I've been reviewing my recent spends to see if it makes sense to upgrade or add new credit cards for better value. I'd appreciate your views on this.
Goal:
Derive good value from my spends while keeping things simple — I’m okay managing 2–3 cards and doing some tracking.
With the current market, Infinia seems like a decent long-term target. I’m also open to cards like Amex or Atlas, but they would divert spending away from HDFC.
That said, Atlas seems more rewarding for travel, which isn’t a primary spend category for me. I'm not familiar with Amex yet.
Current Annual Spends: ~ ₹12 Lakhs
(Expecting growth due to family expenses, lifestyle inflation, and travel.)
HDFC Spending & Limit:
HDFC Spends (Last 6 months): ₹4.6L (₹4L in last 4 months)
HDFC Credit Limit: < ₹6L
Current Cards:
HDFC Millennia
HDFC Tata Neu
HDFC Swiggy
Kotak Myntra
ICICI Amazon Pay
All are lifetime free.
Upgrade Options:
Regalia Gold (LTF) upgrade offer for Millennia is available. I don’t think it’s worth it — the return is similar, with more hassle. Also, I’d need to shift my AGV (Amazon Pay Gift Voucher) spending to other cards, further limiting RG usage, reducing upgrade prospects.
Plan: Will try for DCB upgrade — aiming to meet the ₹5L spend requirement.
Major spend categories:
Category
Spend%
Amount (₹)
Amazon GV (Util, Insurance, Misc)
33%
3,95,000
Flipkart, Myntra Shopping
16%
1,89,000
Hotels / Flights
10%
1,18,000
Gold (Myntra, Tanishq GV)
8%
94,000
Offline Transactions
14%
1,70,000
PS: I'll add a breakdown of spends in the first reply, kindly refrain from replying to that message as I would like to delete it later.
Rewards Overview:
Estimated Rewards Based on Current Spends:
Card Type
Approx. Value (₹)
Cashback Cards
54,400
DCB
88,856
Infinia
1,31,384
Note: DCB shows ~60% higher rewards vs. cashback cards, but rewards are in miles/points, so there’s a learning curve.
Summary:
DCB seems like a good choice and a stepping stone to Infinia (post credit limit increase, <6L as of now).
I won't hit the ₹4L quarterly milestone. (maybe once a year, if stars align).
Should be able to get the annual fee waived (not keen on paying ₹10K).
SmartBuy usage will likely increase with lifestyle upgrades.
I’m open to using the card for rent payments if they’re net-zero or rewarding. (Optional)
I might also buy a car later this year or next, but not sure if the merchant will accept cards.
Doubts:
Is DCB the best fit for now, or should I consider Amex, Atlas, or other alternatives? [kindly suggest]
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Are there any other changes I could make to optimize returns?
I've been reviewing my recent spends to see if it makes sense to upgrade or add new credit cards for better value. I'd appreciate your views on this.
Goal:
Derive good value from my spends while keeping things simple — I’m okay managing 2–3 cards and doing some tracking.
With the current market, Infinia seems like a decent long-term target. I’m also open to cards like Amex or Atlas, but they would divert spending away from HDFC.
That said, Atlas seems more rewarding for travel, which isn’t a primary spend category for me. I'm not familiar with Amex yet.
Current Annual Spends: ~ ₹12 Lakhs
(Expecting growth due to family expenses, lifestyle inflation, and travel.)
HDFC Spending & Limit:
HDFC Spends (Last 6 months): ₹4.6L (₹4L in last 4 months)
HDFC Credit Limit: < ₹6L
Current Cards:
HDFC Millennia
HDFC Tata Neu
HDFC Swiggy
Kotak Myntra
ICICI Amazon Pay
Upgrade Options:
Regalia Gold (LTF) upgrade offer for Millennia is available. I don’t think it’s worth it — the return is similar, with more hassle. Also, I’d need to shift my AGV (Amazon Pay Gift Voucher) spending to other cards, further limiting RG usage, reducing upgrade prospects.
