst I realise it's not really my money I found that I would consider a maxed out card to be "$0" rather than what ever the limit was.
I do have a couple of "debit" credit cards however. Most places will accept them like credit cards.

 

[opusman]

Zero, I don't like credit cards

Ye gods, all those points foregone!

 

[mella2007]

None and proud of it. Not even for business. And I still manage to accumulate a good amount of points without one.

 

[cove]

Never imagined a life without points earning credit cards in our family.
Amex from 1979,then ANZ Qantas Telstra were my early cards and there have been hundreds of flights on points since then.
Now it is Citi,Bankwest,Westpac Kris Amex,Westpac Platinum Plus Altitude Amex and Amex Ultimate as the cards i really use in Australia but i never leave a balance.
Oops I missed Woolworths!

 

[PLC]

Westpac Earth Platinum
NAB Amex Platinum
Citibank Platinum (about to be cancelled)
Jetstar Platinum
David Jones Amex (my new favorite)
Amex standard (no annual fee version - don't use it though)

All converting to QFF.

 

[MadFairlane]

Commbank Diamond Amex
Commbank Diamond MC (companion cards)
Citibank Plat
And some other NSW Teachers credit union one, that we just keep for emergencies

 

[Beta4Me]

Those with multiple cards that "do the same thing" (in terms of points earn), is it for chanelling to different FF programs, hitting point caps, risk mitigation (if the CC issuer changes T&Cs) or sign-up points bonus?

 

[ashleyn]

Those with multiple cards that "do the same thing" (in terms of points earn), is it for chanelling to different FF programs, hitting point caps, risk mitigation (if the CC issuer changes T&Cs) or sign-up points bonus?

All of that plus spread your repayments across the month.

 

[benmay]

I have my NAB Visa (w/ fake Amex attached)

I also have a work issued Mastercard

Nothing very exciting

 

[PLC]

Those with multiple cards that "do the same thing" (in terms of points earn), is it for chanelling to different FF programs, hitting point caps, risk mitigation (if the CC issuer changes T&Cs) or sign-up points bonus?

It usually starts with bonus points, and different cards for different uses (eg. DJ Amex 2.25 QFF points per dollar at supermarkets and petrol stations). But the trick is to cancel in the first year to make it all worthwhile in terms of sign up bonus...and I am ashamed to say I got caught out once. I suppose spreading repayments across the month isn't a bad thing, but I pay down to zero balance on everything every month.

 

[lovetravellingoz]

Those with multiple cards that "do the same thing" (in terms of points earn), is it for chanelling to different FF programs, hitting point caps, risk mitigation (if the CC issuer changes T&Cs) or sign-up points bonus?

Well in the main for me, it is all about maximum flights for minimum cost. But there are other benefits such as insurance ad ATM access for cash overseas.

Various sign on boni can make some cards good to get, though you may get rid of them before year 2 fees hit.

For this you need to factor in fees, earn/burn the cards vs what can be achieved by the points at various FF programs.

Some cards come with a flight. So, as long as you can use it's domestic flight the Amex Edge with it's 3/2/1 earn with a choice of airline partners is an obvious card to have.

28 Degrees = overseas cash access.

For me I favour the generally cheaper burn of *A ( and better availability) over QFF, and so I favour cards that allow this.

My wallet is ever changing as to which cards are in it. And my wife regularly get's that look in her eyes when I give her the latest card, with my marriage only saved by all the pointy end flights we now take internationally!

ie Amex Plat now gone after it's recent devaluation of points earn and travel insurance quality.

So to paraphrase a movie..when it comes to Credit cards...Show me the Points!!!

 

[lovetravellingoz]

None and proud of it. Not even for business. And I still manage to accumulate a good amount of points without one.

While good on you for still earning points, for my circumstances over the last several years I would estimate that about the $400,000 odd that I would have put through various credit cards (virtually all just private spend) has probably netted me 6-7 million points coughulative earn from,:
* sign on boni
* normal point earn per $
* point earn promotions (including bonus partners with higher earn on one type of card over another)
* referall boni
* transfer bonus to FF programs

That is points I would not otherwise have, and I certainly would not be jetting around the world in the pointy end with my family like I currently do.

Credit card fees have often been negotiated (ie both my Ciitbank Platinum and CitiBusiness are currently free), and have often been free. In other cases the provision of flights more than offsets the cost.

 

[Grooba]

.au = EDR
.everywhereelse = 28 deg

 

[JohnK]

Embarassing and too many to list. only 2 are points earning cards and both Amex. One is Ascent where points generall go to VS or SQ and the other is a Qantas Premium amex.

As I am unable to pay off the credit cards the remainder are used for balance transfers between credit cards in an attepmt to reduce the interest bill and have more money available for Thailand trips. Just last month I got an offer from Bankwest for 0% interest for 6 months and when I logged into Citibank the other day to do a balance transfer I noticed I had 0% balance transfer offer for 3 months. These types of offers make life a little less painful.

 

[diningdecadence]

Recently ditched my Amex reserve (association) with the change in points scheme. Held onto my fee free gold Amex (association) however it rarely gets used. Also cut up the 28 degrees in favour of the citi select. I'm prepared to wear the additional cost for the bonus points. That and the talk of this SG suites savers have got me all excited. Small things for small minds I guess!

Oh and the CBA rewards went when I was looking for pre-approval for a mortgage. Couldn't find a good way to direct points earn with the CBA program.

slightly OT- can someone please point me in the direction of churning C/C's and how it works? In particular, the effect of this on your credit rating- I.e. the new card companies seeing multiple enquiries from other card companies on your file.

 

[JohnK]

slightly OT- can someone please point me in the direction of churning C/C's and how it works? In particular, the effect of this on your credit rating- I.e. the new card companies seeing multiple enquiries from other card companies on your file.

I have not had an issue applying for credit cards and being accepted by the various credit card providers.

 

[AVC]

Hmm, let's see..

NAB AMEX/VISA (Qantas, 1.5 pts/$ on AMEX) Plus this product has the travel insurance
28 Degree (for overseas stuff)
Emirates Citibank (with a 2.9% life of balance, so we never actually use it since the initial balance transfer)
Myer store card
DJs store card
GE Creditline (for those interest free Hardly Normal deals)
The obligatory WW Mastercard
A Westpac Meal Entertainment card (visa). Uses pre tax $$ for restaurants.
Currently a Bank Of Melb Mastercard (they offered us a 1.9% for 18 mths, so once that's over it's goodbye BOM)

And about to apply for an AMEX Discovery (2 points per $ on QF products, and a 7500 point application bonus)

 

[Pushka]

I have Westpac platinum for points, 28 degree card for overseas transactions, platinum ANZ card as a remnant card, and a Qantas NAB business card. I've managed to get so many points awards over the years by doing nothing more than my normal transactions. And in the last 12 months this has accelerated due to paying BAS via credit cards. They work for you when you pay them off in full each month.

Churning credit cards isn't good as a long term strategy. Each application pings your credit history and stays there. Too many pings for CC 's isn't a good thing.

 

[Keith009]

Cards I actually use:
Westpac Singapore Airlines Platinum
AMEX Platinum Edge (now a free companion card to the Gold charge card)
Virgin Flyer

Dormant cards:
AMEX Gold Charge card (use only for pre authorisation holds)
ANZ Platinum (came as part of ANZ Breakfree package for home loan)