Credit Card Spends Recover: Is Your Card Working for You?

Debit card transactions rose 4% in July, while credit card spending bounced back strongly as more Indians got new cards. This tells you a lot about where smart money habits and rewards are heading.

Here's what happened: Debit card transaction volumes in India grew 4% in July, showing steady but modest everyday usage across the country.. Credit card spends bounced back meaningfully as the total credit card base expanded faster than transaction dips suggested.. The divergence signals more Indians are getting credit cards for the first time, driven by bank and fintech issuance..

What you should do: Switch everyday spends (groceries, fuel, bills) to a no-annual-fee credit card to earn rewards on money you'd spend anyway.. Pay your full credit card outstanding before the due date every month — never just the minimum amount — to avoid 36-42% interest charges.. Compare your current card's rewards rate against newer cards now, since growing competition means banks are offering better sign-up benefits..

Paying your credit card bill 2-3 days before the statement generation date — not just the due date — keeps your credit utilisation low and can lift your CIBIL score by 20-40 points over 3 months.