This write-up focuses on hands-on experience with the Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card. For a comprehensive review of the Reserve product, refer to the full Axis Reserve Review. Application process Day 1: Applied offline Day 2: Received email confirming the application was being processed Day 3: CIBIL enquiry recorded (surprisingly on a Sunday) Day 4: … Read more

IndusInd Bank has introduced a new Visa Signature credit card called the Legend Credit Card, sometimes referred to as the Signature Legend Credit Card. Positioned between the bank’s Pinnacle and Signature variants, the Legend can outperform the Pinnacle if used with the right strategy. The card supports PayWave/contactless payments and appears to feature a flat … Read more

I’ve long felt it’s unfair that CIBIL charged Rs. 550 for an individual to view their own credit score and report. Credit bureaus earn from lenders and financial institutions, so charging consumers the same fee seemed unreasonable. Fortunately, the regulator stepped in to make things better. In September 2016 the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) … Read more

I’ve received many requests to review Kotak credit cards, so I finally decided to write about one of them. I had avoided reviewing Kotak cards earlier because most offer limited rewards and lack a distinctive selling point, aside from the movie-related benefits. In this article I review one such offering with input from an actual … Read more

HDFC Bank is well known for offering attractive merchant discounts and rewards on both credit and debit cards. Since Diwali, the bank has introduced a steady stream of promotions, which can feel overwhelming given the sheer number and variety of offers. With hundreds of offers running across different categories, many customers find it hard to … Read more

United MileagePlus is the frequent flyer program of United Airlines and a member of the Star Alliance. The program is popular for broad award travel coverage and strong economy award availability, making it a solid choice for international travelers. In India, MileagePlus has grown in relevance as it enables easier long-haul business-class redemptions using United … Read more

The American Express Shop Small campaign that first appeared in December 2020 has returned for 2021. This marks the third Shop Small promotion in India and closely resembles prior campaigns. Below is a clear summary of the offer and what cardholders need to know. Offer Details Offer Shop at participating merchants and get 50% off … Read more

While thousands of monthly readers benefit from our blog content, a smaller group of engaged users regularly interact and help others by answering questions. In the past I was able to reply to many comments myself, but recently I’ve had less time and in some cases less direct experience, so other contributors have stepped in … Read more

Disclaimer: The information below reflects my best understanding from various sources and has not been verified with the bank involved. 1. What’s new with HDFC Infinia Metal Edition? The metal variant of the HDFC Infinia differs primarily in its construction and a higher renewal fee. Aside from the metal form factor and the associated fee … Read more

2016 was a rewarding year for me: I gained access to several premium credit cards and enjoyed substantial rewards, cashbacks and promotional benefits, even though there were a few devaluations along the way. Below I highlight the cards that delivered the best returns in 2016 — many of the patterns continued into 2017. Looking for … Read more