What were your credit card mistakes and regrets of 2025?

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

As we come near to the end of this year, let us share our financial and credit card mistakes and regrets of 2025.

Let us all agree the fact that everyone makes mistakes and no one is perfect.
Even the smartest user may make some silly mistake - whether it be using the wrong card, applying for a card in FOMO and later regretting or closing it, sharing your card details with someone, falling prey for a scam, withdrawing cash from ATM machine using credit card, missing bill payment, cibil score impacting due to late payments, and what not.
There could also be some regrets like not applying for a wanted card, missing milstone rewards, etc.
So let us shre our mistake stories. It's not for creating regret, but let us not repeat the same mistakes again next time.

I will go first - I made the biggest mistake not of this year, but my entire life. I trusted a co-worker and shared my card details and OTP for him to do some online transaction.
Never did I know that he was a scammer and he had already cheated many people in the company.
Lesson learnt: Never share card details and OTP with anyone else.

 

[komal]

I will go first - I made the biggest mistake not of this year, but my entire life. I trusted a co-worker and shared my card details and OTP for him to do some online transaction.
Never did I know that he was a scammer and he had already cheated many people in the company.
Lesson learnt: Never share card details and OTP with anyone else.

When did this happen ?

 

[komal]

As we come near to the end of this year, let us share our financial and credit card mistakes and regrets of 2025.

Let us all agree the fact that everyone makes mistakes and no one is perfect.
Even the smartest user may make some silly mistake - whether it be using the wrong card, applying for a card in FOMO and later regretting or closing it, sharing your card details with someone, falling prey for a scam, withdrawing cash from ATM machine using credit card, missing bill payment, cibil score impacting due to late payments, and what not.
There could also be some regrets like not applying for a wanted card, missing milstone rewards, etc.
So let us shre our mistake stories. It's not for creating regret, but let us not repeat the same mistakes again next time.

I will go first - I made the biggest mistake not of this year, but my entire life. I trusted a co-worker and shared my card details and OTP for him to do some online transaction.
Never did I know that he was a scammer and he had already cheated many people in the company.
Lesson learnt: Never share card details and OTP with anyone else.

I will tell you few things
1. keep your credit card as minimal as possible .

2. Never , ever share your credit card or debit card with your close frnd also
3. Don't chamkao your credit card in front of frnds and family it will backfire .
4. Don' t give anyone to buy things on emi on your credit card
5.don't keep a chargeable card which you don't use
6. keep your transactions off domestic as well international
There are many more ..
Credit cards are fun but risky too use responsibly otherwise you will land on big prblm

 

[panu24]

2. Never , ever share your credit card or debit card with your close frnd also
3. Don't chamkao your credit card in front of frnds and family it will backfire .
4. Don' t give anyone to buy things on emi on your credit card
5.don't keep a chargeable card which you don't use
There are many more ..
Credit cards are fun but risky too use responsibly otherwise you will land on big prblm

These things happens because people want premium cards irrespective of if they can manage its annual fee. Then they find some ways for annual fee waiver by asking friends to use their cards.

 

[komal]

These things happens because people want premium cards irrespective of if they can manage its annual fee. Then they find some ways for annual fee waiver by asking friends to use their cards.

Isliye kehte hai shaukh utna hi rakho jitni aukaat ho .
Koi bura mat manna but reality yahi h

 

[Virtual King]

My Credit Card Experiences This Year
Sharing some of my CC experiences, this year.
Whether good or bad, whether mistakes or regrets or correct decisions - the brooding and pondering is still on. But I am sanguine and contented that I have taken these decisions wrt credit cards this year, based on my present lifestyle and informed choices.

• Learning to use CCs more often and leverage them in a better and more refined manner, courtesy TF family and other CC blogs/sites.
• Getting Infinia Add-on for a close relative, who definitely benefitted a lot from it.
• Buying gold/diamond jewellery through CCs for good chunk of RPs.
• Declining the Amex Plat Charge offer. As of now, it does nor suit my lifestyle. Hence this considered call, even though for 1st year, it is as good as free.
• Declining Kiwi CC offer. As I am having approx. 80% - 90% of my current expenditure on my CCs (Infinia Metal, BPCL SBI Octane, Amex Plat Travel), was finding it difficult to justify this card for some of my UPI spends, even though it is LTF.
• Declining ICICI Amazon Pay CC - again for similar reasons as above (even if its LTF, where will I use it and how much, etc).
• Learning about plethora of things/topics which were hitherto fore unknown to me - like CIBIL (I didn't know anything about CIBIL prior to 2024, had just vaguely heard about it); airmiles (haven't utilised this option thus far, so still taking baby steps in this direction); EMI options (like taking them and then cancelling them immediately thereafter to gain more RPs/benefits etc); numerous CC offers (still learning to leverage these offers as per my requirement and lifestyle, and not just jumping into the bandwagon merely because everyone else is doing it etc); etc.
• Sometimes, just using cash for some small transaction, so as not to get trapped in the "CC mentality" and retain the old life charm

So, yes, the CC journey continues unabated.

Hope this helps. 🙂

 

[Virtual King]

Let us all agree the fact that everyone makes mistakes and no one is perfect.

This reminds me - for this very reason, I had compiled a small booklet titled "Nuggets of Wisdom" which is available here, for all those who are interested. It might offer some insights into avoiding some "mistakes" as one calls it.

Hope this helps too. 🙂

 

[dexter_greycells]

Increasing my credit limits every time a free credit limit increase was offered by all my banks even though I would almost never ever need that high a credit limit. I discovered there is a thing called being 'over-leveraged' thanks to that fellow on TF whose SBI credit card application was turned down for that reason.

