| name | credits-inventory |
| description | Find startup credits, perks, and offers you may have but aren't using. Use when: (1) User wants to inventory available credits/perks across accounts, (2) User asks 'do I have a deal for X?' when signing up for something new, (3) User mentions banking, cloud, or VC relationships. Searches known programs + email for forgotten offers. |
Credits & Perks Inventory
Surface forgotten credits, discounts, and perks across startup programs, banking relationships, corporate cards, VC portfolios, and email offers.
State Files
This skill maintains two living documents:
| File | Purpose |
|---|
references/your-context-template.md | Inputs - User's accounts, relationships, subscriptions |
my-inventory.md | Outputs - Available perks organized by service/tool, with usage tracking |
Both live in ~/.claude/skills/credits-inventory/. Read them at skill start; update them as you discover new information.
Usage Tracking
The inventory tracks the full lifecycle of each perk:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|
Available | Not yet claimed, can be activated |
Claimed [DATE] | Activated on date, now in use |
Active | Currently being used (for ongoing subscriptions) |
Expiring [DATE] | Has a known expiration date |
Depleted | Credits fully used |
Expired | Past expiration, no longer available |
Verify | Needs manual verification of status |
Track for metered credits (API credits, cloud credits):
- Original value
- Remaining balance (when known)
- Burn rate (if trackable)
Track for time-limited perks (free subscriptions):
- Claim date
- Expiration date
- Auto-renewal status
Two Modes
Mode 1: Full Inventory ("What do I have?")
Comprehensive scan of all accounts to surface available credits and perks.
Mode 2: Specific Lookup ("Do I have a deal for X?")
User is signing up for a specific service - check if they have a discount.
Workflow
1. Load Context
Read: ~/.claude/skills/credits-inventory/my-context.md
Read: ~/.claude/skills/credits-inventory/my-inventory.md
If context file is empty or outdated, ask user to update their accounts.
2. For Full Inventory: Scan All Sources
For each account type in context:
A. Check known programs (see reference database below)
B. Search email via gscli
gscli gmail search "from:[source] perks OR credits OR offer" -l 20
gscli gmail search "[service] free OR credits OR discount" -l 10
gscli gmail search "expires OR expiring credits OR offer" -l 15
C. Read promising emails
gscli gmail read [message-id]
Look for:
- Claim links/URLs
- Promo codes
- Expiration dates
- Specific values
3. For Specific Lookup: Check for Service
When user asks "do I have a deal for [SERVICE]?":
- Check
my-inventory.md for existing entries
- Search email:
gscli gmail search "[SERVICE] free OR credits OR discount OR offer" -l 15
- Check if any of user's accounts (VCs, banking, subscriptions) offer it
- Report findings with claim instructions
4. Update Inventory
After discovery, update my-inventory.md with findings organized by service.
Inventory organization:
- Group by SERVICE/TOOL name (alphabetical)
- Under each service, list all available offers
- Include: value, source, claimed date, expiration, remaining, status
5. Track Usage (When User Claims or Updates)
When user says "I claimed [perk]" or "update [perk] status":
- Find the perk in
my-inventory.md
- Update the row:
- Set
Claimed to today's date
- Set
Expires if known (often 1 year from claim)
- Set
Status to Active or Claimed YYYY-MM-DD
- Add to "Recently Claimed" section in Dashboard
- Recalculate Dashboard totals
For balance updates ("I have $X left on [perk]"):
- Update the
Remaining column
- If low or depleted, flag in Dashboard
6. Expiration Monitoring
When running inventory checks:
- Scan all items with
Expires dates
- Flag anything expiring within 90 days
- Update "Expiring Soon" section in Dashboard
- Alert user to time-sensitive items
Expiration actions:
- 90 days out: Add to "Expiring Soon"
- 30 days out: Highlight as urgent
- Expired: Move status to
Expired, keep in inventory for reference
Email Search Patterns
gscli Commands
gscli gmail search "from:usv perks OR credits OR offer" -l 20
gscli gmail search "from:getproven" -l 10
gscli gmail search "from:brex perks OR credits" -l 15
gscli gmail search "from:mercury perks OR partner" -l 15
gscli gmail search "from:lenny product pass OR perks" -l 10
gscli gmail search "[servicename] free OR credits OR startup" -l 15
gscli gmail search "expires soon OR expiring credits" -l 20
gscli gmail search "activate your OR claim your" -l 15
Reading Emails
When you find a promising email:
gscli gmail read [message-id]
Extract:
- Claim URL - The link to activate the offer
- Promo code - If applicable
- Value - Dollar amount or description
- Expiration - When it expires
- Requirements - Any eligibility criteria
If you find a claim URL but can't access it directly, provide clear instructions:
**How to claim:**
1. Go to: [URL]
2. Log in with your [account type] credentials
3. Look for [specific button/section]
4. Apply code: [CODE] (if applicable)
Inventory File Format
my-inventory.md should be organized BY SERVICE with usage tracking:
# Credits & Perks Inventory
Last updated: YYYY-MM-DD
## Dashboard
| Metric | Value |
| --------------------------- | ------- |
| Total available (unclaimed) | $X,XXX |
| Total claimed (active) | $X,XXX |
| Total remaining balance | $X,XXX |
| Expiring within 90 days | [count] |
### Expiring Soon
| Service | Source | Expires | Value | Action |
| ----------- | ------ | ---------- | ---------------- | ----------- |
| AWS credits | Brex | 2026-03-15 | $2,340 remaining | Use or lose |
### Recently Claimed
| Service | Source | Claimed | Value |
| ------- | ------- | ---------- | ------- |
| PostHog | Lenny's | 2026-01-15 | $16,500 |
---
## A
### Anthropic (Claude API)
| Source | Value | Claimed | Expires | Remaining | Status |
| ---------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------- | --------- |
| Brex Perks | $500 | — | — | — | Available |
| Your VC Perk | $X,XXX | YYYY-MM-DD | YYYY-MM-DD | $X,XXX | Active |
### AWS
| Source | Value | Claimed | Expires | Remaining | Status |
| --------------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------- | ---------------- |
| Brex Perks | $5,000 | 2025-06-01 | 2027-06-01 | $2,340 | Expiring 2027-06 |
| Pump.co savings | $7,870+ | Active | — | Ongoing | Active |
---
## P
### PostHog
| Source | Value | Claimed | Expires | Remaining | Status |
| ------- | ------- | ---------- | ---------- | --------- | ------ |
| Lenny's | $16,500 | 2026-01-15 | 2027-01-15 | Active | Active |
---
[Continue alphabetically...]
