How do you track credit card and airline points in Quicken?

Question

jtemplin · Answer

UKR's solution can be simplified if your credit card gives reward dollars (1 reward dollar = $1) that you redeem for statement credits (like my AMEX Blue): track the reward dollars manually using a Quicken cash account. When I get my AMEX statement, I enter a "receive cash" for the amount of the reward dollars I earned. When I spend them for statement credits, it's a transfer to my Quicken AMEX Blue account. And no, I don't mind that cash account appearing on my net worth statements because those rewards are cash I can spend at any time.

UKR · Answer

If you absolutely want to track mileage and points in Quicken, you could do this:* Create one or more manual investment account(s), "Mileage tracking and points"
* Create a Security, e.g., "Fly By Night Airline Mileage", Type = Other
* For each number of miles earned or redeemed, enter "Add Shares" or "Remove Shares" transactions, respectively, at a price per share of 0.00001 or 0.00 (to not inflate your net worth)
* Create additional securities for other airline miles or credit card points, as needed, and record your transactions. Use one account or separate accounts, as you wish.

* The account's Holdings View should show the number of miles or points recorded.

* You can also create a Portfolio View, customized to only show the mileage and point accounts, separate from your other investment accounts.

Note: Quicken Deluxe or higher needed for this function. Starter Edition does not support investment accounts

Chris_QPW · Answer

There is no built in way of tracking "points".  Anything one might come up with would be a kludge, and it would have to be manually updated.  I recommend you just use what the financial institution provides on their website/app.