My card strategy.

I'm not going to hand you a list of 40 cards and wish you luck.

You need one card to start. Then a plan for the next one or two. That's a strategy, and it's simpler than it sounds.

How I'd choose

• Flexible points first. Points you can move to lots of airlines and hotels keep your options open.
• A welcome bonus you can reach with normal spending. If you'd have to spend extra to earn it, it's the wrong card.
• An annual fee that earns its spot. I don't avoid fees. I make each one pay me back.
• The strictest bank first. Some banks stop approving you once you've opened several cards, so the order matters.
• Only if you pay in full. Every month. That's the rule.

The order I'd open them

If you were my best friend starting from zero, this is the order I'd walk you through.

1. ChaseSapphire Reserve®
   or Preferred®

   A Chase Sapphire cardStart here. It earns flexible Chase points, and Chase is the strictest bank about how many cards you've opened lately, so it goes first.See my personal card picks
2. ChaseInk Business

   A Chase Ink Business cardYes, a business card this early. More of you qualify than you'd think, and it pays to apply before you've opened many personal cards.See my business card picks
3. Capital OneVenture

   Capital One VentureA simple card that earns the same rate on everything, and a second set of flexible points.See my personal card picks
4. Your pickYour favorite
   airline or hotel

   Then a co-branded hotel or airline cardBy now you know which airline or hotel your family actually uses. Add its card for the perks.

Why the order matters

Banks have rules about how many cards you've opened lately. Chase generally says no once you've opened five personal cards, from any bank, in 24 months.

Open other banks' cards first and you can lock yourself out of Chase for up to two years. So Chase goes first.

Want every bank's rules in one place? Here's my bank rules guide.

How fast?

A comfortable pace for many beginners is about one new card every three months. That gives you time to meet each spending requirement with normal purchases. No stress, no scrambling.

Slow down if a mortgage or car loan is coming up soon.

The bottom line: Sapphire first, one card at a time, and only as fast as you can go while still paying everything in full.

Card approval is always decided by the bank. Nothing here is personal financial advice.

See personal cards →