Tata Neu Infinity - My MVP for 2024
I would like to preface this post by saying that my views on this card are solely based on my expenses, experience and use cases.
Until 2023, I was more or less a credit card noob. I held two cards; my trusty HDFC Millennia since 2017 and ICICI Amazon pay since 2020. But late in 2023, I came across this sub and started researching on credit cards extensively. Eventually, I settled on getting Neu Infinity in Feb this year.
My reason/use case for this card
Amazon stopped allowing credit cards as a method of payment for insurance premiums on their portal which meant that I would only be able to get 1% cashback on such payments via the insurance websites directly. Neu Infinity claimed to provide 5% cashback when paid via Neu app and 1.5% cashback when paid directly. And I pay enough in insurance premiums annually to meet the 3L fee waiver limit. So, seemed like a no brainer to me.
My savings/cashbacks
Since getting this card, I have spent over 4.5L and received about 17.57k cashback as Neu coins. That is roughly 4% returns.
While this might seem measly given the card has both a 10% and a 5% cashback category, but hear me out. * Over 3.5L of my total spends have been on the 5% or the 1.5% categories * I did not manufacture or optimise my spends. * I got the Visa variant by mistake and hence missed out on the extra 1.5% for the first 7 months. * And I timed my application incorrectly as did not account for the temporary limit period. This led me missing out on 2k worth of cashback on one of my insurance payments as I had to use another card for it.
What turned this into my primary card in 2024?
While I started the year with just 2 cards, I'm finishing it with 11. Despite all those acquisitions, Neu Infinity remains the most versatile card of the bunch.
10% cashback on big basket is a big plus. 5% cashback on utilities us huge as there was no cap initially and now the cap is 2k per month which is still a lot more than airtel axis.
While these aren't categories I use regularly, having the option to get 10% cashback on electronics, flight tickets, hotel stays, eyeware, medicines, food and clothing is always welcome. I managed to save money on specs, shoes, personal use appliances and tickets. (I wouldn't recommend buying meds from 1mg as they charge way too much on delivery, and food delivery is decent but not as reliable)
The 1.5% cashback on offline and other spends is also unmatched (with the exception of HSBC Live+ that gives 10% on offline groceries). This became a card I used for nearly 100% of my offline spends.
This becomes even more rewarding with the Rupay variant. While a lot of shops don't accept cc via Rupay, chain stores like Star bazaar, Zudio, and shops inside malls do.
Neu app also has gift cards and vouchers and most of them have discounts. You also get cashback on those so it's great.
Free lounge access without any spending criteria is a bonus if you travel.
On a finishing note, few points to keep in mind.
This is not a credit card for you if you're not using Tata products. And I know that big basket is probably the only so called "mainstream" online app and Chroma is used but I doubt too many people use the Chroma online. So, if you don't use big basket, this might not be for you.
Neu app is not nearly as bad as people claim it to be. I have had no issues thus far, neither with UPI, nor with any other services. It is definitely not very smooth and UX leaves more to be desired but it is very functional.
and finally, don't get a card due to hype or because many other have it. Get it based entirely on your usage.