Credit Cards

Pay your balance in full and on time

The most important rule of credit card usage is to pay your balance in full before the due date to avoid interest and protect your credit score. If you cannot make the full payment, try to pay more than the minimum, which can reduce the interest charges.

Convert large purchases into EMIs

If you make a large purchase, consider converting it to EMIs, which usually come with a lower interest rate than the standard credit card rate. This way, you can manage the entire expense in smaller and more manageable payments over time.

Avoid cash withdrawals with your credit card

Cash advances do not offer an interest-free period; instead, interest is levied as soon as you withdraw cash. These charges can quickly accumulate debt, so use cash withdrawals only as a last resort.

Keep track of your spending

Monitor your spending to stay within your credit limit and avoid building up a difficult-to-manage balance. Check all SMS alerts and your bank statements carefully about credit card transactions. Besides this, you should also check your credit report at regular intervals to notice and rectify any errors.

Do not apply for multiple credit cards at a time

Applying for too many cards at once can make you look credit-hungry and lower your credit score due to multiple hard inquiries. While a single inquiry may not have significant consequences, multiple inquiries within a short period can negatively impact your credit score. Hence, apply only for cards that truly meet your needs and spending habits.

AU SFB Launches Four New Credit Cards

05 May 2026

AU Small Finance Bank has launched 4 new credit cards, namely Pratham, Tejas, Lakshya and Ananta. Among these, AU Pratham and Ananta are low annual fee cards, while AU Lakshya and Ananta are relatively premium offerings that also offer airport lounge access. They are all reward credit cards that also come with discounts on popular platforms like Zomato, District and Amazon, except Prathama which offers bonus rewards on setting up new standing instructions. They focus on varied spending categories, like contactless payments, groceries, travel, dining, etc., thus catering to different customer bases.

HDFC Bank Revises Rewards & Lounge Access on 3 Credit Cards, Effective 15 May 2026

6 May 2026

HDFC Bank has revised certain benefits offered by HDFC Regalia Gold, HDFC Diners Club Privilege and HDFC BizPower credit cards which will be effective from 15 May 2026 onwards. While the base reward rate has been decreased for all three cards, capping on accelerated rewards and benefits on certain spending categories has also been restricted even more for BizPower. Moreover, airport lounge access will now be given on meeting the spend-based condition to Regalia Gold and DC Privilege users, while the number of visits has been reduced for BizPower. Apart from devaluations, there have been upgrades in the milestone bonus of BizPower, addition of international lounge access for DC Privilege and introduction of the Boarding Edge Programme for HDFC Regalia Gold cardholders. Click here for detailed HDFC Bank Credit Card Changes.

Axis Bank Revises Credit Card Benefits & Travel Redemptions

2 April 2026

Axis Bank has introduced major changes to its credit card reward ecosystem, impacting travel-focused users. The bank has removed key transfer partners like Accor, Marriott Bonvoy, and Qatar Airways from its Travel EDGE program, reducing redemption flexibility. The bank has also added three new partners, i.e., British Airways, Finnair Plus and Vietnam Airlines. However, the reward redemption ratio for these newly added partners is comparatively lower, which may impact the overall value for frequent travellers. Consumers are advised to stay updated on these revisions to maximize their card benefits, read the complete details by clicking here.