formerly known as s2kdriver80
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Long Island, New York, USA (JFK <--> OTP)
Programs: Delta SkyMiles, SPG, Marriott Rewards, Amex MR, Chase UR
Posts: 317
I have cards exclusively from Amex (Business Platinum, Everyday, 2 Deltas, both SPGs) and Chase (CSR, both Freedoms, both Marriotts, Ink Cash), and it will probably stay that way to avoid spreading myself too thin across programs. The following has been my spend strategy up to now...
CSR - restaurants (excl. 5x Freedom quarter) and travel (excl. SPG/Marriott/RC spends)
Ink Cash - telecommunications bills and merchant GCs at office stores
Freedom - restaurants for a quarter and gas year-round via Shell GCs
SPG (either one) - SPG/Marriott/RC spends and all other non-category everyday spends (even $5k+ non-cat spends haven't enticed me enough to use my Business Platinum for the 1.5x)
Business Platinum - $200 worth of Delta incidentals (that's it)
The CSR and SPG cards comprise like 90% of my spends, while the Ink Cash and Freedom get the occasional use. The Business Platinum, Everyday, the Deltas, Freedom Unlimited (useless to me up to this point as I had the SPG for everyday spends), and the Marriotts pretty much have been sitting in my drawer collecting dust. Not sure how much value the new spend categories of the SPG Business would provide as I'm already covered (and then some) by the CSR, Ink Cash, and Freedom categories.
In light of recent news regarding the SPG card devaluation, for non-category spends, I might bring the Freedom Unlimited out of mothballs or possibly apply for the Blue Business Plus as someone suggested earlier (and just close out my Everyday card).
As far as what I'm going to do with my current 4 SPG/Marriott cards, I might keep them all in addition to applying for the 2 new offerings, for 6 free nights a year. Not 100% sure yet.