My strategy.
I always keep 3 plates in active rotation. This means I'm actively pursing them and "courting" them, evaluating their place in my world and taking them through "the run" (listed below).
I keep 1-2 prospects in the rotation as well. These are women that are being phased into the rotation that I may have just met and have taken on 2 or fewer dates. I'm always evaluating them to replace one of the plates in active rotation.
Finally, my third category I have former plates I have in passive rotation. I make no effort whatsoever with these chicks, and allow them to come over for sex (disguised as dinner & a drink at my place) if I have a free evening. These are former plates that were either replaced by the active plates and prospects, or demoted after finishing "the run." I spend no money at all on these chicks.
"The run" is my gameplan of dates. I take every chick down a schedule of 5 "dates." The only thing that could change is the location and frequency between dates.
It's something like:
Drinks / Coffee
Dinner
Activity Near My Place + My Place
Dinner + Activity
My Place
If she's not LTR material by then, she falls into passive rotation as a permanent booty call.
As I type this, I have 4 plates in active rotation, 2 prospects, and 7 in passive rotation that are trying to tie me down for 3 weeks out. In the last 2 days, I've smashed 2 from the passive rotation.
The side benefit of phasing plates in and out is that only the highest quality plates get your time and money. You'll notice through phasing women in that the quality increases over time.