Plan: Will try for DCB upgrade — aiming to meet the ₹5L spend requirement.
Major spend categories:
Category
Spend%
Amount (₹)
Amazon GV (Util, Insurance, Misc)
33%
3,95,000
Flipkart, Myntra Shopping
16%
1,89,000
Hotels / Flights
10%
1,18,000
Gold (Myntra, Tanishq GV)
8%
94,000
Offline Transactions
14%
1,70,000
PS: I'll add a breakdown of spends in the first reply, kindly refrain from replying to that message as I would like to delete it later.
Rewards Overview:
Estimated Rewards Based on Current Spends:
Card Type
Approx. Value (₹)
Cashback Cards
54,400
DCB
88,856
Infinia
1,31,384
Note: DCB shows ~60% higher rewards vs. cashback cards, but rewards are in miles/points, so there’s a learning curve.
Summary:
DCB seems like a good choice and a stepping stone to Infinia (post credit limit increase, <6L as of now).
I won't hit the ₹4L quarterly milestone. (maybe once a year, if stars align).
Should be able to get the annual fee waived (not keen on paying ₹10K).
SmartBuy usage will likely increase with lifestyle upgrades.
I’m open to using the card for rent payments if they’re net-zero or rewarding. (Optional)
I might also buy a car later this year or next, but not sure if the merchant will accept cards.
Doubts:
Is DCB the best fit for now, or should I consider Amex, Atlas, or other alternatives? [kindly suggest]
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Are there any other changes I could make to optimize returns?
Consolidate HDFC spends on Millennia only, stop using Tata Neu unless NeuCoins are valuable. Amex/Atlas not needed unless travel becomes >25% of spends.
I've been reviewing my recent spends to see if it makes sense to upgrade or add new credit cards for better value. I'd appreciate your views on this.
Goal:
Derive good value from my spends while keeping things simple — I’m okay managing 2–3 cards and doing some tracking.
With the current market, Infinia seems like a decent long-term target. I’m also open to cards like Amex or Atlas, but they would divert spending away from HDFC.
That said, Atlas seems more rewarding for travel, which isn’t a primary spend category for me. I'm not familiar with Amex yet.
Current Annual Spends: ~ ₹12 Lakhs
(Expecting growth due to family expenses, lifestyle inflation, and travel.)
HDFC Spending & Limit:
HDFC Spends (Last 6 months): ₹4.6L (₹4L in last 4 months)
HDFC Credit Limit: < ₹6L
Current Cards:
HDFC Millennia
HDFC Tata Neu
HDFC Swiggy
Kotak Myntra
ICICI Amazon Pay
All are lifetime free.
Upgrade Options:
Regalia Gold (LTF) upgrade offer for Millennia is available. I don’t think it’s worth it — the return is similar, with more hassle. Also, I’d need to shift my AGV (Amazon Pay Gift Voucher) spending to other cards, further limiting RG usage, reducing upgrade prospects.
Plan: Will try for DCB upgrade — aiming to meet the ₹5L spend requirement.
Major spend categories:
Category
Spend%
Amount (₹)
Amazon GV (Util, Insurance, Misc)
33%
3,95,000
Flipkart, Myntra Shopping
16%
1,89,000
Hotels / Flights
10%
1,18,000
Gold (Myntra, Tanishq GV)
8%
94,000
Offline Transactions
14%
1,70,000
PS: I'll add a breakdown of spends in the first reply, kindly refrain from replying to that message as I would like to delete it later.
Rewards Overview:
Estimated Rewards Based on Current Spends:
Card Type
Approx. Value (₹)
Cashback Cards
54,400
DCB
88,856
Infinia
1,31,384
Note: DCB shows ~60% higher rewards vs. cashback cards, but rewards are in miles/points, so there’s a learning curve.
Summary:
DCB seems like a good choice and a stepping stone to Infinia (post credit limit increase, <6L as of now).
I won't hit the ₹4L quarterly milestone. (maybe once a year, if stars align).
Should be able to get the annual fee waived (not keen on paying ₹10K).
