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Maximizing Rewards and Minimizing Charges for Big Transactions (Rent & iPhone Purchase) – Strategy Advice Needed!

vaibhav111

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I’m facing a situation where I need to pay my 6-month office rent of ₹1.3L and am planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro by January 2025 (not sure if I’ll get the 256GB or 512GB variant so that the amount will range from ₹1.2L to ₹1.49L). I also have the Amex annual fee due on 18th January 2025. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to maximize rewards and minimize charges, while keeping things flexible.

Here are the key points:

  • HDFC Infinia gives better rewards through smartbuy i know you know and I need to hit ₹1.8L more to achieve the ₹4L milestone on amex. I could easily hit this milestone with the rent only if i used amex and rest 67k i have 2-3 month to figure it out.
  • I’ve used Mobikwik for 1.6L till now via amex plat, but for this ₹1.3L, the charges come to around ₹3900. I previously used Housing for smaller amounts and took the money into my account. However, I don’t have the DOB of the person I have to transferred rent to—just their PAN card. education route via hoauing is also seem cheaper for me it 630/- for 1.3L
  • SmartBuy/MyImagineStore EMI calculator shows charges for the iPhone purchase, so no-cost EMI doesn't seem like an option there. i could buy iPhone 16 pro and get 4K cashback also call amex tell them give me 1.5L spend in 90 days so would complete 1.9L milestone in 90 days + 10k MR points.
  • Other Credit Cards: Most of my other cards don’t offer rewards on wallet loads.
  • Mobikwik Wallet Cashback: I could split the ₹1.3L into smaller transactions (e.g., ₹30K) for 1% cashback, but that feels like chump change in the bigger picture. i have till Monday to pay the rent cause I'm like 2 week late cause he didn't ask for rent payment and i didn't ask for rent invoice either.
  • Amex: If Amex was integrated with BBPS, the charges would be close to nil, but that’s unfortunately not the case right now.
My goal is to:

  1. Maximize rewards, preferably on my HDFC Infinia i guess but also want to complete 4L milestone though.
  2. Minimize transaction charges for both the rent.
  3. Avoid excessive Mobikwik or wallet loading charges while still getting some benefits. (i don't think it possible but then that my gut feeling there could some thing i may not be aware of)
Would love to hear any advice or alternative strategies from the community

Thanks in advance!
 
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vaibhav111 said:
I’m facing a situation where I need to pay my 6-month office rent of ₹1.3L and am planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro by January 2025 (not sure if I’ll get the 256GB or 512GB variant so that the amount will range from ₹1.2L to ₹1.49L). I also have the Amex annual fee due on 18th January 2025. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to maximize rewards and minimize charges, while keeping things flexible.

Here are the key points:

  • HDFC Infinia gives better rewards through smartbuy i know you know and I need to hit ₹1.8L more to achieve the ₹4L milestone on amex. I could easily hit this milestone with the rent only if i used amex and rest 67k i have 2-3 month to figure it out.
  • I’ve used Mobikwik for 1.6L till now via amex plat, but for this ₹1.3L, the charges come to around ₹3900. I previously used Housing for smaller amounts and took the money into my account. However, I don’t have the DOB of the person I have to transferred rent to—just their PAN card. education route via hoauing is also seem cheaper for me it 630/- for 1.3L
  • SmartBuy/MyImagineStore EMI calculator shows charges for the iPhone purchase, so no-cost EMI doesn't seem like an option there. i could buy iPhone 16 pro and get 4K cashback also call amex tell them give me 1.5L spend in 90 days so would complete 1.9L milestone in 90 days + 10k MR points.
  • Other Credit Cards: Most of my other cards don’t offer rewards on wallet loads.
  • Mobikwik Wallet Cashback: I could split the ₹1.3L into smaller transactions (e.g., ₹30K) for 1% cashback, but that feels like chump change in the bigger picture. i have till Monday to pay the rent cause I'm like 2 week late cause he didn't ask for rent payment and i didn't ask for rent invoice either.
  • Amex: If Amex was integrated with BBPS, the charges would be close to nil, but that’s unfortunately not the case right now.
My goal is to:

  1. Maximize rewards, preferably on my HDFC Infinia i guess but also want to complete 4L milestone though.
  2. Minimize transaction charges for both the rent.
  3. Avoid excessive Mobikwik or wallet loading charges while still getting some benefits. (i don't think it possible but then that my gut feeling there could some thing i may not be aware of)
Would love to hear any advice or alternative strategies from the community

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
I would love to pitch in and help you out, but unfortunately, I'm clueless about those big cards. Nonetheless, very well-written post 👍
 
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vaibhav111 said:
I’m facing a situation where I need to pay my 6-month office rent of ₹1.3L and am planning to upgrade to the iPhone 16 Pro by January 2025 (not sure if I’ll get the 256GB or 512GB variant so that the amount will range from ₹1.2L to ₹1.49L). I also have the Amex annual fee due on 18th January 2025. Now, I'm trying to figure out how to maximize rewards and minimize charges, while keeping things flexible.

