Pruning?

[Hanoi IG]

My wife and I have accumulated quite a few cards in order to take advantage of bonuses. Now, or soon, the moment of truth will finally come. I already cancelled one Amtrak card because one is certainly enough. NOw I have to decide whether or not to keep these, some of which are duplication. Two bonuses are surely better than one, but two annual fees are not.

Alaska Airlines-$75 Thinking defintely cancel one but maybe both as we don't often(read ever) fly Alaska.

AX Platinum-thinking about cancel one keep one. I love the card but why have one each?

Hilton Surpass-pretty sure cancelling one is right, maybe both. There is this semi-mythical free night but it would come at a cost of $75 so no harm really.

AX Blue Preferred gives 6% for groceries but $95 fee offsets quite a bit of that.

Barclays-both have. I find this card awkward as you have to have 10,000 points to redeem and then have to find $100 travel so you can use it. Pretty sure cancel on and maybe both, though they do give 2x

Avianca-Thinking to keep one since we may buy miles when they have the big bonus and it gives even more bonus if use the card-$95 fee. Surely cancel one.

Citi Thank You Preferred-No idea but at $75 maybe keep one?

Sorry to ask so much. I'm a novice at cancelling. Easy to go for bonus points but then the fees will hit.

 

[knick1959]

I've canceled many a credit card and typically do this in large batches. You have to do this if you take advantage of all of the offers that are available. But if you have the energy and desire, there is also an opportunity at this time.

There is a thread here about Retention offers. And calling in, ready to cancel a card is the perfect time to explore these. You can be passive or aggressive. Call in, tell the CSR you see the fee is due and you'd like to avoid that asking for options. Waiving the fee may be enough for some cards, others not. But you can often get the fee waived PLUS some way to make extra miles/points for keeping the card and using it "some".

If no retention offer is made or what is offered is not attractive, cancel the card. This does involve talking to a CSR (where I often cancel Citi AA cards via SM), but there is a possible reward for this. If this doesn't interest you, then just cancel. Have an idea of what you would need to keep it before calling in.

For the Barclay's credit, if you can't find something, maybe you can make something. Do any places you frequent using cash offer gift cards? If you don't have 10k in points and you're close, gift cards can also get you the rest of the way ... and $100 of that is "free" in the end.

 

[Hanoi IG]

I've canceled many a credit card and typically do this in large batches. You have to do this if you take advantage of all of the offers that are available. But if you have the energy and desire, there is also an opportunity at this time.

There is a thread here about Retention offers. And calling in, ready to cancel a card is the perfect time to explore these. You can be passive or aggressive. Call in, tell the CSR you see the fee is due and you'd like to avoid that asking for options. Waiving the fee may be enough for some cards, others not. But you can often get the fee waived PLUS some way to make extra miles/points for keeping the card and using it "some".

If no retention offer is made or what is offered is not attractive, cancel the card. This does involve talking to a CSR (where I often cancel Citi AA cards via SM), but there is a possible reward for this. If this doesn't interest you, then just cancel. Have an idea of what you would need to keep it before calling in.

For the Barclay's credit, if you can't find something, maybe you can make something. Do any places you frequent using cash offer gift cards? If you don't have 10k in points and you're close, gift cards can also get you the rest of the way ... and $100 of that is "free" in the end.

I thought Barclay points were only good for travel. Are there travel gift cards? Retention offers. Heard of them. Actually just no annual fee would be fine, but otherwise why would both my wife and I need a co-branded card?

 

[currid7]

My wife and I have accumulated quite a few cards in order to take advantage of bonuses. Now, or soon, the moment of truth will finally come. I already cancelled one Amtrak card because one is certainly enough. NOw I have to decide whether or not to keep these, some of which are duplication. Two bonuses are surely better than one, but two annual fees are not.

Alaska Airlines-$75 Thinking defintely cancel one but maybe both as we don't often(read ever) fly Alaska.

AX Platinum-thinking about cancel one keep one. I love the card but why have one each?

Hilton Surpass-pretty sure cancelling one is right, maybe both. There is this semi-mythical free night but it would come at a cost of $75 so no harm really.

AX Blue Preferred gives 6% for groceries but $95 fee offsets quite a bit of that.

Barclays-both have. I find this card awkward as you have to have 10,000 points to redeem and then have to find $100 travel so you can use it. Pretty sure cancel on and maybe both, though they do give 2x

Avianca-Thinking to keep one since we may buy miles when they have the big bonus and it gives even more bonus if use the card-$95 fee. Surely cancel one.

Citi Thank You Preferred-No idea but at $75 maybe keep one?

Sorry to ask so much. I'm a novice at cancelling. Easy to go for bonus points but then the fees will hit.

I'd definitely cancel the Alaska, can always get 2 (or 4) more pretty easily. Plat, read up on Reddit / FT about retention and what to do if you cancel (i.e. keep one more month for another Uber credit, then cancel). Surpass, downgrade to no-AF so you can upgrade in a year for that offer. Blue, it's up to you and the MS you get out of it. Barclays, PC to a no-AF (non-Arrival) card, then apply for 2 more Arrival+ (churnable at 6 mos). Avianca up to you, I'll cancel mine. Citi up to you, but keep in mind that downgrading it or cancelling restarts the 24 month clock on TYP cards for you.

Hope this helps. I too cancel mine in waves, mainly just to get rows off my spreadsheet. I tend to strike out on retention offers, but am always willing to try. Keep in mind the various clocks and you can get a ton out of cancelling / PC-ing then reapplying (IHG every 24 months, Arrival+ every 6, so on).

 

[Hanoi IG]

I'd definitely cancel the Alaska, can always get 2 (or 4) more pretty easily. Plat, read up on Reddit / FT about retention and what to do if you cancel (i.e. keep one more month for another Uber credit, then cancel). Surpass, downgrade to no-AF so you can upgrade in a year for that offer. Blue, it's up to you and the MS you get out of it. Barclays, PC to a no-AF (non-Arrival) card, then apply for 2 more Arrival+ (churnable at 6 mos). Avianca up to you, I'll cancel mine. Citi up to you, but keep in mind that downgrading it or cancelling restarts the 24 month clock on TYP cards for you.

Hope this helps. I too cancel mine in waves, mainly just to get rows off my spreadsheet. I tend to strike out on retention offers, but am always willing to try. Keep in mind the various clocks and you can get a ton out of cancelling / PC-ing then reapplying (IHG every 24 months, Arrival+ every 6, so on).

Spreadsheet?!! You mean like Excel? I'd better go back to Cards 101. thanks for the input!

 

[heavenlyjane]

Alaska is churnable. Never hold onto that one.