How I Earned 24,000 Rubles with My VTB Card - No Effort Required!
add_circle Pros
- I got the card for free, which was a great starting point.
- The cashback feature is a game-changer - I've earned some serious money without lifting a finger.
- The savings account interest rate is higher than what I've seen elsewhere.
- The VTB app is user-friendly and made it easy to sign documents and activate my card.
- I appreciated the fact that the courier didn't try to sell me anything or pressure me into buying anything extra.
remove_circle Cons
- The card maintenance fee is a bit steep, but I guess it's worth it for the benefits.
- I was a bit disappointed that the cashback wasn't credited immediately - it took a few days to show up in my account.
- The card came in a bright blue envelope, but there was no payment sticker on it, which was a bit misleading.
- I wish there were more options for earning rewards or cashback beyond just referrals.
- The customer support could be better - I had to wait a while to get my questions answered.
Gallery
Editor's Summary
I'm sharing my honest review of the VTB card, which I got for free. I was blown away by the cashback and savings account features, and I've managed to earn a decent amount of money without doing anything. However, there are some things to watch out for, like the card maintenance fee.
Specifications
I'm sharing my experience with the VTB card, which I got for free. I ordered it for the cashback and savings account, and it's been a game-changer for me. I've managed to earn some money thanks to it.
Get your card here and get 1000 rubles
I ordered the card through the link, and I got the money, plus the person who referred me also got some cash. The money was credited, but it didn't happen immediately.
Getting the card
I opted for home delivery, but you can also pick it up at a VTB branch. The courier arrived on time, took a photo with my documents, and I just signed the documents in the VTB app by entering the SMS code. To be honest, the courier didn't try to sell me anything, although I know some of them do. He just asked what drew me to the card and stuff.
The card came in a bright blue envelope with a payment sticker on it. But, of course, there was no sticker.
Card maintenance fee
The card maintenance is free, with no conditions like minimum spend or anything.
The app
Personally, I'm not a fan of the app. It's slow, looks outdated, and keeps sending me notifications about old messages.
You can check exchange rates and even buy currencies in it.
You can also insure stuff in it.
Cashback
I order cards for the cashback – it's just more cost-effective, you know? Although, of course, it's even more effective not to spend money at all.
VTB's cashback is supposed to be really good. In some categories, it's up to 25%. And there are some pretty sweet categories too.
I've been lucky enough to snag some sweet cashback deals - 25% on transportation and 25% on pharmacies. Those are my top two categories, but the good news only lasted for the first two months. After that, I was getting cashback of around 5% on categories that aren't exactly my cup of tea. Luckily, things have improved since then, and I've been getting some better deals.
As you can see, this month I've got a cashback deal on transportation that's a real game-changer - 10% off! I'm making the most of it.
Limits on cashback
The cashback has a limit - 3,000 rubles per month. That's the maximum you'll get.
Cashback payout
The cashback is paid out to your card by the 20th of the following month. The exact date might vary, but the money will be transferred to your card and that's it.
High-interest savings account and the fine print
VTB offers a high-interest savings account with a welcome bonus on daily balances. The bonus is 22% for the first two months, but be careful - that's where they got me. Well, not exactly got me, but there's a tiny catch that'll affect all of us.
Here's the thing: interest is paid out on the last day of the month, but the month itself is considered to start on the 1st. So, if you deposit money on the 27th, for example, you'll get the higher interest rate on the 30th or 31st, and that'll count as your first month with the higher rate. That means you'll only get one month of the higher rate, and then it'll drop back down to the standard rate. That's why I recommend opening the account on the 1st to avoid losing out on those extra bucks.
After the first few months, the account reverts to standard conditions - 11% interest per annum. But if you spend more than 10,000 rubles per month on your card, the interest rate jumps to 14% per annum, and if you spend over 50,000 rubles, it's 15%.
There's another thing that caught my attention. You need to have at least 1000 rubles on your account at all times. If you're below 1000 rubles on any given day, you won't earn interest for the entire month.
I've learned this from the daily balance account, which shows you can withdraw money from your account, and the interest will be reduced on the specific day you withdrew the funds, and then you can deposit money back into your account, and the interest will increase. In this sense, the daily balance account is more beneficial than the minimum balance account.
Deposit
The interest rates for deposits at VTB Bank are really attractive right now - 24% per annum. I haven't used this service yet, and I'm not sure if I'll be using it in the future.
Card Recommendations
You can earn even more money by referring your friends to VTB cards. Here's what you can recommend and how much the bank is willing to pay you.
I'd recommend the VTB card if you want to earn cashback and use the accumulation account.
