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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
TPG staffers' personal strategies for tracking points, miles and credit cards
Ryan is a former TPG credit cards writer who has been around points and miles for several years and has published content at Miles to Memories, AwardWallet and The Points Guy. His wife joins him on many of his trips, and they enjoy snowboarding, diving, and seeing animals in the wild. When not traveling, Ryan is probably answering questions from his family about how he travels so much and whether this points & miles stuff is illegal.
September 18, 2022 • 12 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
TPG staff share diverse strategies for tracking multiple credit cards, points and miles, including spreadsheets, apps and manual methods.
Approaches range from using digital tools like shared documents and award-tracking apps to simple spreadsheets and calendar reminders for due dates and spending goals.
Some staffers prefer manual tracking and regular account audits, while others rely on automation such as autopay and notification features.
The article emphasizes the importance of finding a personalized system to stay organized, prevent missed payments and avoid points expiration.
What to consider
Some methods require regular manual updates, while others can automate reminders and track balances across programs.
Travelers managing accounts for multiple people or as digital nomads may need to keep digital copies of cards and coordinate remotely.
Expired or unavailable offers are noted, so some referenced promotions may no longer be active.
What you'll miss from the article
Specific step-by-step examples of how experienced points enthusiasts organize and monitor their credit cards, loyalty accounts and rewards balances.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
I remember the feeling when I first got into the points and miles hobby — it felt like drinking from a fire hose. I was a bit overwhelmed with trying to track all of the new information. You may have experienced that same feeling.
Over time, I've developed a strategy that works for my wife and me for tracking our many credit cards, points programs, due dates and all of the other important information along the way.
However, no two people have the same strategy. Instead, the TPG staff wanted to share with you our various approaches to tracking credit cards, points and miles. Maybe you'll like something you see or will gain some inspiration to help you keep everything organized without feeling overwhelmed — and without it feeling like a second job.
I’m usually trying to meet a minimum spending requirement or actively build up a specific set of points or miles, so I typically focus my spending on one to three cards at any given moment. Every day, I check the balances on the cards I’m actively using and update my monthly budget, which I keep track of on a spreadsheet.
Once a month, I log in to all of my credit card accounts to check for any unusual activity and pay off all of my balances. On that day, I also review all of my automatic payments and saved payment methods to make sure I have everything set the way I need it for the month. For example, if I’m trying to meet the minimum spending requirement on a new card, I might switch my electric bill to charge the new card, rather than my usual U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card, which earns 5% cash back on utilities.
The information for the Cash+ Visa card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
To keep up with my points and miles, I use the TPG app. I love that it keeps all of my balances in the same place, automatically calculates their value and gives me a heads-up when they're going to expire.
Katie Genter, senior points and miles writer
Playing in two-player mode, my husband and I use many strategies that are similar to those employed by my colleagues. For example, we have a spreadsheet for tracking our cards, including sign-up dates, most recent transaction dates and bonus details.
We maintain a shared Google Keep document with our best cards for each spending category and current credit card merchant offers for purchases in select categories. We also use AwardWallet to track our travel reservations, reward balances and reward expiration dates.
Finally, we don't carry all our credit cards while traveling as digital nomads. So, we take photos of the front and back of all our cards to have access to our card details while abroad. And when we get a new card, we have my husband's mom — who collects our mail while we're away — open the card and send us photos of the front and back. Then we can activate the card and begin using it for online purchases and mobile wallet purchases before getting the physical card.
With just a handful of credit cards, my strategy is nowhere near as sophisticated as those of my colleagues. In my phone's Notes app, I have a list of what each of my cards earns in each category. This helps me remember what card I should use in each spending category. I also have my finance apps organized on my iPhone in a special folder — Amex, Citi, Chase and Discover. I've enrolled in paperless bills on all of my credit card applications to routinely check transactions and pay off balances before the closing of a statement.
It's important to regularly audit your loyalty accounts to make sure that your travel is posting correctly. For example, when traveling on a partner air ticket, you should retain your boarding pass and e-ticket until the flight posts correctly.
Matt Moffitt, senior credit cards editor
When I get a new card, I usually need to meet a minimum spending requirement in the first three months. So I will put a reminder in my Google Calendar four weeks before the three months is up with something like, "Make sure to spend $4,000 on the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card by Oct. 30."
The current offer is 50,000 bonus miles plus a $100 statement credit plus Alaska's Famous Companion Fare; from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.
When one of my cards is offering a quarterly bonus category, like 5% cash back (or 5 points per dollar spent) at Amazon on my Chase Freedom Flex, I set that card as my default payment in my Amazon account. Then I put a calendar reminder in for the first day after that quarter ends to switch it back to the regular card I use for Amazon purchases.
