Is SBI Cashback Credit Card even worth it?

[card.enthusiast]

I have been tracking my expenses and cashback for last 8 months and I am not able to reconcile where they give 1% and where they give 5%.

When they say "online", it looks like purely Indian e-commerce sites like Flipkart, Amazon, and BigBasket qualify, and not really other places you pay on web. Places I've not gotten are- Tata AIG insurance, Google workspace account, Uber, Indeed premium, any charity (e.g. Goonj, Akshaypatra), Flynote vacations (received once, didn't receive second time), Agoda hotels, etc. This is approximation because my calculated numbers and their numbers don't exactly match.

Because of this uncertainty, my net cashback for last year is 2.6% even though I use this card exclusively online. This is less than 3.3% default from Diner Black where I don't have to think at all. Moreover in middle of month when I check I see one number, in the statement I see different number (even smaller), and in the credit I see even other different number than in the statement. When asking customer service, they sent generic response on which MCCs are eligible and which not. This doesn't explain why their own statement amount and credit amount are different.

I want to cancel this card. What am I missing?

 

[prashu]

which is the best time to apply cashback credit card.?
Last time i applied on Nov 18 and it was rejected on Jan 12.

 

[SSV]

which is the best time to apply cashback credit card.?
Last time i applied on Nov 18 and it was rejected on Jan 12.

March 2/ 3 week

 

[KUMARIPH]

I have been tracking my expenses and cashback for last 8 months and I am not able to reconcile where they give 1% and where they give 5%.

When they say "online", it looks like purely Indian e-commerce sites like Flipkart, Amazon, and BigBasket qualify, and not really other places you pay on web. Places I've not gotten are- Tata AIG insurance, Google workspace account, Uber, Indeed premium, any charity (e.g. Goonj, Akshaypatra), Flynote vacations (received once, didn't receive second time), Agoda hotels, etc. This is approximation because my calculated numbers and their numbers don't exactly match.

Because of this uncertainty, my net cashback for last year is 2.6% even though I use this card exclusively online. This is less than 3.3% default from Diner Black where I don't have to think at all. Moreover in middle of month when I check I see one number, in the statement I see different number (even smaller), and in the credit I see even other different number than in the statement. When asking customer service, they sent generic response on which MCCs are eligible and which not. This doesn't explain why their own statement amount and credit amount are different.

I want to cancel this card. What am I missing?

I agree. They randomly decline certain online transactions saying merchant is not registered / verified by them. Even when i purchased stuff like apparel on sites like Cashkaro they declined for some transactions and gave cashback on others. But on net basis i ended getting 2.7% cashback on online transactions. Given the uncertainty i have stopped using this card for large ticket transactions unless done on site like Flipkart, Amazon, etc.

 

[tachniki]

I agree. They randomly decline certain online transactions saying merchant is not registered / verified by them. Even when i purchased stuff like apparel on sites like Cashkaro they declined for some transactions and gave cashback on others. But on net basis i ended getting 2.7% cashback on online transactions. Given the uncertainty i have stopped using this card for large ticket transactions unless done on site like Flipkart, Amazon, etc.

Very surprised with people's experience here. They have very well mentioned the excluded mcc. Except once, i have never been surprised by them. One time I paid on Urban company. And I didn't realize that would have mcc code for utilities. But now when i think, mcc code is correctly applied.

There is another unexpected place I have got cashback thrice. I have mentioned twice already in this forum but no one agrees with me. 😁

 

[TheGuyTheGuy is verified member.]

But on net basis i ended getting 2.7% cashback

that is also very good. comparable to Infinia- DCB etc.

 

[NikhilG]

Is sbi cashback giving 5 percent on booking international flights via cleartrip?
What should I do, do a transaction of 36600 on sbi cashback via cleartrip or take a discount of 1500 on this via hdfc coupon and do transaction on hdfc millennia with 1 percent cashback. What would you guys have done in this case?

 

[tachniki]

Is sbi cashback giving 5 percent on booking international flights via cleartrip?
What should I do, do a transaction of 36600 on sbi cashback via cleartrip or take a discount of 1500 on this via hdfc coupon and do transaction on hdfc millennia with 1 percent cashback. What would you guys have done in this case?

Comes almost same either way. I will prefer discount anyday over cashback if savings is same.

 

[NikhilG]

Comes almost same either way. I will prefer discount anyday over cashback if savings is same.

I think it makes sense, but my millenia is anyways ltf but it helps my case in sbi reaching my annual spends requirements. Do you think this sbi cashback credit card is applicable for promotional discount as well. I think atleast somewhere in travel we are having sbi discount.
Did you try to redirect from skyscanner and paid via sbi cashback. Got cashback in that case?

 

[butaiiem]

From which website should I book train ticket to get 5% on sbi cashback CC?

 

[tachniki]

From which website should I book train ticket to get 5% on sbi cashback CC?

Get amazon gift card using sbi cashback. Then buy train ticket from amazon.

 

[ghost2050]

From which website should I book train ticket to get 5% on sbi cashback CC?

Make my trip, go ibibo, trainman

 

[NikhilG]

Are we getting 5 percent on agoda, airbnb and booking.con website?

 

[harsh_ujjwal]

SBI CB card is much much worth it….

SBI CB card is the best CB card in the market right now, with generous 5k per month limit @5% on online spends with clearly mentioned exclusions

Unless you have several transactions on a single day, it is quite easy to track whether you received 5% or not , as it posts CB immediately after transaction is settled in the accrual column.

SBI correctly follows MCC codes notified under exclusion list..
I have never faced any issues while accumulating my CB as below in a period of 12 months..

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It is the best card fr ppl like us bcz we cnt get Infinia😅

 

[SSV]

It is the best card fr ppl like us bcz we cnt get Infinia😅

In some cases it even beats Infinia.. Infinia in some cases gives only 3.5% where as SBI Cb card gives 5% CB..
it is the best card out there for general online purchases..

 

[harsh_ujjwal]

In some cases it even beats Infinia.. Infinia in some cases gives only 3.5% where as SBI Cb card gives 5% CB..
it is the best card out there for general online purchases..

You have that experience😂

 

[SSV]

You have that experience😂

I actaully use SBI CB card more often than Infinia for general online purposes...

 

[tachniki]

I actaully use SBI CB card more often than Infinia for general online purposes...

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For how long have you owned this card?

 

[NikhilG]

I actaully use SBI CB card more often than Infinia for general online purposes...

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But this card doesn't qualify for discount coupons like SBICC on cleartrip and goibibo. What do you think?

 

[SSV]

But this card doesn't qualify for discount coupons like SBICC on cleartrip and goibibo. What do you think?

there are exclusions for this card.. after considering those exclusions, this is one of the bet cards out there.

we need to use specific cards for specific purposes.. there is no "one size fits all" theory applies here..
"Horses for courses" applies here..

 

[NikhilG]

there are exclusions for this card.. after considering those exclusions, this is one of the bet cards out there.

we need to use specific cards for specific purposes.. there is no "one size fits all" theory applies here..
"Horses for courses" applies here..

Yes I agree with you 100 percent.
On my recent international tickets spend on cleartrip, I was forced to use my hdfc diners millenia credit card for availing coupon benefits. Would I still receive one percent points on my hdfc millennia credit card even though I used coupon?