But managing your credit cards responsibly is often easier said than done, especially when you have a lot of active accounts. Here's how I've learned to manage all of my cards:For most of my adult life, I managed my credit cards by using paper statements. I simply waited for the paper statements to arrive in the mail, put them in a pile, and went through them every few days.
I'd review the charges, look for mistakes or fraudulent charges, and then schedule payment through my bank. I'd always pay the full statement balance by the due date, to avoid interest charges. And if the due date fell on a weekend or holiday, I make sure to make my payment by the last business day before the due date. After I paid the statement, I'd place it in a different pile.
The advantage of this system is that it's simple and convenient. But it had several downsides. First, I had to remember to go through the pile every few days. Also, the system broke down when I was traveling for more than a week or so if I wasn't at home to receive and pay for my statements. It was also a chaotic system to manage, as I had due dates scattered throughout the month at random times.