Here are the key points:

  • HDFC Infinia gives better rewards through smartbuy i know you know and I need to hit ₹1.8L more to achieve the ₹4L milestone on amex. I could easily hit this milestone with the rent only if i used amex and rest 67k i have 2-3 month to figure it out.
  • I’ve used Mobikwik for 1.6L till now via amex plat, but for this ₹1.3L, the charges come to around ₹3900. I previously used Housing for smaller amounts and took the money into my account. However, I don’t have the DOB of the person I have to transferred rent to—just their PAN card. education route via hoauing is also seem cheaper for me it 630/- for 1.3L
  • SmartBuy/MyImagineStore EMI calculator shows charges for the iPhone purchase, so no-cost EMI doesn't seem like an option there. i could buy iPhone 16 pro and get 4K cashback also call amex tell them give me 1.5L spend in 90 days so would complete 1.9L milestone in 90 days + 10k MR points.
  • Other Credit Cards: Most of my other cards don’t offer rewards on wallet loads.
  • Mobikwik Wallet Cashback: I could split the ₹1.3L into smaller transactions (e.g., ₹30K) for 1% cashback, but that feels like chump change in the bigger picture. i have till Monday to pay the rent cause I'm like 2 week late cause he didn't ask for rent payment and i didn't ask for rent invoice either.
  • Amex: If Amex was integrated with BBPS, the charges would be close to nil, but that’s unfortunately not the case right now.
My goal is to:

  1. Maximize rewards, preferably on my HDFC Infinia i guess but also want to complete 4L milestone though.
  2. Minimize transaction charges for both the rent.
  3. Avoid excessive Mobikwik or wallet loading charges while still getting some benefits. (i don't think it possible but then that my gut feeling there could some thing i may not be aware of)
Would love to hear any advice or alternative strategies from the community

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
Following @SSV might help. I'm also clueless about those big cards.
 
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vaibhav111 said:
brother ssv have mentioned he followed mobikwik route and paid of 2.95% charges for 4L spend i think or he used mobikwik to help him reach 4L milestone quickly in some 2-4 months time.
Click to expand...
As of now, we all know the issue of amex not integrated to BBPS. Until that happens this is what I am doing.

1) load into MK using plat travel.
First 15k of the month it is 2.5% charges. Later on 2.95%
Out of this, we get ₹50 immediate CB using century code.
We can get CC payment CB or 1% via Cred payment via SBLBR..
So the net cost would be around 1.75%

Not bad for a return of around 5% on plat travel

2) Load into apay gv balance by buying apay GVs via amzn and P+ . This doesn't cost anything..

I do about 50 - 50 between MK and AGV and meet 4L plat travel milestone.

Already did 1.5L for this year in the first 2 months.
Will get my fee reimbursed soon and also will get 1.5k spend based offer on my 50k spend recently I got.so effectively my MK loads are free because of this 1.5k spend based offer..

Essentially there will be ways to get around if we look in deep.
Enjoy..
Have fun..
 
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SSV said:
Will get my fee reimbursed soon and also will get 1.5k spend based offer on my 50k spend recently I got.so effectively my MK loads are free because of this 1.5k spend based offer..
Click to expand...
that was for just amazon gv that we need tp buy from amex reward or something else may be it was targeted offer so I'm not sure if i missed it.


SSV said:
We can get CC payment CB or 1% via Cred payment via SBLBR..
Click to expand...
so via SBLBR i have 1.25L bill already generated need to pay on or before 1st of next month so how to get his thing it seem a Saving account from SBI isn't it ? some have mentioned this but i wasn't sure if it worthy so do calculate on 1.25L i would get full 1% CB or something like that?


SSV said:
Load into apay gv balance by buying apay GVs via amzn and P+ . This doesn't cost anything..
Click to expand...
P+ need a thread link explaining how it can usefully i think 10k max we can buy from amex portal but then we can buy from amazon apay too!
 
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vaibhav111 said:
via SBLBR i have 1.25L bill already generated need to pay on or before 1st of next month so how to get his thing it seem a Saving account from SBI isn't it ? some have mentioned this but i wasn't sure if it worthy so do calculate on 1.25L i would get full 1% CB or something like that?
Click to expand...
SBLBR = 🪓 liberty account
 
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