How I got started credit card churning
Step by step

The information provided here is from my personal experience with the steps I took to get started credit card churning. It is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial, legal, or professional advice. Credit card churning involves applying for multiple credit cards to capitalize on sign-up bonuses and other promotional offers.

It is essential to understand that engaging in credit card churning may have consequences for your credit score, financial stability, and eligibility for future credit. The strategy may not be suitable for everyone, and individuals should carefully evaluate their financial situation, creditworthiness, and goals before pursuing credit card churning. Do your own research and consult a financial advisor if uncertain. Please also read my disclaimer before continuing.

Step 1: I track my credit score

First of all and most importantly, I create an account with a company that lets me view my credit report so I can track my credit score.

I used Credit Savvy, but there are many different reporting agencies available. This is important because I need to have a good credit rating to even be able to begin.

A credit score ranges from 0 to 1000 and is a numerical rating that measures a person's likelihood to repay a debt.

A higher credit score signals that a borrower is at lower risk and more likely to make on-time payments. Anything above 750 will work. The higher your score will be preferential.

I made sure I did not have any past defaults and was paying back all loans or credit cards on time. This was all reflected in my credit score so it wasn't an issue for me.

Step 2: I track my credit card history

I set up a way to track which credit cards I had applied for and used. I do this in a simple Excel credit card churning spreadsheet which can be found in the resource section.

This spreadsheet has been specifically designed for Australian credit cards and has all the information I need to track my credit card usage and most importantly my credit card rewards.

The reason I use a credit card churning spreadsheet is so that I don't try and take out 2 cards of the same type within a 12-month period or hold too many credit cards at one time.

This helped me not make the same mistakes over and over again! It also helps me to visualise my progress. I will explain later. The main information I focus on is:

The institution my credit card is with
What reward points I am receiving
The application date
The closing date
I also have a column that details the reward amount received for my viewing pleasure. This way I can look at how many free credit card rewards I have received from my credit card churning journey.

Step 3: I sign up too any relevant rewards programs

Before I start credit card churning, I make sure I become a member of the Qantas Frequent Flyer program, Velocity program and Flybuys program.

I signed up to the Qantas Frequent Flyer program for free here.

I also downloaded the Qantas Wellbeing App. It is free to download and sign up and gave me points for just having the application on my phone and taking steps or doing small preset activities. The reason why this application is so important is that it will prevent my points from expiring if I do not earn or use any points for 18 months. If someone wants to sign up, use my referral code MANCIA to earn an extra 150 Qantas points.

The above mentioned loyalty programs are the three I most use, There are many other frequent flyer programs I am a member of, but these are my most commonly used. They are all free to sign up with and take only a couple of minutes to complete.

Each rewards program comes with a membership number which I will be adding to my credit card applications when choosing the rewards program for my signup bonus.

Most people like me are already members of these so this is an easy one

Step 4: Earn enough annual income

If I want to get the big signup bonus rewards and want to churn the more premium credit cards, I will need to be earning more than $75,000 annually. Most banks will require a minimum annual income, especially for the more lucrative rewards cards.

The lowest income for applying for a rewards credit card is $35,000 per annum.

Step 5: How I increase the chances of a credit card application being approved.

To increase your chances of getting successfully approved for a credit card, I have found that the following have worked most reliably for me.

Only hold 2 credit cards at any one given time.
Never hold more than 1 premium/high-end or black card. Any card with a minimum of $15k credit limit.

The bank views my credit card minimum as debt even if the card is paid off. So as a rule of thumb, I only ever hold one of these 15k minimum credit cards, as the main goal here is to have as little credit as possible at any given time.
Have a good credit score above 750 with a good credit card history
Make sure my lifestyle expenses and other loans are not excessive

By following these simple rules I have not been rejected for any card in the last 7 years.