Track & Organize Your Points

Why Tracking Matters

With 3-10 credit cards and 5-15 loyalty programs, manual tracking prevents costly mistakes. Forgetting an annual fee costs $95-695. Missing a minimum spend deadline forfeits 50,000-150,000 bonus points. Letting points expire wastes months of earning.

Good tracking takes 10-15 minutes per month and saves thousands of dollars in wasted points and fees.

What to Track: Credit Cards

Create a spreadsheet (Google Sheets or Excel) with these columns:

Key fields explained:

• Open Date: When you were approved (check approval email or first statement)
• Fee Date: When annual fee posts (usually on account anniversary, check statement)
• Drops Off 5/24: 24 months after open date, the card no longer counts toward 5/24
• Status: Open, Closed, or Downgraded (e.g., "Downgraded to Freedom" or "Closed Oct 2026")

Tracking Minimum Spend

For new cards, add a second tab tracking minimum spend progress:

Update weekly by checking your account's year-to-date spending on the issuer's website.

Tracking Points Balances

Track points across all programs:

Update monthly by logging into each program. Set a calendar reminder to check balances every 30 days.

Calendar Reminders

Use Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or your phone to set these reminders:

Annual Fee Reminders

Set a reminder 60 days before your annual fee posts. This gives you time to decide whether to keep, downgrade, or cancel the card.

Example: Card opened Jan 15, 2025. Annual fee posts Jan 15, 2026. Set reminder for Nov 15, 2025 (60 days before).

Minimum Spend Deadline Reminders

Set two reminders:

• 30 days before deadline: Check progress, adjust spending if behind
• 7 days before deadline: Final check, use backup strategies (prepay bills, gift cards) if needed

Points Expiration Reminders

Set a reminder 90 days before points expire to reset the activity clock. Earn 1 point through a shopping portal or book a cheap award.

Tools and Apps

Spreadsheets (recommended): Google Sheets or Excel. Full control, no data sharing, works offline.

AwardWallet (optional): Tracks points balances across 700+ programs automatically. Free tier tracks up to 10 programs. Pro version ($30/year) tracks unlimited programs and sends expiration alerts. Visit AwardWallet.com.

MaxRewards (optional): Suggests which card to use for each purchase to maximize earning. Free. Visit MaxRewards.co.

Quarterly Review Process

Set aside 30 minutes every 3 months to review your travel hacking status:

1. Update points balances: Log into each program, record current balance
2. Check expiration dates: Earn activity on programs close to expiration
3. Review upcoming annual fees: Decide which cards to keep, downgrade, or cancel
4. Check minimum spend progress: Make sure you're on track for new card bonuses
5. Calculate 5/24 status: See when you'll drop under 5/24 for future Chase applications
6. Plan next steps: Decide if you want to apply for new cards in the next 3 months

Organizing Physical Cards

Keep active cards in your wallet. Store closed or rarely-used cards in a file folder at home. Label the folder "Credit Cards - Closed" and include:

• Physical cards (cut expired cards in half, keep for records)
• Printed statements from the first and last months
• Bonus posting confirmation (screenshot or email)

This documentation helps if there's ever a dispute or audit question.

Tracking Multiple Players

If you're doing two-player mode with a partner, create separate tabs in your spreadsheet for each person's cards and points. Track household totals at the top:

• Player 1: 3/24, 125,000 Chase points, 65,000 United miles
• Player 2: 2/24, 85,000 Amex points, 45,000 Hyatt points
• Household total: ~320,000 points across all programs

What Not to Track

Don't obsess over tracking every dollar of spending or every point earned. Tracking should be lightweight—10-15 minutes per month. If it takes an hour per week, you're overcomplicating it.

Skip tracking:

• Individual transactions (let your bank do this)
• Cash back earned per purchase (only track monthly totals)
• Theoretical CPP values for unused points (focus on actual redemptions)

Sample Tracking Template

Download a free Google Sheets template (copy and customize):

• Tab 1: Credit Cards (open date, fee, 5/24 status)
• Tab 2: Minimum Spend Tracking
• Tab 3: Points Balances
• Tab 4: Travel Goals & Redemptions

Or create your own from scratch using the examples above.

Congratulations — You've Completed the Course!

You've learned the complete travel hacking system: credit scores, card applications, welcome bonuses, earning strategies, transfer partners, award bookings, and organization. You're ready to start earning and redeeming points.

Next steps:

1. Check your credit score (see Credit Score Deep Dive)
2. Pick a travel goal (Lesson 3)
3. Apply for Chase Sapphire Preferred (Lesson 5)
4. Meet minimum spend naturally (Lesson 7)
5. Search for award flights (Lesson 13)
6. Book your first award (Lesson 14)

Have questions? Check our Glossary or explore our free tools (CPP calculator, card comparison, points valuation).

Happy travels!