10:16 here: thanks PP 10:36.

For those who charge monthly expenses and pay off every month, how do you ensure that you have enough to pay it off every month?
Do you not carry your debit card and pay cash only?

Do you pay the bill all at once, or do you make several payments to your credit during the month?

I worry that psychologically, I would see the high checking balance, and think that we have more to spend than we do.

We don't use a debit card. You just have to keep track of your spending. You can look online anytime to see your credit card balance. It helps if you start with a monthly budget($3,200) break that down to a weekly amount($3,200/4=$800 a week) and then a daily amount($800/7=$115 a day). Some days you go over and some days you are under, but at the end of the week you should be at your weekly amount. It is really great when you have a "0" dollar spent day. Do that for a whole month and there will be no surprises.

For those who charge monthly expenses and pay off every month, how do you ensure that you have enough to pay it off every month?
Do you not carry your debit card and pay cash only?

Do you pay the bill all at once, or do you make several payments to your credit during the month?

I worry that psychologically, I would see the high checking balance, and think that we have more to spend than we do.

If you're paying everything by credit card, and paying it off every month, what does it matter what you charge? I'm sure if we put all on our cards, and not on debit cards or paid electronically out of checking, we'd be way over 5K. But we don't carry a monthly balance on what we do charge, so I'm not really sure what your concern is, OP?

Anonymous wrote:$5000Kers - does that include things like cable, internet, cell phones, utilities and mortgage and/or rent?

Yes to cable, Internet and cell phones.

No to mortgage and utilities.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: If you have the money in the month, why are you putting that much on a credit card on a monthly basis for your living expenses? Why not just use your checking card and have it taken out your bank account?

Cash rewards, airline miles. We never carry a balance from month to month.

Also do airline miles and hotel miles. We went to India 1st class for free last year (air and hotel).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: If you have the money in the month, why are you putting that much on a credit card on a monthly basis for your living expenses? Why not just use your checking card and have it taken out your bank account?

We get cash back.

Cant u get cash back from your bank card|?

"Cash back" in this context is free money--our card automatically gives us back 1% of what we spend, though deals vary. (Different than paying for something by debit card, then getting cash also--in that case, the amount of cash is added to the total of what you're buying. No free money there.)

Ahh got it thanks! Geesh im kind of mad that ive been missing the cashback all these years.. iive def got to find a good cash rewards card and start charging asap!

I don't know. I'd take the perspective of another person up thread about spending less money when they use cash. 600-700 in cash back is nice but we keep our card for only large purchases because we might spend an additional 600-700 a year based on how more free we are psychologically when it is a bill to pay rather than cash or a direct debit.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: If you have the money in the month, why are you putting that much on a credit card on a monthly basis for your living expenses? Why not just use your checking card and have it taken out your bank account?

We get cash back.

Cant u get cash back from your bank card|?

"Cash back" in this context is free money--our card automatically gives us back 1% of what we spend, though deals vary. (Different than paying for something by debit card, then getting cash also--in that case, the amount of cash is added to the total of what you're buying. No free money there.)

Ahh got it thanks! Geesh im kind of mad that ive been missing the cashback all these years.. iive def got to find a good cash rewards card and start charging asap!

A good cash back card is Chase Freedom. 1% on everything, 5% on certain categories for each quarter. Right now the 5% is for restaurants/bars/gas stations. Last quarter was grocery stores and amazon.

Do you mind sharing what interest rate you're paying? TIA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: If you have the money in the month, why are you putting that much on a credit card on a monthly basis for your living expenses? Why not just use your checking card and have it taken out your bank account?

We get cash back.

Cant u get cash back from your bank card|?

"Cash back" in this context is free money--our card automatically gives us back 1% of what we spend, though deals vary. (Different than paying for something by debit card, then getting cash also--in that case, the amount of cash is added to the total of what you're buying. No free money there.)

Ahh got it thanks! Geesh im kind of mad that ive been missing the cashback all these years.. iive def got to find a good cash rewards card and start charging asap!

A good cash back card is Chase Freedom. 1% on everything, 5% on certain categories for each quarter. Right now the 5% is for restaurants/bars/gas stations. Last quarter was grocery stores and amazon.

Ours range anywhere from $4 to $9k a month. We put everything except mortgage and daycare on them. So utilities, food, clothes, random shopping, eating out, cell phones, charitable contributions, gas, car insurance, etc.

In high months, there are typically home repairs, vacation expenses, or DH's work travel expenses (for which we get reimbursed).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Serious question: If you have the money in the month, why are you putting that much on a credit card on a monthly basis for your living expenses? Why not just use your checking card and have it taken out your bank account?

We get cash back.

Cant u get cash back from your bank card|?

"Cash back" in this context is free money--our card automatically gives us back 1% of what we spend, though deals vary. (Different than paying for something by debit card, then getting cash also--in that case, the amount of cash is added to the total of what you're buying. No free money there.)

Ahh got it thanks! Geesh im kind of mad that ive been missing the cashback all these years.. iive def got to find a good cash rewards card and start charging asap!

One of the $5K pp's here

Here's the general breakdown:

$1000 - food (including groceries, eating out and paper goods)
$700 - shopping (clothing, activities, toiletries, car repairs, household goods)
$100 - cell phone
$60 - auto insurance
$135 - cable/phone/internet
$50 - gym+WW
$50 - doctors
$200 - gas
$200 - student loan
$2100 - preschool tuition
$40 - water bill
travel - varies

Our HHI is $320k and our monthly cc bills are usually $3200. We put everything on there that we possibly can, including water, PEPCO, wash gas, cell phones, etc. Preschool tuition is paid by check, as is our cleaning lady.

I watch the card online and talk to DH about any charges that I can't identify. Helps us stick to our budget.

Anonymous wrote:I am a PP with $6k bill. Yes, includes utilities, trash, phone, cell. We don't have cable or mortgage.

How do you set-up to pay from your credit card for these things? Or do you have to call it in every month? We pay for all of those items from checking but I would love to add them to our CC. Thanks!