Breaking Free from Credit Card Debt

Hello everyone!

I've had a credit card for years, and it's been a wild ride. I got my first one from Sberbank about six years ago, and back then, it was 50 days interest-free. But I was intrigued by the idea of 120 days, so I switched to a new card. Let me tell you, it's been a journey.

Naturally, I'll share with you why I decided to ditch my credit card.

My First Credit Card Story

I wasn't working at the time, but the salespeople convinced me to get a credit card with a whopping limit of 92,000 rubles. I have no idea how they approved me for such a high limit as a non-working individual. They took my picture, recorded my voice, and made sure I was aware of all the terms. They also tried to sell me insurance, which I ended up buying. I know it sounds crazy, but I was worried about the pandemic at the time, and I didn't want to burden my loved ones with the financial responsibility. However, it was a nightmare to cancel the insurance later on. Apparently, the bank had lied to me, and I had to figure out how to cancel it myself. Long story short, I just stopped paying my debit card, and they eventually dropped me.

Back then, my credit card had 50 days interest-free, which meant I had a month to use the card without paying interest. After that, I had 20 days to pay back the money I spent during that month. It was a tight schedule, but I was able to manage it without any issues. I was a good customer, paying my bills on time, and I didn't have any late fees.

My 120-Day Interest-Free Credit Card Story

I saw an ad on TV, and my husband decided to get a credit card with 120 days interest-free. However, he wasn't the primary cardholder, and I was the one using it for all my purchases. I decided to get a credit card with a longer interest-free period, so I went to the bank and got one. They assured me that there were no additional fees or conditions attached to the card. My husband, on the other hand, had insurance pushed onto him, but he was able to cancel it and even got his money back. All he had to do was visit the bank within 20 or 30 days after the payment was made and dispute the transaction.

The credit card limit wasn't reduced, but they did offer to increase it to 180,000 rubles every quarter. I always declined the offer.

Later on, I started working, but I still continued to use my credit card. It's just so convenient to have money available whenever I need it.

Usage Terms

Since the interest-free period is 120 days, that means I have a month to use the card, and then I have 90 days to pay back the main amount. However, there's also a mandatory payment that I need to make the following month, which is 3% of the amount I spent during the previous month. In my case, it's a bit of a challenge to manage, but I'm doing my best to stay on top of it.

I spent 10,000 rubles in December 2025, and the mandatory payment in January was 300 rubles, with the remaining debt of 9,700 rubles to be paid by March 31, 2026.

But you get the idea - you'll be using this card every month, so the load just keeps increasing.

How I Used the Card

The card limit was fine by me. I matched it to my salary. But the bank only matches it to your official salary. I also had some savings accounts and a deposit account at Sberbank, but I closed the savings accounts and left the deposit account open.

It's easy to keep track of your spending in the Sberonlai app. Plus, the credit card also gets you Sberbonus rewards. And the bank always notifies you about payments. So, I was using the card to make purchases, and it was around 60,000 rubles per month - sometimes more, sometimes less. And then I'd close the credit and pay back the 60,000 rubles. But I'd still keep using the card. I was hooked! Many people say this card is for emergencies, but I found it really convenient. Having money at your fingertips is great, and you don't have to ask anyone for loans. You just need to match your credit limit to your salary, and you'll be fine.

What did I buy with the credit card? I used it for all my supermarket purchases, deliveries, online shopping, and utility bills.

What operations did I never do with the credit card? I never withdrew cash or transferred money to other cards. Although some banks offer free withdrawals and transfers.

What's also important is that if you miss a payment, they charge interest on the entire debt right away.

And until October 2025, the bank was happy to give me a limit of 92,000 rubles. But then, in November, I noticed they'd notified me that my credit limit would be reduced to 30,000 rubles by December. I was shocked. Why? They just matched my debt load to my official salary, which I was getting on my Sbercard!

And, you know, it was like a bucket of cold water. I felt like I'd woken up.

My Next Steps

They say there are stages of acceptance. First, you deny it, then you get angry, then you start negotiating, then you get depressed, and finally, you accept. That's exactly what happened to me.

I've been raving about my credit card to my coworkers at work, and they just don't get it. I've been trying to convince them how convenient it is, but honestly, you're always using someone else's money and paying it back. It's a vicious cycle.

One of my coworkers went through bankruptcy a few years ago. She was using credit cards from different banks, living it up, until she realized she couldn't pay off the debt. It's a real eye-opener.

But I realized that having a lower credit limit is actually a chance for me to break the cycle. I mean, I can just use my salary to pay off my debts instead of relying on credit.

I've got a $30,000 limit, which is peanuts compared to what I'm actually spending. I'm not even going to get into how much cash I'm throwing around. It's not worth it.

I'm slowly paying off my debts, just like the bank told me to. If I don't use the card in January, I'll be debt-free by March.

As they say...

What's not done is for the best.

My Thoughts

I never thought I'd say this, but the bank actually helped me realize that I don't need a credit card anymore. And I'm a good payer!

One of the things I like about credit cards is that they're basically free to use. No fees for SMS or maintenance. What's the bank waiting for, then? For me to default, withdraw cash, or make a transfer? Come on, I'm a responsible user. I always calculate my credit load. That's how it was with me. Yeah, there were a couple of months when I was using my credit card almost to the limit, but I always topped it up quickly, or else I'd have nothing to use.I could've just paid everything off with my salary, like many people do. They don't even think about credit cards!

It's only when you're paying off debts that you realize how convenient credit cards can be.

SberKarta "120 days without interest" is a great credit card, but only if you use it wisely, have a good limit, and can pay it off quickly. But when they start limiting you and threatening you, it's a different story. At first, I even thought about paying it off quickly and blocking it. But then I thought, why bother? I'll just pay it off as the bank says and put it away. And from now on, I'll try to rely only on my own means. Thanks, Sberbank! And I mean that from the heart.

Conclusion

I'd recommend SberKarta "120 days without interest", but only conditionally.

The good stuff:

I love that I get 120 days interest-free.The free maintenance is a huge plus.The SberSpasibo rewards are a nice touch.It's super easy to use.The not-so-good stuff:

My credit limit gets reduced.The interest rates are crazy high if I miss a payment.I used to be terrified of credit cards, but now I see them as a convenience. The thing is, that convenience can easily turn into a vicious cycle. You might struggle to pay off the debt and end up taking out another loan to cover it.

I totally get what the bank is saying – you should only spend what you can afford. And now, with the stricter controls on our accounts, people are getting their debit cards and even credit cards blocked.

I'm giving it 3 stars.

Thanks for reading my review! I hope it's helpful. Take care of yourselves and your loved ones!