How I’m pulling in 1,700 RUB a month with T‑Bank’s credit‑card carousel – almost 11,000 RUB total, plus tiny hacks to never miss a payment or get hit with interest
add_circle Pros
- The interest‑free period really works – as long as you pay the balance on time, you pay zero interest.
- Credit limit is big enough for groceries, bills and the odd splurge.
- No annual fee, so every ruble you earn stays yours.
- The mobile app is super intuitive, showing your balance and due dates in real time.
- You can split big purchases into easy installments (rasstroyka).
- Card arrived fast – usually within a couple of days.
- Customer support actually responds when you need help.
remove_circle Cons
- Late‑payment fees are steep – one missed due date can erase a month’s earnings.
- The terms can be confusing at first, especially the rules around the interest‑free period.
- Cash‑withdrawal limit is low, so ATM cash can get pricey.
- There’s no rewards or cash‑back program, so you don’t get extra perks.
- Go over the limit and the card freezes for new purchases until you bring the balance back down.
- Sometimes customer support puts you on hold longer than you’d like.
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Editor's Summary
Not gonna lie, I was pretty skeptical the first time the T‑Bank card landed in my mailbox. The thing that sold me was a solid interest‑free period and a credit limit that felt big enough for everyday stuff and the occasional splurge. I started treating it like a mini‑salary boost: pay the full balance each month, let the limit reset, and the cash‑like effect shows up as roughly 1,700 RUB every cycle. After a few months that adds up to almost 11,000 RUB. The app makes it a breeze to see what you’ve spent, when the payment’s due, and even split big buys into easy installments. With a little discipline and a few handy hacks, you can keep the card humming and never see an interest charge.
Specifications
Hey everyone! :)
Time to start saving, budgeting, and actually putting money aside. Here comes the maternity leave! 😁
A year and a half ago I had zero cushion, no savings, and barely any clue about handling money. When the baby arrived I had to grow up fast and learn not just how to spend, but how to actually save. My steady paycheck was about 19,000 rubles a month, and everyone assumed I could stretch that to support a kid. Thank goodness my husband could cover the basics; otherwise it would have been a disaster.
I decided to dip my toes into investing—yeah, there’s risk, but no risk, no champagne. After watching a few beginner‑friendly analysts, I opened a brokerage account with T‑Bank. They asked for a debit card, so I ordered one.
The courier showed up, we signed everything, and they tossed a credit card in as a “gift.” 😁
Credit card with holder.
They said there’s no annual fee. If I don’t need it, I can just let it sit. So I took it.
This sleek card was just gathering dust in a drawer.
I started poking around the card after hearing about the “credit carousel.” Lots of people made decent cash off it while the loophole was open, but those chances are fading.
After a few months of the card just sitting in a drawer, they bumped my limit from 70 k to 140 k rubles. That’s when I decided to jump on the carousel.
How I use it:
First thing you need to do is download the T‑Bank app. A bank rep walks you through the install when you register the card.
It’s simple. All debit cards line up in one row.
The credit card shows up on its own line.
I named it “140k limit” so I don’t forget how much I’m supposed to have on it.
Here are the full terms for the card:
The credit limit is 140,000 rubles, but the monthly cash‑transfer limit is only 100,000 rubles.
So you have to keep a close eye on it and not go over the limit.
Only 1,000 left on my credit limit this month.One month I somehow ended up with a Yandex Plus subscription tied to my credit card, and they automatically charged me 399 rubles over the limit. The bank slapped a 390 ruble fee on me. It’s not huge, but it hurts. So always double‑check that your card isn’t linked to paid services.
This is what will trigger interest and fees
Interest‑free transactions.Credit carousel:
To make the money work, I opened a savings account at the same bank. With the Pro subscription my interest rate ranges from 15 % to 17 % annually. What matters to me is that T‑Bank calculates interest daily on the savings account. I see the accruals every day, based on the balance. Money lands on a set date – for me it’s the 20th of each month.
The credit card has an interest‑free window during which you can use the money.
Here’s a more precise definition of the interest‑free window for my card.
What the interest‑free period means.In plain English, every 25th my credit limit (the 100,000 rubles) refreshes.
I transfer that amount to my debit card first, then to the savings account.
This month’s transferFrom that same account I pay the minimum payment, and the money sits there until the 18th of the following month.
Card payments.The 18th is the last day to make the mandatory payment without incurring interest.
On the 17th I clear the remaining balance, wait for the 25th (limit refresh), and dump the money from the credit card back up to the 100,000 ruble limit.
By month’s end I have between 40,000 and 140,000 rubles sitting in the savings account. I don’t pay any interest to the bank, and that modest sum nets me about 1,500 rubles a month. I call the savings account “cred and stash” (credit card and stash) to remember where the money comes from.
To make sure I never miss a payment, I set a reminder in my calendar for the 17th, and my phone pings me that it’s time to pay the loan.
Calendar reminder. Last month I got a 1,700‑ruble credit payment.
Statement for the last month.No hiccups so far. Interest keeps dripping, the bank’s money is doing its thing.
All together I’ve managed to stash almost 11,000 rubles this way.
I use that cash to buy bonds on the exchange, and they pay me a coupon income too, but that’s a whole other story.
That’s how I learned to make money out of thin air. Small amounts, sure, but it’s just one of the little streams feeding my path to passive income.
Thanks for reading.)))
May your financial streams turn into raging rivers.)))