How did you move from cashback to reward points card? Share your story

[Slayer]

Sharing some more thoughts.
The journey to move to point based card is still on, and in progress. But like I told in the previous posts, I have been thinking of some ways to use the cards effectively and with less headaches and mental space. Like I told I am a non-frequent traveller, and optimizing and juicing out maximum on things like Accor china program and all is not at all for me. That's not my cup of tea. Card spend strategy is always personal, it depends on a lot of things like - cards held, spend categories, spend amounts, reward or return preferences etc.
Like I told I had been always a cashback person, and there was a huge inertia to move out of it. It is not very easy for someone who enjoys cashbacks to move to other forms of rewards. But as we keep adding better cards, our card strategy keeps evolving. As of now I have a short term plan, and later when I get more reward point based cards, I will need to alter it a bit.

Do not touch the 5% and 10% categories. There are some cards and some categories where I get these higher cashback returns. I plan to kepe them intact, without touching for now.
Like for example, Swiggy spends using HDFC Swiggy card - 10% cashback.
Utilities, mobile recharges, insurance etc using Neu infinity card - 5% neu coins.
Keep these things as is, no need to change this for now.

There are a lot of spend categories where I get no returns, or very less returns (like 1 - 1.5%) It is good to target these categories first. Main ones are like offline card swipes, fuel spends etc. Move them to reward based card. That's the first move. The card that I am talking about is Axis Atlas. This will be my entry to the voucher game as well. This will be a test case to buy HP Pay voucher and pay using HP app. Planning to keep Atlas as primary card for all non-excluded categories.

This setup will change when a HDFC point based card will come into my collection. That time, I need to consider 2-3 things - Smartbuy spends for hotels, Myntra and other vouchers.

Second change in the setup is when I need to maximise Mariott usage. Till I get Atlas, Mariott is the primary card for MB points. It will be replaced by Atlas, then some excluded categories of Atlas will be taken over by RG. In another excpetional scneario where a big spend can cover many milestones of Atlas, then all the above plans will change. In that case, Atlas will move out and MB/RG will move in. Anyway, exciting times ahead.

What about the phone black card coming into the picture>

 

[cardio_guycardio_guy is verified member.]

What about the phone black card coming into the picture>

No I am not taking that. Realized that not everyone needs that card. The only highlight I could see there is 10% cashback on insurance spends through phonepe. Just for that purpose, I don't need that card -- because my insurance spends are not that high. And Neu infinity gives 5% on insurance, that's enough. I haven't installed phonepe ever, and I need to start from scratch, which I don't need. Rest of my cards fulfill my spends and returns, so keeping it aside for now.

 

[Slayer]

No I am not taking that. Realized that not everyone needs that card. The only highlight I could see there is 10% cashback on insurance spends through phonepe. Just for that purpose, I don't need that card -- because my insurance spends are not that high. And Neu infinity gives 5% on insurance, that's enough. I haven't installed phonepe ever, and I need to start from scratch, which I don't need. Rest of my cards fulfill my spends and returns, so keeping it aside for now.

That also gives 10% on any bbps payment made via phonepe along with flights

 

[HumorSimpson]

That also gives 10% on any bbps payment made via phonepe along with flights

what about inconvenience fee ? heard its ~1% ?

 

[Slayer]

what about inconvenience fee ? heard its ~1% ?

Friend who is working there said that if any employee applied for cuckdfc ultimo card then not eligible for black card 🤣
Inconvenience fees will slowly be implemented ~ no roadmap as such for this year
Currently card is only available for phonepe employees through a different channel