How to choose the best credit card strategy for 2025

January is the time to plan for the next 12 months. And while health and wellness usually getting all the attention this time of year, you’re almost certainly also taking a closer look at your finances. You may be setting a budget and planning to invest or open a new savings account.

But as you make these financial plans, don’t forget to take some time to think about your 2025 credit card strategy.

Not sure where to start? Here’s what we recommend to start the new year off on the right foot.

Determine your goals

Like most things, defining your goals will help determine the best credit card strategy for you. If you haven’t done so already, consider your priorities for 2025. Some questions to ask include:

Defining your goals will guide you as you make decisions about which cards you want to use more often, which cards you want to shelve or downgrade, and which new cards you want to apply for.

Reorganize your wallet

With your 2025 goals in mind, take an inventory of your cards and reconcile what’s in your wallet (physical and electronics) respectively.

For example, I’ve spent the last few months meeting minimum spending requirements in order to Earn welcome bonus on some new cards, so I used those for all my purchases. However, I’m currently torn between new cards so I’m focusing on maximizing bonus categories for the cards I already have.

If you’re in a similar situation, take some time to review your current cards. If any of them have alternate categories, like Chasing Flex® FreedomNote what Category Q1 and check if you have enabled them. Also, determine which, if any, of your cards earn bonus points for categories like eat and drink, tourism And grocery spending. You’ll also want to figure out which of your cards has the best earning structure for you daily purchases.

Once you’ve determined which cards fall into these categories, you can plan which cards to use for different purchases. You will probably specify American Express® Gold Card to eat and shop at US supermarkets, you Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card for your travel and shopping purchases Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card for all other purchases.

When planning, remember that some rewards will be more beneficial than others for your specific goals. If you want to focus on making money Chase the ultimate bonus scoreFor example, you might choose to use your Sapphire Preferred card to dine. It earns 3 points per dollar on these purchases — slightly less than Gold’s 4 points per dollar (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar) — but You’ll earn points that more directly support your goals.

Detain, expel, demote

As you consider collecting your cards towards your 2025 goals, consider whether it’s worth paying the annual fee for each of your cards when they come due this year, or whether you’d rather downgrade any of them.

Additionally, let’s say you notice any key benefits that overlap between your cards, such as multiple cards earned Bonus points for streaming. In that case, you can banish one or more to the sock drawer and focus on using just one this year to streamline your income.

Plan your next card

Finally, pay attention to the gaps in your current poker strategy to help you Choose your next credit card. This can be as simple as noting down the type of miles you’re running out of and deciding you want your next card to be one that earns those miles. You may also decide to wait a bit to open any additional cards if your credit score is affected. too many questions recently.

Regardless of your goals, it’s helpful to know what kind of card you want to get this year. Then when one Valuable bonus offers appears, you’ll know whether it’s worth it for you to continue or if you’re better off pursuing something else.

Bottom line

As you make plans and resolutions for 2025, remember to take some time to adjust your credit card strategy for the year. No matter what your goals are this year, the right cards can help you achieve them more easily.

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