Comment by CalChris

The final straw was a trip to the UK. My debit card had foreign transaction fees and then I was waiting in the cattle call area for a BA flight seeing people significantly more relaxed coming out of airport lounges.

My system, so to speak, is really nothing. Sign up bonuses, (American Express wanted me bad), read the fine print and work the benefits, use the right card for the given transaction.

Does this make sense? No, it does not. Yet here we are. I've always detested this stuff yet merchants are forcing me to take this benefit. So I take it.

FWIW, 99% of my transactions are with my phone. So there is no flex involved. My iPhone makes the transaction virtually the same as with a debit card.