Try the Wallaby app. Input the credit cards you have, and Wallaby can help remind you which of your cards to use at different merchants to maximize their rewards.
I personally don't use Wallaby, but have heard good things. I try to be very familiar with all of my cards' specific bonus categories so I know which to use where and when; and I'll even be very strategic with what cards to apply for to fill in category gaps where I'm not earning bonus spend. I'm a big believer in diversifying your wallet so you have a card that earns you some kind of bonus on every one of your expenses and anything that may come up.
I posted my breakdown of what cards I use, where and when, a few weeks ago (and updated for the upcoming quarter), which may be helpful as you’re plotting out which cards to get:
- I charge all dining and travel to my CSR and earn 3x UR.
- If I have to pay for flights, it’s a tossup between the CSR 3x UR and the Amex Platinum 5x MR. Charging travel to the CSR over the Platinum gives you much better travel insurance, and you get full coverage with the CSR even if you pay only part of your travel costs with the card. Here’s a comparison.
- I may charge hotel stays to that hotel's co-branded credit card for a better bonus.
- I pay rent, utilities, student loans, daughter's tuition through Plastiq using my CIP for 3x UR. (The CIP is the only card that earns more rewards back than the service’s 2.5% fee.)
- I have our cell phone bills set to autopay on the CIP for 3x UR and phone insurance. (I value the CIP’s 3x UR and phone insurance > CIC’s 5x UR.)
- Our internet is set to autopay on the CIC for 5x UR.
- I have our Netflix and Playstation Vue subscriptions charged to gift card credit, which I buy when iTunes and Playstation Store gift cards are on sale and pay with whichever card gives me the best return at the merchant selling them (for example, see below re gift cards).
- Shopping on Amazon all comes out of Amazon gift cards purchased from office supply stores using CIC for 5x UR (or grocery stores in Q2 because that was included in Chase Freedom’s 5x UR bonus category, or Walgreens in Q3 because that’s one of Freedom’s upcoming 5x UR bonus categories).
- I'll add that you can use your Amazon gift card balance to buy third-party gift cards, so I often will get Amazon gift cards purchased at 5x UR, then use them to buy Safeway and Whole Foods gift cards to pass on that 5x UR bonus to groceries. If I don't have gift cards for groceries, I'll charge it to my Amex PRG for 2x MR on groceries or SPG card for 1x Starpoint per $1 (until 8/1 when base earn devalues).
- I'll use the Gyft app to buy gift cards to merchants where I shop, like Target, or dine because it earns 5x UR through PayPal checkout on the CIC (or 3x UR on the CIP), whereas paying the merchant directly with a credit card may not earn any bonus or a lower bonus multiplier.
- If there's a merchant not on Gyft or the points and miles I'd earn are better on MileagePlus X (“MPX,” another gift card app), I'll use the appropriate card (because of pass through coding on Visas) to purchase the gift card I need on MPX instead to earn some combination of United miles, UR, MR, or SPG points. I also have a United MileagePlus card attached to my MPX account, which I don’t charge to, but earns me an extra 25% bonus United miles on every transaction.
- I often buy Visa gift cards using an Amex on which I'm working towards MSR or an Amex SPG to “shift” spend to use at other merchants later, like at Costco (because they only accept Visa).
- Many Amex business cards were targeted with Amex Offers for 10% statement credit (up to $100 back) at Staples and Lowe’s, which sell third-party gift cards and Visa gift cards, which I’ll be using on my SPG Biz before 8/1 while the SPG Biz still earns 1x Starpoint per $1.
- For gas, I'll buy Chevron, Shell, and Exxon gift cards wherever I can earn 5x UR (like grocery stores this quarter or Walgreens next quarter with Freedom) or at a discount (like at Staples or Lowe’s with the Amex Offers); and this quarter, I've bought a few gas gift cards from SVM on eBay because they were discounted and I'd earn 5x UR on them by paying with a Chase Freedom through PayPal because PayPal was a Q2 bonus category. If I don't have gift cards for gas, I've been using my Chase Freedom this quarter through the Chase Pay app at Shell for 5x UR, another Q2 bonus category; or the CIC anywhere else for 2x UR. Many Amex business cards were also targeted with Amex Offers for 10% statement credit (up to $100 back) at Exxon, but I’ll wait to use this offer on my SPG Biz because the SPG benefits change to earn 4x Marriott points per $1 after 8/1 (vs. the effective 3x Marriott points that is 1 Starpoint currently).
