Credit Card Combos Thread
Guys, feel free to propose combo's and we can add 'em to OP. Not going to post grandfathered cards (except for user-specific combos).
Edit: see acronyms sticky thread here. As usual, expect a plethora of acronyms in this thread. Most of the cards listed here have their own thread (or are discussed in a thread about cashback/travel/store pts cards from a given issuer/FI). Not going to discuss the prepaid card reloads with CC here, since that's discussed in the prepaid cards thread.
Preamble
Since the Rogers card devaluation announcement hit for 2020, looks like we have some interesting combos heavily discussed. Going to do a point-form slot list to propose some top level RFD combos...
The 2020 Post Rogers Devaluation Slim Combo
Those who maintain such a 3-4 card combo will likely have a bunch of cards in the drawer, but won't actively use 'em on rotation.
One Card Solutionist
G&G + Everything Else Combo
The "Rich Cardholder" @angryaudifanatic G&G + Else Combo
The @HermanH G&G + Else, VISA+MC+AMEX Mostly Cashback Combo
The "I only use No-QC Cards"
The No-AF Multi-Card Category Optimizer
@aweawea has this, minus Tangerine, plus BT & prepaid cards.
The Backpack/Budget Traveller
The @minimalist Combo
The Maximum AF & No-AF Two Card Combo
@thefusio15 has this (plus other cards that will be cancelling or are drawered). @daikman adds AmEx Bonvoy and BMO MC WE to this combo.
The @EdisonL299 Combo
The @Poutinesauce Combo - Also the Category-Agnostic, QC Friendly Combo
The @seriesofcontradictions QC-Friendly Frequent Traveller & High Earner Combo
The @Kiraly Combo
The @efrant Combo
The @MayorOfToronto no-AF, Subby & Store CC + AmEx Combo
@terracotta92's Priority Pass Maximizer Combo
The @Alamue86 "High CL and Instant Payments More Important Than Rewards" Combo
Only MasterCard's Combo
@JoelK22976 has an all MC combo with PCO MC WE, Rogers MC WE, Tangerine MC and Costco Cap1 MC.
Lower Income Earner Combo or the Low Earner, High Spender Combo
The @jacnel Student Combo
The @Techiedude G&G + Else + Very Frequent Travel with Backup to Everything Combo
The @Sauerkraut Keep Some, Churn Some Bit of Everything Combo
The @djino QC-Friendly Store CC and Everything Else All MC Combo
Balance Transfer Combo
BT Cards With:
Edit: see acronyms sticky thread here. As usual, expect a plethora of acronyms in this thread. Most of the cards listed here have their own thread (or are discussed in a thread about cashback/travel/store pts cards from a given issuer/FI). Not going to discuss the prepaid card reloads with CC here, since that's discussed in the prepaid cards thread.
Preamble
- listing popular card combos on RFD. Please discuss the combos in thread. In OP I'm listing the combos without going through all the perks and categories.
- If you post your combo in the thread, you're giving me permission to post it in OP. If you'd like your combo removed from OP, just ask.
- This is to compare what works for many of us as each one of us have different spend, different credit histories, different income qualifications, different provinces of residency, different relationships with various FI's, etc. I try to highlight some better "cookie-cutter" combos, but also share combos from our RFD CC veterans
Since the Rogers card devaluation announcement hit for 2020, looks like we have some interesting combos heavily discussed. Going to do a point-form slot list to propose some top level RFD combos...
The 2020 Post Rogers Devaluation Slim Combo
- Slot 1: AmEx Cobalt or Platinum (business or personal) or even BNS AmEx Gold. Else substitute with big bank 3-4% G&G VISA
- Slot 2: backup to AmEx G&G or uncategorized: CTFS
WE, big bank 3-4% G&G VISA, or Rogers. Can also consider the CTFS Cash Advantage (if able to maintain MSR, can get Rogers's "base earn rate" and deal with a better issuer than Rogers Bank). Troubleshooting a slot two (2) card becomes easier once you have a better arrangement for slot three or four, but a strict two card combo becomes tricky, especially if trying to minimize annual fees
- Slot 3: generally forex spender card goes here: Brim MC (most popular), BNS PP Inf, HSBC WE, or TD Cash VISA if doing cross-border
- Slot 4: some will open a fourth slot for an extra keeper card that may extend some extra benefit or high earn rate. If CTFS didn't land in slot 2, can use slot 4 (bill pay), could be Simplii VISA (4%/resto), or even AmEx BBP if doing cross-border
Those who maintain such a 3-4 card combo will likely have a bunch of cards in the drawer, but won't actively use 'em on rotation.
One Card Solutionist
- Rogers MC Plat/WE...or...
- AmEx SCP - if doesn't mind using debit, prepaid or cash at no-AmEx locations and has minimal forex spend. For the "one card" user who values the warranty coverage from AmEx
G&G + Everything Else Combo
- G&G on Meridian CBI, BNS MI, CIBC Dividend Plat/Inf, TD CBI or AmEx Cobalt
- Everything else on Rogers MC WE, or AmEx SCP
The "Rich Cardholder" @angryaudifanatic G&G + Else Combo
- Cobalt and/or AmEx Gold for G&G
- HSBC Jade MC WE for everything else. Alternatively substitute for the non-premier, non-Jade HSBC WE MC
The @HermanH G&G + Else, VISA+MC+AMEX Mostly Cashback Combo
- BNS MI x3 - yes, @HermanH has three of these for $75k annual G&G spend at total $297 AF
- AmEx SCP
- Rogers MC WE
- RBC USD Gold - only oddity here is that @HermanH has this one grandfathered at no-AF
The "I only use No-QC Cards"
- HomeTrust Preferred
- Simplii VISA
- Mogo VISA (prepaid)
Stack MC (prepaid)- available in QC since June 2020
The No-AF Multi-Card Category Optimizer
- CTFS ∆ WE for partner stores & grocery
- PCO MC WE for partner stores
- Simplii VISA for resto
- Tangerine MC for 3cat
- RBC Cashback MC for 2% grocery at Walmart ($6k annual accelerator cap)
- Rogers MC Plat/WE
CIBC Tim Hortons VISA - practically a drawer card, monthly Amazon reload to get Timmies freebies- end of life
@aweawea has this, minus Tangerine, plus BT & prepaid cards.
