Help me build my credit card portfolio

[bhavyakjain]

Hello

I am new to my credit card journey. I am looking to build my credit card portfolio. Some of my preferences at the moment are as follows:
1. Have atleast one core card of each bank.
2. As much as possible, keep only LTF cards. Unless the rewards really outshines the fees according to my usage.
3. Preferably cashback (statement credit) type cards as much as possible.

I am not much of a spender. So most often fee waiver milestones are not for me.

My details:
Net monthly salary : > 2L
CIBIL : 780

My current card portfolio:
1. ICICI Amazon Pay : 8.5L : Sep 22 : LTF
2. Axis ACE : 5L : Apr 23 : 499+GST
3. ICICI Coral : 12L : Mar 24 : LTF
4. AmEx Plat Travel : 8.93L : Mar 24 : FYF
5. Federal Celesta : ~7L : May 24 : LTF

I am looking for help regarding proper planning and strategy on how to build my portfolio.

Please do post any suggestions/feedback/tips if you have any for me.

Thanks

 

[Pissant]

Hello

I am new to my credit card journey. I am looking to build my credit card portfolio. Some of my preferences at the moment are as follows:
1. Have atleast one core card of each bank.
2. As much as possible, keep only LTF cards. Unless the rewards really outshines the fees according to my usage.
3. Preferably cashback (statement credit) type cards as much as possible.

I am not much of a spender. So most often fee waiver milestones are not for me.

My details:
Net monthly salary : > 2L
CIBIL : 780

My current card portfolio:
1. ICICI Amazon Pay : 8.5L : Sep 22 : LTF
2. Axis ACE : 5L : Apr 23 : 499+GST
3. ICICI Coral : 12L : Mar 24 : LTF
4. AmEx Plat Travel : 8.93L : Mar 24 : FYF
5. Federal Celesta : ~7L : May 24 : LTF

I am looking for help regarding proper planning and strategy on how to build my portfolio.

Please do post any suggestions/feedback/tips if you have any for me.

Thanks

Why do you have Amex Plat travel?

 

[bhavyakjain]

Why do you have Amex Plat travel?

I took it to use it for C2C
Will close before year completes

 

[drsel]

I took it to use it for C2C
Will close before year completes

Get Axis Airtel if you don't travel and Axis Atlas if you do

 

[bhavyakjain]

Get Axis Airtel if you don't travel and Axis Atlas if you do

Axis Airtel is not LTF though
What benefits does it give. I use QCE for utilities since my bills are more than Airtel capping

I don't travel much so not looking for paid Atleast. If LTF, I will definitely get

 

[bhavyakjain]

Hello

I am new to my credit card journey. I am looking to build my credit card portfolio. Some of my preferences at the moment are as follows:
1. Have atleast one core card of each bank.
2. As much as possible, keep only LTF cards. Unless the rewards really outshines the fees according to my usage.
3. Preferably cashback (statement credit) type cards as much as possible.

I am not much of a spender. So most often fee waiver milestones are not for me.

My details:
Net monthly salary : > 2L
CIBIL : 780

My current card portfolio:
1. ICICI Amazon Pay : 8.5L : Sep 22 : LTF
2. Axis ACE : 5L : Apr 23 : 499+GST
3. ICICI Coral : 12L : Mar 24 : LTF
4. AmEx Plat Travel : 8.93L : Mar 24 : FYF
5. Federal Celesta : ~7L : May 24 : LTF

I am looking for help regarding proper planning and strategy on how to build my portfolio.

Please do post any suggestions/feedback/tips if you have any for me.

Thanks

Some cards I am considering next:
1. HDFC Regalia Gold or Millenia
2. SBI Cashback or SimplyClick
3. ICICI Sapphiro
4. IDFC Wealth
5. IndusInd Pinnacle or Legend
6. Axis MyZone or Neo (not sure which is higher, mainly to get core card of Axis)
7. Standard Chartered Ultimate or Smart

 

[drsel]

Axis Airtel is not LTF though
What benefits does it give. I use QCE for utilities since my bills are more than Airtel capping

I don't travel much so not looking for paid Atleast. If LTF, I will definitely get

If capping is a problem for Airtel, you can get one Airtel in each family members name

 

[Pissant]

Some cards I am considering next:
1. HDFC Regalia Gold or Millenia
2. SBI Cashback or SimplyClick
3. ICICI Sapphiro
4. IDFC Wealth
5. IndusInd Pinnacle or Legend
6. Axis MyZone or Neo (not sure which is higher, mainly to get core card of Axis)
7. Standard Chartered Ultimate or Smart

Get Axis Neo LTF.

 

[Pissant]

and don't get SC Ultimate.