SmartBuy usage will likely increase with lifestyle upgrades.
I’m open to using the card for rent payments if they’re net-zero or rewarding. (Optional)
I might also buy a car later this year or next, but not sure if the merchant will accept cards.
Doubts:
Is DCB the best fit for now, or should I consider Amex, Atlas, or other alternatives? [kindly suggest]
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Are there any other changes I could make to optimize returns?
I've been reviewing my recent spends to see if it makes sense to upgrade or add new credit cards for better value. I'd appreciate your views on this.
Goal:
Derive good value from my spends while keeping things simple — I’m okay managing 2–3 cards and doing some tracking.
With the current market, Infinia seems like a decent long-term target. I’m also open to cards like Amex or Atlas, but they would divert spending away from HDFC.
That said, Atlas seems more rewarding for travel, which isn’t a primary spend category for me. I'm not familiar with Amex yet.
Current Annual Spends: ~ ₹12 Lakhs
(Expecting growth due to family expenses, lifestyle inflation, and travel.)
HDFC Spending & Limit:
HDFC Spends (Last 6 months): ₹4.6L (₹4L in last 4 months)
HDFC Credit Limit: < ₹6L
Current Cards:
HDFC Millennia
HDFC Tata Neu
HDFC Swiggy
Kotak Myntra
ICICI Amazon Pay
All are lifetime free.
Upgrade Options:
Regalia Gold (LTF) upgrade offer for Millennia is available. I don’t think it’s worth it — the return is similar, with more hassle. Also, I’d need to shift my AGV (Amazon Pay Gift Voucher) spending to other cards, further limiting RG usage, reducing upgrade prospects.
Plan: Will try for DCB upgrade — aiming to meet the ₹5L spend requirement.
Major spend categories:
Category
Spend%
Amount (₹)
Amazon GV (Util, Insurance, Misc)
33%
3,95,000
Flipkart, Myntra Shopping
16%
1,89,000
Hotels / Flights
10%
1,18,000
Gold (Myntra, Tanishq GV)
8%
94,000
Offline Transactions
14%
1,70,000
PS: I'll add a breakdown of spends in the first reply, kindly refrain from replying to that message as I would like to delete it later.
Rewards Overview:
Estimated Rewards Based on Current Spends:
Card Type
Approx. Value (₹)
Cashback Cards
54,400
DCB
88,856
Infinia
1,31,384
Note: DCB shows ~60% higher rewards vs. cashback cards, but rewards are in miles/points, so there’s a learning curve.
Summary:
DCB seems like a good choice and a stepping stone to Infinia (post credit limit increase, <6L as of now).
I won't hit the ₹4L quarterly milestone. (maybe once a year, if stars align).
Should be able to get the annual fee waived (not keen on paying ₹10K).
SmartBuy usage will likely increase with lifestyle upgrades.
I’m open to using the card for rent payments if they’re net-zero or rewarding. (Optional)
I might also buy a car later this year or next, but not sure if the merchant will accept cards.
Doubts:
Is DCB the best fit for now, or should I consider Amex, Atlas, or other alternatives? [kindly suggest]
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Are there any other changes I could make to optimize returns?
Just a small suggestion, try thinking of DCB Metal only if you can spend 8 lakhs in every year else you need to pay almost 12000 as card annual charges
Just a small suggestion, try thinking of DCB Metal only if you can spend 8 lakhs in every year else you need to pay almost 12000 as card annual charges
Yeah, that's the main red flag.
I should be able to reach 8L if I divert all my spends to it.
Lower acceptance may create some issues for a few large offline purchases.
But hopefully it would help me transfer some spends to HDFC, unlike Millennia, which has low rewards except few categories.
I've been reviewing my recent spends to see if it makes sense to upgrade or add new credit cards for better value. I'd appreciate your views on this.
Goal:
Derive good value from my spends while keeping things simple — I’m okay managing 2–3 cards and doing some tracking.