The Backpack/Budget Traveller
- HomeTrust Preferred
- Rogers MC Plat/WE
- Whichever big bank no-AF travel pts card to park pts balance after churning
- TD Cash if doing cross-border
- If no TD Cash, or if domestic resto spend is high, then grab Simplii VISA
- CTFS ∆ WE and/or Cash Advantage. Roadside, exotic payees, etc.
- Prepaids Stack, Koho, Mogo
- For travel-medical, if Rogers coverage isn't enough, add Meridian CBI (or another Collabria card such as MC World), BNS AmEx Gold, or Desjardins Odyssey WE if AF works out cheaper than buying travel-medical insurance privately
The @minimalist Combo
- CTFS ∆ WE
- HSBC Travel MC WE
The Maximum AF & No-AF Two Card Combo
- AmEx Plat
- Rogers MC WE
@thefusio15 has this (plus other cards that will be cancelling or are drawered). @daikman adds AmEx Bonvoy and BMO MC WE to this combo.
The @EdisonL299 Combo
- AmEx Cobalt
- AmEx Plat
- AmEx Brilliant
- CIBC Aeroplan VISA Inf Priv
The @Poutinesauce Combo - Also the Category-Agnostic, QC Friendly Combo
- AmEx Cobalt
- Rogers MC WE
- Tangerine MC
- Cap1 Costco MC
- MBNA (drawer) for BT's
- Koho (prepaid) since available in QC
The @seriesofcontradictions QC-Friendly Frequent Traveller & High Earner Combo
- TD CBI
- BNS Passport Inf
- Tangerine MC
- Rogers MC WE
- Cap1 World Cash - grandfathered
- AmEx SimplyCash - drawer
The @Kiraly Combo
- Meridian CBI
- Rogers MC WE
- CTFS ∆ WE
- AmEx SC (drawer)
- Cap1 Costco MC
- MBNA (drawer) for BT's
- Prepaids: Mogo, Stack
The @efrant Combo
- AmEx Gold
- AmEx SPG
- CIBC AeroGold VIP or TD Aeroplan VIP
- AmEx Plat
- BNS Passport Inf
The @MayorOfToronto no-AF, Subby & Store CC + AmEx Combo
- Simplii VISA
- Tangerine MC
- PCO MC WE
- CTFS ∆ WE
- AmEx SimplyCash
@terracotta92's Priority Pass Maximizer Combo
- RBC Avion VIP
- BNS Passport Inf
- CIBC Aventura Inf + Gold
- AmEx Plat (Pers & Bus)
The @Alamue86 "High CL and Instant Payments More Important Than Rewards" Combo
- ATB MC WE - instant payments from chq account and high CL
- AmEx Cobalt
- BNS Passport Inf
- CTFS ∆ WE
Only MasterCard's Combo
- CTFS ∆ WE + Cash Advantage
- PCO MC WE
- Rogers MC WE
- Tangerine MC
- RBC Cashback MC (Walmart)
- Collabria MC World - $120 AF, but would eliminate RBC Cashback MC, and would knock out Rogers for CAD spend
- Stack MC (prepaid)
@JoelK22976 has an all MC combo with PCO MC WE, Rogers MC WE, Tangerine MC and Costco Cap1 MC.
Lower Income Earner Combo or the Low Earner, High Spender Combo
- AmEx SCP - $99 AF. Good for low earner, high uncategorized spender
- CIBC Dividend Plat - $99 AF, 4% G&G, only non-Infinite card of its kind
- Simplii VISA
- Tang MC
- Rogers MC Plat - skip if taking both AmEx SCP and HomeTrust Preferred
- CTFS Cash Advantage
- Cobalt (depending on spending pattern)
- RBC Cashback MC for Walmart if skipping AmEx SCP
The @jacnel Student Combo
- Tangerine MC
- AmEx SC
- BMO SPC
- HomeTrust Preferred
The @Techiedude G&G + Else + Very Frequent Travel with Backup to Everything Combo
- AmEx SCP
- BNS MI + CIBC Dividend
- CTFS ∆ WE
- Rogers MC WE
- BNS Passport Inf + CIBC Aventura Inf
- AmEx Cobalt
The @Sauerkraut Keep Some, Churn Some Bit of Everything Combo
- Cap1 Aspire Travel (grandfathered)
- BNS AmEx Gold & Passport Inf
- CTFS ∆ WE
- PCO MC WE
- Rogers MC WE
- Brim MC
- CIBC Aventura
- AmEx Blue Sky
- RBC Avion
The @djino QC-Friendly Store CC and Everything Else All MC Combo
- MBNA RWE grandfathered QC no-AF 2% everything (not nerfed yet in QC)
- PCO MC WE
- CTFS ∆ WE
- Rogers MC WE - forex
- Tangerine MC - though redundant to MBNA RWE, keeps it for dedicated spend on 3cat
Balance Transfer Combo
BT Cards With:
- MBNA
- BNS
- RBC
- CIBC
- CTFS for fallback
Last edited by titaniumtux on Dec 22nd, 2020 12:03 am, edited 8 times in total.
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