 

[drsel]

Some cards I am considering next:
1. HDFC Regalia Gold or Millenia
2. SBI Cashback or SimplyClick
3. ICICI Sapphiro
4. IDFC Wealth
5. IndusInd Pinnacle or Legend
6. Axis MyZone or Neo (not sure which is higher, mainly to get core card of Axis)
7. Standard Chartered Ultimate or Smart

1. Avoid Regalia gold, reward rate is poor.
2. Excellent card to get
3. Excellent if you get it lifetime free (for business school alumni it's LTF)
4. Not much benefit because Lounge access/spa has a spend requirement
5. Very low reward rate.
6. Axis got much better cards
7. In Ultimate the return is less than 3% because of 10% voucher discounting and redemption fee 117

 

[bhavyakjain]

1. Avoid Regalia gold, reward rate is poor.
2. Excellent card to get
3. Excellent if you get it lifetime free (for business school alumni it's LTF)
4. Not much benefit because Lounge access/spa has a spend requirement
5. Very low reward rate.
6. Axis got much better cards
7. In Ultimate the return is less than 3% because of 10% voucher discounting and redemption fee 117

1. Need one hdfc core card
2. Which Axis core card can I get as ltf
3. ICICI will try for next month, agent said will need 2L payslip for 2 months, so will try after June salary

 

[bhavyakjain]

If capping is a problem for Airtel, you can get one Airtel in each family members name

Can't get card for any other family members
I am sole earner

 

[bhavyakjain]

and don't get SC Ultimate.

Any reason?
Any alternative?

 

[Pissant]

Any reason?
Any alternative?

you really don't need a core card from every bank. Are you gonna get one from rbl too? Get the HSBC Cashback card instead or something.

 

[DaDarkkNight]

But still will you be able to pay the airtel bills partially?? Lets say broadband bill is 2k per month, you can't split it in airtel app and pay 1k separately..
Correct me if I am wrong

If capping is a problem for Airtel, you can get one Airtel in each family members name

 

[DaDarkkNight]

You can easily build your portfolio upto 10-15 cards considering your current score and salary. I also had a similar setup around 1 yr back, now having 15 cards total and done, without having any impact on cibil.
Nothing to worry about applying and getting more cards, just shortlist the ones you deem fit to your usage and you can easily get them
For hdfc, one word of advice, do not fall trap and get their entry level or any co branded card first. Try to procure the premium card first.
For amex, I would recommend getting another variant gold or mecc
Try getting AU Lit or AU Zenith as per your needs.
Get one or two SBI cards first, I would recommend cashback and any vistara card. SBI has got problem with very high limits for existing cards in cibil, so before the total limit shoots up further, get them.

 

[sauravkumar]

But still will you be able to pay the airtel bills partially?? Lets say broadband bill is 2k per month, you can't split it in airtel app and pay 1k separately..
Correct me if I am wrong

If you get any solution in future for splitting of bill and paying via Airtel Thanks app... Then please let me know!!😁😁

Facing same issue!!😔☝️

 

[bhavyakjain]

But still will you be able to pay the airtel bills partially?? Lets say broadband bill is 2k per month, you can't split it in airtel app and pay 1k separately..
Correct me if I am wrong

My broadband bill is 3k for 6 months
So useful for only 2 times a year
That too even less due to capping

So not much use for me
Axis ACE serves me better in that regard

 

[DaDarkkNight]

My broadband bill is 3k for 6 months
So useful for only 2 times a year
That too even less due to capping

So not much use for me
Axis ACE serves me better in that regard

yeah ofc, try getting the premium cards only first, basic cards only as per your needs, airtel axis/neo/myzone comes into a basic category. There is a reason why some cards are labelled premium or super premium, those cards don't fail when the spends are high, infact opposite, gives higher returns on higher spends, while basic cards like neo,myzone,airtel etc will stop giving any returns when you maximise spends

 

[bhavyakjain]

You can easily build your portfolio upto 10-15 cards considering your current score and salary. I also had a similar setup around 1 yr back, now having 15 cards total and done, without having any impact on cibil.
Nothing to worry about applying and getting more cards, just shortlist the ones you deem fit to your usage and you can easily get them
For hdfc, one word of advice, do not fall trap and get their entry level or any co branded card first. Try to procure the premium card first.
For amex, I would recommend getting another variant gold or mecc
Try getting AU Lit or AU Zenith as per your needs.
Get one or two SBI cards first, I would recommend cashback and any vistara card. SBI has got problem with very high limits for existing cards in cibil, so before the total limit shoots up further, get them.

I want to get sbi card
But they don't give LTF, so I have heard

I have good NRV~35L with SBI but still no use
Any trick to get SBI core card as LTF ?

Iam desperately trying to get one HDFC core card, but not getting LTF.
I am considering taking a secured FD based Millenia.
Any advice on this ?