How To Manage Multiple Credit Cards

With online banking available at the click of a button, it’s become easier than ever to manage credit cards, even if you have multiple accounts. When you use credit card apps instead of paper statements, you don’t have to read, store or shred physical documents anymore.

But that doesn’t mean managing credit card debt is now effortless. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, an increasing number of people are falling behind on their credit card payments. So it’s just as important as ever to review your accounts statements for errors, pay credit card bills on time to avoid late fees, and work with your creditor if you’re at risk of falling behind.

Here are a few ways you can stay on top of multiple credit card accounts and start chipping away at the debt.

How To Organize Multiple Credit Cards

There’s no perfect way to manage multiple credit card accounts. The best system for your household may involve a combination of financial habits that help you organize multiple accounts, including:

• Regularly review your online statements: You should be able to review all of your credit card accounts statements online, and easily search them for details like specific transaction amounts and vendor names. Doing this every 30 days, or even weekly, can help you catch and respond to errors and fraudulent transactions in a timely manner, and stay on top of alerts or other communication from your creditor.
• Download statements as needed: If you want to ensure future access to a specific credit card statement—perhaps to track a statement credit or a dispute— you may want to download the statement. Because of their sensitive nature, these documents should be saved in a password-protected file. If you print the statement, place it in a locked storage container.
• Save relevant receipts: If you have a receipt that’s relevant to your credit card statement, perhaps because it shows proof of an incorrect charge or because you need it for business tax purposes, scan it or save a hard copy in the same place you keep your statements.

Make a Simple Spreadsheet

If you have multiple accounts to keep track of, you can benefit from storing key account information in one place. A simple spreadsheet, or even calendar reminders with some of the following information, can help you get organized and stay on top of payments:

• Creditor’s Name
• Current balance
• Due date
• Minimum payment due
• APR
• Scheduled payment amount

Wondering how to organize credit cards for faster debt payoff? If you want to pay off credit card debt faster and reduce your overall interest charges, consider organizing your accounts so that your extra cash goes toward the debt with the highest APR. This is also known as the debt avalanche method.

If you have credit cards that earn rewards, you may also want to note which card should be your go-to for specific purchases, so you can maximize your cash-back or points.

Additional Tips for Managing Multiple Credit Cards

Everyday habits can make it easier to manage multiple credit card accounts. Here are a few more tips for managing multiple active credit card accounts:

Only Carry the Cards You Need

Most days you probably only need one credit card on hand. Before leaving the house, decide which card will best serve your planned spending for the day. For example, you probably don’t need to carry an airline rewards credit card unless you’re buying or taking a flight.

Add Credit Cards to Apple Wallet/Google Wallet

Reduce your chances of credit card theft and loss by going digital. You can upload your credit card information to a digital wallet, like the Wallet app for your apple watch, your bank’s mobile wallet app or Google Wallet App for your phone, and then tap your device to pay for a transaction at the register, make transactions in other apps or online.

Just beware that the convenience of digital wallet can increase your temptation to spend. According to one survey, 47% of people spent more money when using digital wallets than when using traditional payment methods, and 67% say they always or sometimes lose track of how much they spend when using digital wallets.

Adjust Your Payment Due Dates

Many creditors will allow you to change your monthly due date at least once during the life of the account. For some people, you may benefit from scheduling all your credit card payments on the same date, so that it’s harder to forget when they’re due.

Other card holders may prefer to stagger credit card payments throughout the month, to correspond with when they receive a paycheck and have the funds to make a payment.

Set Up AutoPay

Don’t trust your memory to keep track of multiple credit card payment dates. Instead, log into your credit card accounts and set up AutoPay. When you use this tool, you can ensure you’ll make at least the minimum payment due by the monthly due date. As a result, you’ll avoid late fees and unnecessary damage to your credit scores.

But if you can, consider setting up AutoPay to pay more than the minimum amount. According to a 2022 study, AutoPay was effective at helping people avoid missed payments, but was also connected to more spending and lower monthly payments, which results in racking up more interest charges.

More Ways To Organize Your Financial Life

Managing credit card debt is just one aspect of money management. If you’re looking to improve your overall financial wellness, consider additional tools like budgeting apps that can help you track and review your progress on spending goals.

If you have too much credit card debt to manage, there’s also professional help available. A certified, nonprofit credit counselor can help you create a budget and offer personalized tips on how to manage multiple credit cards, so you can finally pay off the debt for good.