A method, for maximizing the financial benefits that accrue to one from optimally taking advantage of the incentives offered by the various providers of credit cards, includes the steps of: (1) collecting card provider information regarding currently offered incentives, (2) collecting one's information regarding past and proposed card purchases, (3) analyzing this information to determine the benefits that would accrue to one from making the proposed purchase with each of one's available cards, (4) communicating the results of this analysis so as to enable it to be used in selecting the card to be used in one's next purchase, (5) presenting the incentives of other cards which are not in the one's card portfolio, and (6) if one is considering adding one of these other cards to one's portfolio in order to take advantage of its incentives, advising of the impact on one's credit rating of applying for a new card.