- If I have to Venmo someone, I'll use CIP because it earns 3x UR and negates the 3% fee.
- I have my eBay seller fees set to autopay on the CIP, which earns me 3x UR back on fees from a side hustle that I use a lot to apply for biz cards.
- I also have the CIP set in PayPal to pay for eBay shipping, which earns another 3x UR back. USPS/UPS/FedEx, Stamps .com, and USPS P.O. Boxes also earn 3x UR on the CIP.
- I'll use a particular Amex card if it has a useful Amex Offer on it for the merchant where I'm going to be spending money.
- I'll see how I can best use whatever is/are included in Chase Freedom's 5x UR bonus categories.
- If after all that, the thing I have to spend money on won't earn some kind of bonus, I'll throw the charge on a new card for which I'm working towards MSR, or an Amex SPG card until base earn is devalued on 8/1/18.
- After 8/1, I'll probably get an Amex BBP card for 2x MR on every purchase. I also plan to have my wife sign up for the CIU (Chase Ink Unlimited) for 1.5x UR on every purchase.
- Occasionally, to meet high MSRs on new cards, I’ll have to divert some of this optimized spend to the new card that might not have a (or have an inferior) bonus for that category of spent, or may not have a good base earning rate. But the outsized value of a signup bonus usually dwarfs the loss opportunity cost of diverting that spend.
So you’ve seen me mention the CSR, CIP (Chase Ink Preferred), CIC (Chase Ink Cash), Chase Freedom, and various Amex cards. These Chase cards earn us greater than 1x UR bonuses on almost every cent of spend. Our Amex cards are great for Amex Offers, and they have strong hotel co-brand relationships and card offerings. My Amex Platinum card is mostly a “perks” card at this point; I’ll put flights on it for 5x MR if I think I won’t need the
trip insurance, and it gets decent Amex Offers, but it otherwise earns a terrible 1x MR pretty much everywhere.
Since you’re at 0/24 and your husband is at 2/24 (after the CSR+CSP double dip), you both have a lot of runway to get Chase’s cards, but being open to applying for business cards really helps to fill your wallet with very useful cards like the CIP (for 3x UR on Plastiq for bills that don’t otherwise take credit cards, like your DD’s tuition), CIC (5x UR at office supply stores – think gift cards, Gyft, and cable/internet/phone bills), and the CIU (a good “everything else” card that earns 1.5x UR); and stretches out how many Chase cards you can get with those 5 slots, because although you have to be under 5/24 to be approved for Chase’s Ink cards, they don’t add to your */24 count and leave slots open for more cards. Besides, the Chase Ink cards have some of the richest signup bonuses that Chase offers.
Look at where your spend is and find a card that earns you a bonus for that category of spend. Formulate a roadmap to adding that card to your wallet. It took me about a year to fill out my wallet to this point, and there are still a few cards I still want to get. Don’t hit Chase too hard, too fast; you’ll want to space out your applications to avoid the risk of Chase shutting you down. Alternate your husband’s applications with your own to slow each of you down as you meet MSRs on new cards. Use referrals when possible to pick up extra bonuses.
Good news for you, because UR points transfer 1:1 to Hyatt. So, you can transfer just what you need (I believe in 1k increments) so you have "enough" to book what you want. A lot of people find UR has great redemption value when transferring to Hyatt.
Does your DD’s college accept credit cards? Most do, but with a fee. If not, look into using Plastiq, which is a bill pay service that lets you use your credit card to pay bills that might not otherwise accept credit cards (or carries a higher fee) for a fee of 2.5%. As I mentioned above, I use this service for my DD’s tuition, charge it to my CIP, and Plastiq sends DD’s school a check in the mail. We have a guide to Plastiq on DISchurners.
As for flights, are you charging flights to the Amex Platinum? I assume that’s earning you 5x MR. However, like I pointed out above, a lot of people actually prefer to pay for their flights with the CSR for 3x UR instead because the CSR carries significantly better travel insurance. It’s worth looking into now that you have a CSR.