The Credit Card Goldmine

Your credit card statement is a map of potential delegations and insights your assistant can use to make your life easier.

Analyzing your spending patterns often reveals tasks you're handling yourself that could be delegated, subscriptions that need management, and opportunities for better financial decisions.

The exercise

Have your assistant review your last 3 months of credit card statements with these specific goals:

1. Identify hidden delegations

Your assistant should look for:

• Recurring services you're managing yourself (meal prep services, gym memberships)
• One-off bookings that could be systematized (spa appointments, personal care)
• Administrative tasks hiding in plain sight (subscription renewals, membership updates)

Real example: An Athena member discovered they were personally handling all their supplement reorders. Their assistant now manages the entire process, including researching better prices and setting up auto-renewals.

2. Spot cost-savings

Your assistant can track:

• Price variations for recurring purchases
• Unused or underutilized subscriptions
• Opportunities for bulk purchases or annual vs. monthly savings
• Duplicate charges or services

Example patterns to watch:

• Are you paying peak prices for last-minute bookings?
• Could annual subscriptions save money over monthly payments?
• Are there multiple charges for similar services?

Real example: An assistant identified recurring charges for Instacart (grocery delivery service), found that Costco offers $100 gift cards for $80, and purchased these gift cards on her client’s behalf.

3. Build a better service profile

Your transaction history helps your assistant understand:

• Your preferred vendors and service providers
• Typical spending patterns in different cities
• Personal preferences for travel, dining, and entertainment
• Timing patterns for various purchases

This knowledge helps them make better decisions on your behalf and anticipate your needs.

Real example: After an assistant saw recurring charges for visiting the MoMA each time her client was in New York, she signed him up for a tax-deductible membership and monitored member events.

How to implement the Credit Card Goldmine

1. Give Your Assistant Access - Share your statements securely or set up view-only access to your online banking.
2. Set Clear Parameters - Review the last 3 months. Look for:
   • Tasks I'm doing that you could handle
   • Subscriptions that need management
   • Spending patterns that could be optimized
3. Regular Review Cycle - Schedule a monthly 15-minute review where your assistant shares:
   • New delegation opportunities identified
   • Potential cost savings spotted
   • Insights about your preferences and patterns

Quick wins to start with

Subscriptions

• Digital services (cloud storage, apps)
• Membership renewals
• Regular deliveries or services

One-Off Tasks

• Personal care appointments
• Wellness services
• Entertainment bookings

Price Patterns

• Travel booking timing
• Pricing for different service providers
• Bulk purchase opportunities
• Research top vendors where you spend the most money, identify cost savings opportunities (memberships, subscriptions, gift cards, discounts, etc)

Your transaction history is pure intelligence for smarter delegation and better financial decisions.