 

[✪ D&C Cards Connoisseur 💳]

let us share our financial and credit card mistakes and regrets of 2025

Biggest mistake - Closing SBI SimplyClick CC for getting SBI IRCTC and now flagged as Over-Leverage.
Another mistake - Closing HDFC Swiggy LTF, regretting after coming to know cashback works for gold coin purchase as well.

Achievement - Grabbing LTF all 3 ICICI Sapphiro, 3 ICICI Emaralde and Rubyx Rupay within a timespan of 2 months (January & February). Also securing Apay ICICI CC again even after closing it 1 year back.

Learned the term and basic of 'Overleverage' .

All I wanted to say to this lovely community is a big

 

[HumorSimpson]

Biggest mistake - Closing SBI Cashback CC for getting SBI IRCTC and now flagged as Over-Leverage.

I have always been saying that closing SBI CB even if it is paid, is the second financial mistake that one shouldn't commit ever.

My Credit Card Experiences This Year
Sharing some of my CC experiences, this year.
Whether good or bad, whether mistakes or regrets or correct decisions - the brooding and pondering is still on. But I am sanguine and contented that I have taken these decisions wrt credit cards this year, based on my present lifestyle and informed choices.

• Learning to use CCs more often and leverage them in a better and more refined manner, courtesy TF family and other CC blogs/sites.
• Getting Infinia Add-on for a close relative, who definitely benefitted a lot from it.
• Buying gold/diamond jewellery through CCs for good chunk of RPs.
• Declining the Amex Plat Charge offer. As of now, it does nor suit my lifestyle. Hence this considered call, even though for 1st year, it is as good as free.
• Declining Kiwi CC offer. As I am having approx. 80% - 90% of my current expenditure on my CCs (Infinia Metal, BPCL SBI Octane, Amex Plat Travel), was finding it difficult to justify this card for some of my UPI spends, even though it is LTF.
• Declining ICICI Amazon Pay CC - again for similar reasons as above (even if its LTF, where will I use it and how much, etc).
• Learning about plethora of things/topics which were hitherto fore unknown to me - like CIBIL (I didn't know anything about CIBIL prior to 2024, had just vaguely heard about it); airmiles (haven't utilised this option thus far, so still taking baby steps in this direction); EMI options (like taking them and then cancelling them immediately thereafter to gain more RPs/benefits etc); numerous CC offers (still learning to leverage these offers as per my requirement and lifestyle, and not just jumping into the bandwagon merely because everyone else is doing it etc); etc.
• Sometimes, just using cash for some small transaction, so as not to get trapped in the "CC mentality" and retain the old life charm

So, yes, the CC journey continues unabated.

Hope this helps. 🙂

Kudos for being very decisive in not going amex, kiwi, icici apay even thought they are free.

Increasing my credit limits every time a free credit limit increase was offered by all my banks even though I would almost never ever need that high a credit limit. I discovered there is a thing called being 'over-leveraged' thanks to that fellow on TF whose SBI credit card application was turned down for that reason.

Adding one more point to that, never apply an LTF card just because its free, some banks won't give second card and you will lose a good card offering . For instance, some people had some LTF variant of yes bank and couldn't get kiwi card.

 

[akshayhs]

Bookmarked this thread. May reply on or before 31st dec. I feel it's too early to post a reply.

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

Bookmarked this thread. May reply on or before 31st dec. I feel it's too early to post a reply.

Rocky Bhai 😄 😄
Year is not over yet, more mistakes to do before Dec 31 😂

 

[RAMESH BABU N]

2025 Mistakes - NONE

2025 Regrets - NONE

 

[msd07]

Using airtel axis card for gold purchase... would have got 1500 if used tatainfinity...

 

[neo.puneet]

I grabbed the horizon cc just for it’s welcome offer of 5000 edge miles and paid 3600₹ joining fees. Didn’t understand the terms of welcome benefits clearly and missed out on the welcome benefit and closed the card. So paid Axis ₹3600 for nothing. 😅

For anyone thinking of getting Horizon CC, make sure to transact for more than ₹1000 as the FIRST transaction within 30 days. It doesn’t work if you transact for less than 1k and then do a larger transaction as a second one.

 

[Giyu-san]

MISTAKE AND REGRET - Didn't apply to convert Citi PremierMiles to Citi Prestige before the migration despite having an offer.

 

[rajcasio]

@HumorSimpson I think he typed Cashback instead of Simplyclick 😉

 

[sunit123]

Mistake:
1. Multiple hard CIBIL hits by HDFC when i checked pre-approved offer.
2. opened Full KYC Apay wallet..got confused that apay gift card balance can be used for upi after full KYC wallet (AI suggested it can be done..FO to AI)...Another reason for confusion, Both gift and wallet balance are referred as apay balance only...it is very confusing....Anyways will retain apay wallet as it can be loaded @ just 0.5% from ICICI apay CC in emergency fund requirement which is just FD interest rate of 6% p.a.

Regret:
1. Joined CSB edge+ party late
2. Changed priorities to GV << Cash back << RP's late..i should have done it earlier.

 

[Dr.AMAN]

-Mistake: Got carried away by seeing Axis amex Privilege offer and applied for it, knowing that I might not be able to apply for another Axis CC for next 90 days.
- Regret: Axis stopped issuing new Atlas card the very next month. So by the time my 90 days period ended Atlas was long gone🥲. Atlas was in my preapproved cards list and was just 1 click away for the past 1yr.

 

[HumorSimpson]

2. Changed priorities to GV >> Cash back >> RP's late..i should have done it earlier.

Means you moved from CB to reward points now?