Table Columns
| Column | Required | Description |
|---|
| Source | Yes | Where the perk comes from |
| Value | Yes | Original dollar value or description |
| Claimed | If claimed | Date claimed (YYYY-MM-DD) or "—" |
| Expires | If known | Expiration date or "—" |
| Remaining | If metered | Current balance for credits, "Active" for subscriptions |
| Status | Yes | Current state (see Usage Tracking above) |
Context File Format
references/your-context-template.md should list user's accounts:
# My Accounts & Relationships
Last updated: YYYY-MM-DD
## Investors & Accelerators
- [Your VC] - [perks platform URL]
- [Other investor]
- [Accelerator]
## Banking & Cards
- Mercury (business banking)
- Brex (corporate card)
- Chase Sapphire Reserve (personal)
- Delta Amex Gold (personal)
## Subscriptions
- Lenny's Newsletter (annual) - lennysproductpass.com
- LinkedIn Premium
- X Premium
- Costco Executive
## Equity & HR
- Carta
## Cloud & Hosting
- [Current providers]
## Notes
- [Any special relationships or programs]
Reference: Known Programs
VC Portfolio Platforms
| VC/Accelerator | Perks Platform | How to Access |
|---|
| USV | Proven | usv.getproven.com |
| YC | YC Deals | bookface.ycombinator.com |
| a16z | Portfolio Resources | Via portfolio contact |
| Sequoia | Arc benefits | Via portfolio contact |
| Most VCs | Various | Email your investor contact |
Banking Perks
| Bank/Card | Perks Page | Notable Offers |
|---|
| Brex | brex.com/perks | $350K+ total (AWS, OpenAI, Retool, etc.) |
| Mercury | mercury.com/perks | Various partner discounts |
| Chase Sapphire Reserve | chase.com/benefits | $300 travel, DoorDash, Lyft, lounges |
| Amex Platinum | amex.com/benefits | Dell, airline, wireless credits |
Newsletter/Subscription Perks
| Subscription | Perks Page | Notable Offers |
|---|
| Lenny's Newsletter | lennysproductpass.com | $25K+ (PostHog, Notion, etc.) |
Direct Startup Programs
| Service | Program | Value | Link |
|---|
| AWS | Activate | Up to $100K | aws.amazon.com/activate |
| Google Cloud | Startups | Up to $350K | cloud.google.com/startup |
| Microsoft | Startups | Up to $150K | startups.microsoft.com |
| HubSpot | Startups | Up to 90% off | hubspot.com/startups |
| Intercom | Early Stage | $49/mo for 1yr | intercom.com/early-stage |
| Segment | Startup Program | $25K value | segment.com/startup |
| Mixpanel | Startups | $50K credits | mixpanel.com/startups |
Conversation Flow
Starting a Session
"Let me check your credits inventory.
[Read context and inventory files]
Current status:
- Last updated: [date]
- Total available: ~$X value
- [N] items expiring soon
Want me to:
- Do a fresh scan for new offers?
- Look up a specific service?
- Update your account list?"
After Discovery
"Found [N] new perks. Updating your inventory...
New additions:
- [Service]: $X via [Source]
- [Service]: $X via [Source]
Action items:
- [Highest priority - include exact steps]
- [Second priority]
Your inventory has been updated at ~/.claude/skills/credits-inventory/my-inventory.md"
For Specific Lookup
"Looking for deals on [SERVICE]...
Found:
- [Source 1]: [Value] - [How to claim]
- [Source 2]: [Value] - [How to claim]
Not found in:
- [Sources checked that didn't have it]
Want me to add this to your inventory watchlist?"
Tips for Claude
Discovery
- Always read state files first - Don't ask for info you already have
- Search email proactively - Many offers are buried in newsletters
- Try to follow links - If you can fetch a URL, do it to get specifics
- When links require auth - Give clear step-by-step instructions
- Think laterally - VC relationships unlock indirect perks
Inventory Management
- Update inventory after every discovery - Keep it current
- Be specific with claim instructions - URLs, steps, codes
- Prioritize by value - Lead with high-value items
- Flag expirations - Surface time-sensitive offers prominently
Usage Tracking
- Ask about claimed status - When showing perks, ask "have you claimed any of these?"
- Prompt for updates - "Let me know when you claim this so I can track it"
- Track remaining balances - For API credits, ask periodically about usage
- Monitor expirations - Start each session by checking what's expiring soon
- Keep Dashboard current - Update totals when status changes
Session Flow
- Read inventory → Check expiring items → Alert user
- Handle user request (discovery or lookup)
- Update inventory with findings
- Prompt user to report any claims
- Update Dashboard if needed
The goal: Be the knowledgeable assistant who knows all the programs AND keeps a running tally of what's available, claimed, and expiring.
