How many credit cards do you own?

[look 171]

2 for business, and 1 personal, usually use it for gas only. no balance on all of them.

[dan88911]

Amex with no limit, Debit card and a VISA.
Zero balances pay off whatever purchase at the end of the month.

[GH85Carrera]

Three credit cards and a debit card. I carry only one credit card and it is 99% of the credit card I use for online purchases and travel. Only when I travel I carry a backup credit card. I once was on vacation and the main credit card account was compromised and had to be closed. I was happy I had a backup. I have one other master card that has just a 500 limit. I use it for all eBay selling and buying.
I alway pay every credit card off 100% of the time no exceptions.

[look 171]

Somehow, this is not the crowd credit card companies likes. Seem like many of us pay off our cards at the end of the month. My wife and I can't stand having a balance. I like to leave a bout 10-20 bucks as balance, but she always end up paying it all off. Nice to see a bunch of you responsible young men out there.

[Captain Ahab Jr]

1, balance is $150, not used it in over 7yrs, I work on the principle if I can't afford it I don't buy it

[Paul_Heery]

I have two cards neither with a balance. They get paid off each month.

One card is a Costco AMEX. I have had an AMEX since 1983 and really like the levels of protection & customer service that they offer. Now that Costco is ending their relationship with AMEX and cutting over to Visa as of 2016, I really need to find another AMEX card that fills my needs.

My other card is a Marriott Rewards Visa. As Motion mentioned, I find that the free nights that I earn by using the card far surpasses any cash back offers. So far this year, we have spent 17 nights free in Marriott hotels using reward points. This comes in very handy for our trips when we go to see the grandkids.

[onewhippedpuppy]

One personal card, my wife added me to her Discover when we were married in 2000. Never carried a balance.

I do also have a company AmEx, a Visa debit card for our checking account, and a Visa debit card for my business. My wallet is already too Constanza, I don't need any more.

[Mark Henry]

Two Mastercards, one I've had since I was 20 and the other because last fall Costco switched from Amex to MC here in Canada. Dumped Amex because I can't pay it through my bank.
Both are no annual fee and I use them all the time, but I've never paid a penny of interest ever.

I'm keeping the two because I always have one fail halfway through it's life, in fact one is cracked right through the chip now. Wallet back pocket of jeans is the culprit.

[Jose_JGC]

No credit card here, only a debit card. It has been this way for about 15 years now, I am happy and see no need for one.
Jose

[Aggie93]

We use one reward credit card and switch it every year to get the signup bonus and the first year fee waived. This gets paid off every month and results in free airfare about every 18 months. Paid off very well when we need to go to Austin on short notice for my grandfathers funeral. Tickets were $800 x 4.

I think we have a no annual fee one as backup, not sure where it is.

I have a corporate card, but travel so rarely I have it in my dresser.

And a debit card that is used 99% of the time just as an ATM card.

[Turbo_pro]

I don't know.... maybe 15?
Zero balance at the end of every month.

[sammyg2]

What is ironic is that my credit score gets dinged because they say i don't have enough credit and the credit I do have is not old enough.
The card I have is tied to the wife's account.

[Rick Lee]

Believe me, Amex business cards have limits. They're just not "pre-set" limits. If you make a giant purchase or a series of them that are outside your normal spending patterns, it will decline. I would never use a debit card at a gas station. That's where your card is most likely to get double swiped. Your checking account can get cleaned out that way. I'm on my fourth Chase Sapphire in less than a year because it's been compromised three times already. Hasn't cost me a dime, but it sure would be a headache if my checking account had been cleaned out even once.

[bleucamaro]

One credit card I use (points) and a couple back-ups in case of emergency that don't cost me anything, and a United card that I need to cancel before it does cost me something.

And I agree with Rick above, and think Debit cards are dangerous. Yes, the bank has protections, but I feel they're more motivated to get things resolved when its their money that gets stolen instead of mine.

[Deschodt]

Originally Posted by aigel

I think people with more than a couple personal cards have credit issues, as the only reason to get more is to get more credit or "deals".
G

My wife is one of those. She must have 10, because each one gives her special rebates on a brand of clothing or something. Or miles, or.... ;-) Perfect credit and no balance though. I'm trying to get her to cut down since we got our taxes filed for us by a third party and I had to freeze all our credit. Easier to keep track of 2 than 10 !

[flipper35]

For travel and online purchases we use our Visa, not our debit card. I also have a Chase for any business expenses. We did buy a new fridge on a Best Buy card as it was 12 months no interest and just made 12 payments. We wouldn't normally do that but our old fridge that came with the house quit working.

I don't think you get the same protections with the debit card as you do with a Visa/MC/Amex.

[Por_sha911]

Cards give rebates. Free money IF you have self control. Put everything on one of three cards:

-One for only automatic payments like utilities, insurance... Virtually no risk of hack and having to call back the companies to replace the card. Keep a list so when you get a new expiration date you remember who to call.

-One for online purchases only (so its not a major life interruption if you get hacked). Some people also include travel in this group.

-One for everyday purchases at Wallyworld, gas, etc.

[Pazuzu]

9 credit and 1 debit.
12 months ago I had one secured credit and one debit.

Since then, I've picked up almost $100K in potential credit, about $4000 in hotel and flight credits, and Elite status at 3 hotel chains, 2 airlines and 2 car rental places.

All paid off each month, only one has an annual fee that I pay (but that one is $395 a year...)

I'll get 4-6 more before the end of the year, and pick up at least 2 Caribbean trips for free (flight, hotel, spending).

Once I learned how to make money off of free and nearly free credit cards, I did. (oh, and getting $100k in credit and no balance bumped my credit score about 40 points UP, and moving up since then).


Hey gprsh924, get the Discover It card as well, has quarterly perks like the Freedom card. Between them, you get up to $600 a year back with no annual fees. Then, get a Chase Sapphire Preferred, and you can turn the Freedom rewards into points and make them much more valuable.

[Tidybuoy]

Just my EBT which I fill up every month.

OK, just kidding.

I used to have every card available to me. I learned the hard way. I've been debt free for about 15 years now. I do have a Corporate Amex. Working on my mortgage and have about 4 years to go - then I'm free!

[GWN7]

1 bank CC, 1 retail store CC which has become a bank and a Sears CC.