The card I use for Amazon purchases changes throughout the year. ADRIAN HANCU/GETTY IMAGES
Finally, I check my bank accounts every Monday. I have a folder in my bookmarks on Google Chrome that opens all of my active bank account portals. I also include Credit Karma in there so that I can keep an eye on my credit score weekly.
(A few years ago — on my birthday of all days — someone got hold of my credit information and opened a number of cards in my name. It took me hours and hours on the phone and submitting paperwork to fix this, so it is important for me to monitor my credit score frequently).
Ryan Smith, credit cards writer
I use five things to keep track of my cards and my points, which can sound like a lot, but it's quite simple for me at this point and requires about 30 minutes per month to track everything. I use a notepad, a simple spreadsheet in Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Travel Freely and the TPG app.
I use a digital notepad on my desktop with a list of spending goals. An example might be: "Oct. 31 — 10% back at restaurants, movie theaters and theaters on Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees). $250 spending limit, $50 spent as of Aug. 31." I delete items from the list once the spending is complete and the bonus points are received.
In Google Sheets, I have a simple list of card names and current balances on them. I update this manually twice a month just to have a picture of our outstanding balances across our many credit cards. This allows me to see all of our outstanding balances in one place. You can download a sample by clicking on "File" and choosing "Make a copy" or "Download."
GOOGLE.COM
I use Google Calendar for everything: doctor's appointments, days off work, plans with friends and even credit card payment due dates. You can create a separate calendar inside your main calendar for different items, and I have one called "Bills." You can read more about how to create a new calendar. On my calendar, I simply add an item such as "Due: $1,509.85 to Chase Freedom Flex" on its due date. You can (and should) set up automatic payments, but a reminder helps me make sure the payment occurs as planned.
For my credit card history, I like using Travel Freely. I can see my Chase 5/24 status, plus I receive email alerts about annual fee due dates that are coming up and bonus deadlines that are approaching (you can indicate "bonus received" to silence this alert). You'll need to enter your credit card information for each card regarding the opening date, bonus offer and other details manually, but this is simple and takes less than two minutes per card.
Lastly, the TPG app tracks my points and miles balances. This way, I know my current balances. The app can also help me when it's time to book award flights by telling me which are the cheapest programs from point A to point B for my intended flights.
I mostly use manual methods to keep track of my credit cards: one Google Sheet that helps me track my 5/24 status with Chase and another that tracks my monthly card due dates and statement close dates. Though I have 30 credit cards, I find these simple spreadsheets only take me a few minutes per month to update. And I don't use all 30 cards every month.
The spreadsheet that helps me keep track of my 5/24 status includes the date I opened the card, what the sign-up bonus was, any bonus spending categories, the annual fee and the date the card was closed if it's no longer open. On my other spreadsheet, every month I manually input each card's due date and statement closing date and then I notate when I've paid for the month.
KATIE GENTER/THE POINTS GUY
And because I may pay cards on varying dates from a couple of different checking accounts, I also prefer to pay manually rather than set up autopay. If you're prone to forget a due date, I do recommend autopay to at least be sure your minimum payment is submitted on time.
I tend to track my points and miles balances using the individual program's app or website. If I notice points, flights or stays haven't posted to my account in a timely manner, I'll reach out to the program to correct the issue.
I have about a dozen personal and business credit cards currently open, though I only use two or three, depending on what I'm purchasing. I prefer not to use apps because I like to keep it simple. I use a Google Sheet similar to Ryan's to keep track of my cards, including the card name, annual fee due date (if there is one), balances and due dates. Some cards that I don't use regularly still have some recurring charges, like my cellphone, so I'm sure to keep up with due dates even if I don't use that card every month.
ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
I also make notes on my spreadsheet, such as which cards I want to close or change and which ones I'm considering opening to earn bonus points in another tab. In a final tab, I track all of my family's current points balances.
Since my kids are now too old to be lap infants, they have loyalty numbers for every airline we fly. This tab includes balances from loyalty accounts and credit card points. The sum of each points currency is at the bottom of the column and includes the total for all four of us within that currency. For example, I have 270,000 AAdvantage miles, my husband has 70,000 and my kids each have 15,000 so our family total is 370,000. I could theoretically transfer those miles around as needed to redeem for airline tickets.
Bottom line
As you can see, the ways the TPG staff tracks our credit cards, points and miles are not the same. What works for you may be similar or may be totally different.
What's important is that you find a system that works for you to stay organized so you can prevent your miles from expiring and so you don't miss a payment on one of your credit cards.
Feel free to mix and match anything you see here. Over time, you'll find what works for you and it will feel less cumbersome than it did at the beginning when you started in this hobby.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
