My Take on VTB's Cards for Life Program

I've been a VTB Bank customer for a while now, but I stopped using my bank card when they dropped cashback in rubles. Their MultiBonus program just couldn't compete with cashback in rubles, especially with all the other offers out there. That's why I was surprised to see an ad for Cards for Life with the slogan: 'Cashback is back in rubles.' It caught my attention, so I left an application for a new card through the app and headed to the bank. Luckily, whether you have an application or not, you'll get your card on the same day. If you apply through the website, you'll only get an anonymous card. You can also order card delivery by courier, which is nice to see the bank trying to keep up with the competition.

When I visited the bank, the staff member handed me a plastic card for the MIR payment system. It was an anonymous card, which is fine, but you can also issue a digital card through the app. If you're making contactless payments, you might not even need the physical card.

The first obvious perk of this card is that it's free to issue and free to maintain. There are no conditions to meet to avoid maintenance fees, which is a big plus. You don't need to keep a certain balance or spend a minimum amount to avoid fees. The only exception is a separate fee for notifications (79 rubles/month). If you need a card, here it is. You can also order a payment sticker, a child's card, or a card for a loved one for free.

One of the benefits of this card is that withdrawing cash from your own VTB Bank ATMs will be free, with a daily limit of 350,000 rubles and a monthly limit of up to 2 million rubles. If you're a salaried employee, you'll have free cash withdrawals from other banks' ATMs up to 50,000 rubles per month. If you receive your pension on your VTB card, there are no limits. Everyone else will pay a fee, which can add up quickly. Fortunately, VTB Bank ATMs are quite widespread, so you shouldn't have any issues.

As a salaried employee, I've noticed that VTB Bank offers some extra perks. For instance, when you open a deposit or savings account, the interest rate is 1-2% higher. This is a nice bonus, but I'm not sure if it would convince someone to open a salary card with VTB. However, I do know of several government institutions where employees only get paid on a VTB card and have no choice in the matter. At first, it seemed pointless to offer extra bonuses to people who'd be using the card anyway. But they're there, and I appreciate it.

Now, let's talk about cashback. It's back to being in rubles and credited directly to your card, which is a big improvement. No more silly multi-bonus nonsense that you had to spend in their own store or withdraw at a bad exchange rate (1 multi-bonus = 85 kopecks). So, what did I like about the bonus system in this card?

First of all, you get to choose from different categories with increased cashback. And while other banks have been offering things that aren't really my thing (books, flowers, taxis), VTB gave me a solid set of cashback categories that actually cater to my needs. You can choose your cashback category every month after the 26th. You've got three options, and as a salaried customer, you get four.

In July, I chose the following categories:

When I looked at the categories in August, they were a bit more limited, but the 2% cashback on supermarkets was a nice touch compared to the 1% on all purchases at banks. And let's be real, we do most of our shopping at supermarkets anyway. Maybe this is just a marketing ploy to attract customers, but I know plenty of people who already have or need to have this card. In May and June, I barely used the card, and the bank was offering 3% cashback on supermarket purchases, so I started using it more often – and now I get 2%. A couple of times I paid for transportation, and suddenly I'm getting 8% instead of 25.

Now, in my third month, I can choose the category 'supermarkets' – I'll get 3% cashback on all my purchases, which is a nice bonus. I also like that I can choose the category 'pharmacies' – 5% cashback is a great incentive, especially since I regularly buy things there. As for transportation, the cashback will be applied to bus fares, including suburban trains. City transportation isn't always the best value, by the way. For example, a single metro ride in St. Petersburg costs 70 rubles. With the 'Podorozhnik' card, it would cost 49 rubles, and if I paid with my regular card, it would be 47.5 rubles. But there's a catch – the cashback will only be applied the following month, so I'll have to pay the full amount first.

But don't even think about topping up your 'Podorozhnik' card through the mobile app – no cashback will be applied. It's just treated as a service payment. If you top up through the cash register or terminal, then the cashback will be applied, which I've confirmed personally.

One thing that's really cool is how the cashback amount appears in the app after each purchase. The percentage is calculated from the total purchase amount, not just every full 100 rubles, and it's rounded up to the nearest whole number. Just remember, the bank will pay cashback for some purchases, but not others - it's easier to just pay with a different card for those.

There's also a list of VTB partners where you can earn cashback on purchases. Unfortunately, most of these stores are only relevant to city dwellers, so it's not something I use often.

One thing that's worth noting about this cashback card is the maximum limit - 3,000 rubles per month. To be honest, it's pretty tough to hit that limit, even if you're buying in bulk at pharmacies and supermarkets. The bank will combine categories and partners to calculate the total, and anything over 3,000 rubles won't qualify for the full cashback. The good news is that the money gets deposited onto your card by the 20th of each month.

Paying utility bills with this card is a breeze, with no commission fees to worry about. You'll pay the exact amount listed on the bill, with no surprises. This is a big plus, especially when it comes to budgeting.

So, the pros and cons:

The card itself is freeThe cashback offers are pretty sweet, at least for the first three monthsIt's easy to sign up for the cardThe downsides:

The partners aren't available in all citiesThe 3,000 ruble limit is tough to reachThere aren't many categories to choose fromNot all transactions are worth making with this cardYou'll get charged for notificationsI'd recommend using this card until the bank stops offering cashback above 1% for supermarkets and transportation - that's usually around 2-3 months. After that, the categories might not be as relevant. It's worth keeping an eye on the bank's offers and adjusting your usage accordingly.