Just came across this thread and enjoyed reading it.
My spending pattern:
I don’t follow a strict spending plan—many of my expenses are spontaneous or miscellaneous. However, most of my regular spending revolves around utilities, groceries, and UPI transactions at local shops. Travel and hotel stays are rare at the moment, but I do appreciate the lifestyle benefits that some credit cards offer. While I’m not focused on luxury travel right now, I might consider upgrading in the future.
Also, I’m not a voucher person. Getting vouchers every month for Amazon Pay, Swiggy, Apollo Pharmacy, Myntra, etc., feels like extra work, and I often don’t like it that way (a bit of a behavioral issue, maybe). I don’t think the value and returns are significant enough to justify the effort, but I could be wrong on this.
My Existing cards: All my current cards are lifetime free, though I don’t actively use all of them.
- ICICI Amazon Pay – My oldest card. While I don’t use it much these days, it’s still great for 5% cashback on Amazon (flights & hotels), 2% on bill payments/utilities, and an unconditional 1% cashback on all other spends without capping.
- ICICI Sapphiro – Primarily used only for the BOGO BMS offer, though movie outings are rare.
- HDFC Swiggy – One of my primary cards. I use it both on Swiggy and for general spends. The cashback structure is straightforward, and the quarterly milestone benefits are an added plus.
- HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Rupay – My most-used card, covering almost 90% of my spends via UPI. The 1.5% cashback on the Neu app is useful, though BigBasket’s vegetable quality has been disappointing. Customer support is responsive, but the overall experience could be better.
- Federal Celesta – Chose this for complimentary lounge access without a spend requirement, though I don’t use it regularly.
- IndusInd Tiger – Got this for the free movie ticket (up to ₹500) every six months, though I haven’t used it yet! Also offers lounge access without spending criteria, and I still need to request my Priority Pass from customer care.
My wishlist:
I would like to have the following cards, preferably LTF. Given my moderate spending, I don’t see myself going for high-end premium cards like Infinia, EPM, DCBM, or M4B, which require ₹10-15L annual spends. I am still a mid-range person, not the premium high spender. I also have a bit of hesitation with Amex—maybe a mental block, but for now, I’m keeping it out of my list.
Here are the three cards I’d like for my primary use:
- ICICI Emeralde PVC
- HDFC Tata Neu Infinity
- HDFC Regalia Gold
For backups, I’d continue holding these:
- ICICI Amazon Pay
- HDFC Swiggy
- Federal Celesta
- IndusInd Tiger
This setup would comfortably cover all my spending needs while keeping things simple and efficient!
