Having one credit card, even if you have good self control and are fantastic with money, can be a massive challenge that can very easily backfire on you. Now, if you need to have multiple credit cards for whatever reason, then you need to be organized about your finances and about what money is being used for what, and how those credit card bills are getting paid.
But it doesn’t need to be terrifying. As long as you have multiple credit cards with boundaries and a plan to make sure you control them and they don’t control you, then you will be perfectly fine. Here’s what you need to know.
How To Stay Organized With Multiple Credit Cards
One of the best ways to keep track of your credit cards is to give each card a purpose. For example, you might have a card for your favorite grocery store that operates on store credit, or you might have a business credit card for larger business purchases.
Additionally, take a look at the features of each card, because some might give you cash back on airline based purchases, and others might give you cash back on gas.
It is important to think of your credit cards like tools in a toolbox, because while all your tools are useful, you will never know which one you need until you need it, and you can’t use the same tool for every single problem. Each credit card has its own features and benefits, and you need to understand each card you get in order to make sure you use them at the right time.
With this strategy in mind, you might want to personalize your credit card choice with Capital One. Their range of cards offers diverse benefits that are suitable for different spending habits and needs.
Keep Organization In Mind From The Start Of The Application Process
Whenever you are applying for a new card, you need to be constantly writing down the information the application gives you. Write down the date you opened the card, the annual fee and the date it will be charged, the interest rate, the payment due date, any remaining month to month balances, and any information about the rewards program.
Having all of this accurate information for each one of your credit cards can really help you out when it comes to staying organized. Additionally, if you can, look for some of the easiest credit card application methods, like whenever you apply SoFi credit card online.
An easy application will make the entire process of gathering your data a piece of cake!
Make Payment Due Dates Easy
Having multiple cards means having multiple due dates, and that often means that you are constantly paying off the cards. If you mix up a due date or miss a payment, then you can run into some serious problems, so make sure that you do what you can to make paying for your cards easy.
For example, make sure every single card has a credit card alert that will give you noticeable reminders about when a bill is due, and resist the urge to turn them off. While you might eventually have the payment days memorized, mistakes can still happen so keep the notifications on. Additionally, try to get every card on the same (or at least a close) schedule to one another, and link them all to the same bank account and then automate the payments.
As long as you have enough money in that one account each time, then you can automate everything and just set it and forget it!
Keep On Top Of Your Organization
Whether you have one credit card or a half dozen, keeping yourself organized is going to prevent a lot of headaches down the road!