With the current market, Infinia seems like a decent long-term target. I’m also open to cards like Amex or Atlas, but they would divert spending away from HDFC.
That said, Atlas seems more rewarding for travel, which isn’t a primary spend category for me. I'm not familiar with Amex yet.
Current Annual Spends: ~ ₹12 Lakhs
(Expecting growth due to family expenses, lifestyle inflation, and travel.)
HDFC Spending & Limit:
HDFC Spends (Last 6 months): ₹4.6L (₹4L in last 4 months)
HDFC Credit Limit: < ₹6L
Current Cards:
HDFC Millennia
HDFC Tata Neu
HDFC Swiggy
Kotak Myntra
ICICI Amazon Pay
All are lifetime free.
Upgrade Options:
Regalia Gold (LTF) upgrade offer for Millennia is available. I don’t think it’s worth it — the return is similar, with more hassle. Also, I’d need to shift my AGV (Amazon Pay Gift Voucher) spending to other cards, further limiting RG usage, reducing upgrade prospects.
Plan: Will try for DCB upgrade — aiming to meet the ₹5L spend requirement.
Major spend categories:
Category
Spend%
Amount (₹)
Amazon GV (Util, Insurance, Misc)
33%
3,95,000
Flipkart, Myntra Shopping
16%
1,89,000
Hotels / Flights
10%
1,18,000
Gold (Myntra, Tanishq GV)
8%
94,000
Offline Transactions
14%
1,70,000
PS: I'll add a breakdown of spends in the first reply, kindly refrain from replying to that message as I would like to delete it later.
Rewards Overview:
Estimated Rewards Based on Current Spends:
Card Type
Approx. Value (₹)
Cashback Cards
54,400
DCB
88,856
Infinia
1,31,384
Note: DCB shows ~60% higher rewards vs. cashback cards, but rewards are in miles/points, so there’s a learning curve.
Summary:
DCB seems like a good choice and a stepping stone to Infinia (post credit limit increase, <6L as of now).
I won't hit the ₹4L quarterly milestone. (maybe once a year, if stars align).
Should be able to get the annual fee waived (not keen on paying ₹10K).
SmartBuy usage will likely increase with lifestyle upgrades.
I’m open to using the card for rent payments if they’re net-zero or rewarding. (Optional)
I might also buy a car later this year or next, but not sure if the merchant will accept cards.
Doubts:
Is DCB the best fit for now, or should I consider Amex, Atlas, or other alternatives? [kindly suggest]
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Are there any other changes I could make to optimize returns?
Let me keep it simple and try address your doubts
1. Amex (pls specify which Amex). Atlas is a travel oriented card while your travel expenses are meagre 10% and therefore you need revisit this combo.
Since you are high on online shopping with ~60% (Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra etc.) and 14% offline expense DCB, Infinia and EPM work you better given their base rate itself is 3.3%.
DCB comes with many benefits excellent lounge network, base rate, milestone benefits, accelerated rewards etc. if used well and specially with milestone benefits, it sometimes is better than Infinia. DCB downside: acceptability
2. Only 1 card spends considered for upgrade.
Yes merchant will accept. But most would Try to pass on some mdr hit. It depends on many factors - your negotiation skill, business size/mentality of merchant. But most important factor is which vehicle you are choosing. Shouldn't be too optimistic if you choose car in high demand- fortuner/hyrider, creta/seltos, dzire/gv/Brezza, nec etc. Don't disclose you want to use the cc from beginning. Ask for cash discount.
Also use cc for booking amount. Most wouldn't ask for mdr for booking amount. get mcc code to verify whether you'll get rewards on the card you're planning to use.
Does HDFC consider spends of 2 cards combined for the upgrade? As 70% of my spends fall in accelerated categories (~5%) with cashback cards, putting them all on Millennia for 1% seems counterproductive.
I've spent 4L in the last 4 months on Millenia + Tata Neu combined.
Generally they don't. But there are some lucky few who have convinced hdfc . One member was able to convince hdfc to look at tata neu spends instead of core card for infinnia upgrade .
