Why Your Credit Card Points are Mid & What to Do Instead
You’re bragging about a "free" flight to Bali, but you’ve spent three years of your life as an unpaid intern for Chase and Amex.
If you are a typical "optimizer," your wallet is a filing cabinet. You’ve got four different cards, you track rotating 5% categories like a day trader, and you spend your Friday nights on Reddit figuring out how to squeeze an extra 0.5 cents out of a point.
I have one question for you: Is it really a "free" flight if you had to manage a part-time job to get it?
The Hidden Cost of Frictionless Spending
Credit card companies aren't charities. They don’t give away points because they want you to see the world; they do it because points create frictionless spending.
Studies show that people spend 12-18% more on average when they swipe a card versus using cash. If you spend an extra $1,000 this year just because the "points" made the purchase feel easier, you didn't win. You lost. Your 2% cash back is a rounding error compared to the behavioral tax you’re paying to the banks.
Most people are average at math, but they are world-class at falling for marketing. You think you’re "beating the system," but the system designed the game specifically so you’d play it.
Your Credit Score is Not a Trophy
People are terrified that if they don’t have five cards, their credit score will vanish. They treat their FICO score like a high score in a video game.
Here is the truth: Your credit score is a measure of how good of a customer you are to a bank. It is not a measure of your wealth.
If you live a "Safe and Architected" life—meaning you pay your bills on time and don't take on stupid debt—your score will take care of itself. We shouldn't build a score to serve the banks; we should build a life that serves our freedom.
The Architect’s Three-Step Simplification
The wealthiest people I know don’t brag about their "Elite Status" or their "Triple Points." They brag about how little they have to think about their money. They are "brave enough to be boring."
If you want to opt out of the rigged game, do this:
The One-Card Rule: Consolidate everything into one card. Pick the simplest one. Hide or close the rest. If you want the ultimate "Alpha" move, switch to a debit card.
The Master Autopay: Set every single bill to autopay from one account. Kill the "due date anxiety" forever.
The Mental Reset: Reclaim the hours you spent on spreadsheets and spend them on your health, your hobbies, or your actual career.
Choose Your Peace Over Their Points
Wealth is about Time, not "Travel Rewards." Simplify your finances so you can focus on the things that actually move the needle in your life.
Are you brave enough to be boring? Cancel that high-fee card and stop playing the bank’s game.
For more help on building a life you actually own, find more information at saf-finance.com.
