Suggest to consolidate or close and optimize my cards

[cardio_guy]

Hey All,
I'm taking another look at my card collection. I'm considering closing or consolidating some cards, or maybe switching to more efficient ones for all my needs.
Just to give you some background, I started this card journey back in November 2022. It's been almost 2 years now and I've applied for and closed quite a few cards along the way. So here's where I'm at:

Spends:

• - For my daily expenses, grocery shopping, and offline UPI payments, I spend around 25k per month.
• - When it comes to Amazon purchases, I use it for all my water and electricity payments, as well as some grocery shopping and other stuff.
• - Swiggy is my go-to for most grocery shopping, Instamart, Genie, and Dineout.
• - Occasionally, I use Jio Mart if there are items I can't find on Amazon or Swiggy.
• - I pay around 12k per quarter for LIC premiums.
• - Fuel costs me around 10k per month.
• - I travel by train or flight once a month, usually spending no more than 20k for a round trip.
• - I don't stay in hotels regularly, maybe once a quarter or 3-4 times a year, and never for more than 2-3 days.
• - Miscellaneous expenses amount to around 20k per month.

As for bank accounts:
- I have my salary account with ICICI Bank.
- For all other purposes, I use SBI as my savings account.

Credit Cards:

Card	Limit, Fee	Uses
ICICI Amazon Pay	10L, LTF	Primarily for all Amazon purchases, and other miscellaneous. Mainly because direct cashback to Amazon Pay Wallet which I can use for purchases.
ICICI Sapphiro	10L, LTF	For B1G1 movie offers, and Lounge Access. But spends are considerably less on this now.
ICICI Coral Rupay	LTF, 10L Shared with Sapphiro	Not using. No impact even if I close this.
HDFC Swiggy	1.24L, 500 + 500 (waived for 2L annual spend)	Mainly for Swiggy Genie, Instamart, and Swiggy food. 10% cashback. Also for other online purchases. (Mostly to meet 2L limit)
Federal Celesta	5L, LTF	For Lounge access. Now a days Federal is giving lot of offers on their cards. Haven't used much, but I am thinking of using this looking at the rewards/cashbacks/points.
Federal Wave Rupay	5L, LTF, shared with Celesta	This is my primary UPI card, linked to Google Pay. Using it for all UPI scans.

I just need one or two cards. Any better alternatives? Or this is enough? Kindly suggest.

 

[cardio_guy]

check these:

1, Milestone card: Ex: Platinum Travel on 4L spends, you'll get 6% (in amzn vouchers) + 10k taj voucher, if you want to utilize else do trade or ignore for base calculation.

works for: amznpay utilities + amzn shopping + voucher related online (myntra and others) + fuel + travel.. based on #14 apprx. 33k per month

(this is when purchased voucher anywhere, fuel anywhere.. amex site provides 3x which is upto 8%).

2, TataNue Infinity: Currently for your cash alternative. Provides 3.5%.. based on #14 apprx. 23k per month

works for: UPI shopping spends + utilities + bb

3, Axis Airtel: For Swiggy 5k/pm, and utilites 2.5k/pm (apprx. 9%)

works for: swiggy + utilities

4, HSBC Live+: 10k/pm

works for: Grocery, Dining

# CB or Equivalent amzn voucher POV.

Thanks 🙏 this is a great suggestion.
I will look into them and choose the optimal ones. Like you say it's evolving and I am prepared to face the changes. Thanks a lot again.

 

[helloworld]

Thanks 🙏 this is a great suggestion.
I will look into them and choose the optimal ones. Like you say it's evolving and I am prepared to face the changes. Thanks a lot again.

You're a travel required person, then do consider Atlas, Regalia Gold or Marquee might help those short trips.

 

[0xpratyush]

@cardio_guy So detailed thead.. this will surely help many in coming days.

 

[cardio_guy]

@cardio_guy So detailed thead.. this will surely help many in coming days.

Thank you! This thread reflects the evolution of our family expenses and card journey.
If you look at the initial posts, they were a bit crude and unclear. However, by the time I reached post #14, things became much clearer.
With my current lifestyle, I feel I've reached the peak of my card journey. I'll revisit and update this thread whenever I cross any new milestones in life.

 

[cardio_guy]

Finally, I'm ending 2024 with just 2 cards for all spends - HDFC Swiggy and HDFC Tata Neu Infinity. Both of these cards have been great for me. I'm actually starting to like the Neu card. There have been a few limitations such as being limited to Tata environment and locked in Tata brands, as well as neu coins not unlocking together. However, the reward rates of 10%, 5%, and 1.5% for UPI scans have been really good for me. As someone who uses a cashback card for normal spending, this is more than enough. I'm slowly phasing out my other cards, unless it's absolutely necessary (like for a B1G1 movie offer or lounge access).

 

[helloworld]

Finally, I'm ending 2024 with just 2 cards for all spends - HDFC Swiggy and HDFC Tata Neu Infinity. Both of these cards have been great for me. I'm actually starting to like the Neu card. There have been a few limitations such as being limited to Tata environment and locked in Tata brands, as well as neu coins not unlocking together. However, the reward rates of 10%, 5%, and 1.5% for UPI scans have been really good for me. As someone who uses a cashback card for normal spending, this is more than enough. I'm slowly phasing out my other cards, unless it's absolutely necessary (like for a B1G1 movie offer or lounge access).

did you closed others?

 

[cardio_guy]

did you closed others?

HSBC platinum is in the process of getting closed. Keeping other cards.

• Amazon Pay ICICI - Not using anymore. Swiggy HDFC has taken over this place.
• ICICI Sapphiro - Using only for B1G1 movie ticket booking up to Rs 1000 in BMS (maybe once in 3-4 months)
• Federal Celesta - Using only for airport lounge access.
• Indusind Tiger - Using only for airport lounge access and BMS one ticket (Rs 500/-) free once in 6 months.

 

[newinnov]

HSBC platinum is in the process of getting closed. Keeping other cards.

• Amazon Pay ICICI - Not using anymore. Swiggy HDFC has taken over this place.
• ICICI Sapphiro - Using only for B1G1 movie ticket booking up to Rs 1000 in BMS (maybe once in 3-4 months)
• Federal Celesta - Using only for airport lounge access.
• Indusind Tiger - Using only for airport lounge access and BMS one ticket (Rs 500/-) free once in 6 months.

you may get a card for grocery too, instead of closing HSBC convert it to Live+