Cashback Credit Card

About Cashback Credit Card in India

Who doesn’t like to get money for spending money! That is what cashback credit cards do! You earn cash back for making purchases on your credit card! Read on to learn more about these cards.

Why Should I Opt for A Cashback Credit Card?

Cashback Credit cards are immensely popular due to the opportunity to earn money while spending on your credit card. A cashback card is a direct and tangible monetary benefit – you can get the cashback as a credit on your monthly credit card statement; or you get actual cash deposited into your account, depending on your credit card.

Cashback Credit Cards – Features and Benefits

Types of expenditure: Some credit cards offer the same cashback rates across all purchases and categories. Other cards give higher cashback offers on certain spending categories, such as partner supermarket spends or fuel spends. A few credit cards offer cashback on purchases and monthly utility payments.

In all cases, the customers get back a certain percentage of the amount they spend on their cashback card. The percentage of cashback and the spending categories differ, but the most basic feature of all cashback cards is that you receive a percentage of your spending amount back as cash, either in the account of your choice or adjusted as credit on your monthly credit card bill. Depending on your card, the cashback amount per month is capped at a particular limit.

Here are some of the most popular cashback credit cards available in India and their benefits:

ICICI BANK SAVINGS AND REWARDS ON CORAL CREDIT CARD

The lifestyle credit cards issued by ICICI Bank offer cashback benefits through PAYBACK, a multi-partner loyalty program. The rewards on the ICICI Coral Credit Card include:

4 PAYBACK points on every Rs.100 spent on dining, groceries and at super markets.

2 PAYBACK points for ever Rs.100 spent on other transactions.

The PAYBACK points get accumulated every month and can be redeemed for either cash or gifts.

CITIBANK CASH BACK CREDIT CARD

This is also a popular card and offers the following benefits:

5% cash back on movie ticket purchases.

5% cash back if you pay your telephone bill using your Citibank credit card.

5% cash back on all your utility bills using your Citibank Online Bill Pay.

0.5% cash back on all the other transactions.

Your cash back appears automatically as a credit on your monthly statement

HDFC MONEY BACK CREDIT CARD

The HDFC Money Back Credit Card, is also a popular card and offers the following benefits:

2 reward points for every Rs.150 spent on the card.

Reward points can be accumulated and redeemed as cash back against the outstanding amount on your credit card.

Reward points can also be redeemed for gifts and air miles.

The fuel surcharge of 2.5% is waived subject to a cap of Rs.250 per billing cycle.

Reward points are valid up to 2 years from the date of accumulation.

SBI SIMPLY SAVE CREDIT CARD

SBI’s Simply Save credit card offers the following benefits:

• Limit of Rs.500 as cash back per month and Rs. 150 per transaction
• Minimum spend of Rs. 1000 per transaction to qualify for cash back
• 5% cash back on purchases at certain supermarkets & department stores
• 5x rewards for spending on hotels, dining, air tickets and fuel.

STANDARD CHARTERED MANHATTAN PLATINUM CARD

Standard Chartered Bank offers cashback and rewards whenever you shop with Manhattan Platinum credit card. Some of its features are:

• 5% cashback every time you shop at departmental stores and super markets using this credit card.
• 5x rewards when you shop using this credit card except at super markets and departmental stores.
• You need to spend Rs.1000 per transaction to earn cashback points.
• You can earn up to Rs.500 cash back every month and Rs.150 cashback per transaction.

How to Choose the Best Cashback Credit Card

Choosing the right credit card might not be so easy, given the multitude of options available in the market. However, you need to carefully consider the following:

• Your Spending pattern: Examine your expenses and decide how much of your monthly budget is going towards paying for groceries, entertainment, shopping etc. Based on this, you will be able to choose the credit card that gives maximum cashback on a certain category. For example, HSBC Gold Credit Card gives a maximum of 10 percent cashback on travel bookings.
• Your credit card payment pattern: Easily the most important criteria in choosing your credit card is your payment behaviour. You must make sure that you pay off your credit card dues every month, to avoid accumulating an exorbitant interest amount. If you do not pay off your dues on time, then there is no real advantage to having a cashback credit card since these benefits are wiped away by the accumulated interest payments due.
• Fees and charges: Before applying for a Cashback Credit Card, or any other credit card for that matter, you must be absolutely sure of the fees and charges of each of the cards. Compare the cards online and then decide whether the card is worthwhile for you. Sometimes, a card may offer extremely attractive discounts and benefits but the annual fees, renewal fees, joining fees and other charges may be very high. This may strip you off the cashback that you earn on your spending.
• Your income: You should carefully consider your monthly net income and decide whether you can afford to have a credit card as this could considerably increase your expense and might possibly put you in debt. Plan your expenses to stay ahead. If you absolutely feel sure that you can pay off your monthly credit card bills, only then go for a credit card.

What are the eligibility criteria?

Not everyone is eligible for a Cashback Card since these come with certain eligibility requirements that vary with different credit card issuers. So make sure you fulfill the eligibility criteria of a particular card before applying for it, to minimize the chances of being rejected and damaging your credit score.

Cashback Credit Card Review

Cashback Credit Cards benefit those who want to utilize their credit cards to the maximum and would like to be rewarded with cash rather than other perks or privileges for spending on their card.

Those who are looking to enhance their lifestyle while simultaneously saving in the form of cash back can opt for a Cashback Credit Card. It comes with various perks designed for the frequent shopper, frequent traveler, frequent flyer, those who spend on entertainment and those who dine out regularly.

How do I apply for a Cashback Credit Card?

To apply for a Cashback Credit Card, you can walk into the nearest branch of your chosen credit card issuer and submit the application. Or you can apply online on the bank’s website, if the option is applicable. Some banks give a limited period offer, like coupons or waiver on the charges for applying online. It can take up to 21 days for your credit card application to be processed.

Alternatively, if you think you need help with your credit card application and advice on eligibility, CreditMantri can guide you through the entire process and match you with the credit card that suits your needs the best.

Note: The cards mentioned in the article are merely indicative of the kinds of rewards and benefits on offer, and you will need to choose your card based on your specific requirements.