A Lifesaver for Cash-Strapped Days: How Yandex Bank's Super Split Card Helped Me

I've been open about my financial struggles in the past, and right now, I'm really in need of money to help save stray puppies and pay for my mom's treatment. To be honest, my credit history isn't great. A few years ago, I took out loans from microfinance institutions, which I paid back through court-ordered debt collection, but I didn't go bankrupt, despite owing around 300,000 rubles. I managed to pay it all off, but I had to give up on credit cards, installment cards like Halva, and credit cards. Nobody would approve me. But things aren't all bad. Last year, I opened a debit card with Alfa Bank and used it actively, and within a few months, they offered me a credit card and a credit limit, which I happily took advantage of.

I guess I just can't live within my means. TBank also gave me a credit card with a relatively small 17,000 ruble limit, while Alfa gave me a limit of 40,000, which they later increased to 100,000. I also took out a 55,000 ruble loan with them, and that was it – nobody else offered me anything. It was especially tough when I needed money urgently. I applied to all the banks, but I guess my credit history still needs some time to recover, so I had to go back to microfinance institutions with exorbitant interest rates.

I'm managing the situation with microfinance, making sure I don't miss payments, and looking for better deals, but my dream is to switch those microfinance loans to bank products – credit cards, loans, and installment plans. And then, I thought I hit the jackpot with Yandex Bank, but things didn't go as smoothly as I'd hoped. Since 2023, I've been buying cosmetics, perfumes, and gifts for myself and my loved ones through Letuial's various promotions, even though the discounts were amazing, I still ended up with large sums, and that's when Yandex Split came to my rescue – a no-interest installment plan that you can apply for directly in the store's app.

I've made many such purchases since then, and I've always paid on time without missing a payment. Then, in a group chat with discounts and promo codes on VK, I saw an offer from Yandex Bank's virtual, free card, Pay, which gives you a chance to spin a wheel every 10 days and get an additional category of cashback, on top of the regular monthly cashback categories. I was intrigued, and after checking what others were getting – 50% off supermarkets, 100% off cafes, restaurants, and fast food – I signed up for the virtual card in just 5 minutes and haven't regretted it.

I've gotten the 'Supermarkets 50%' category a few times already. The limit is 500 rubles, but still, it's really nice when you get a 100% cashback in cafes. I once got a 100% cashback of up to 1,000 rubles in restaurants, fast food, and other places. I also often get cashback on concerts and movies in the monthly categories and the cashback wheel.

I even got a cashback of 800 rubles for movie tickets once! The cashback is calculated in Plus points, which can be spent on Yandex Market, where I do most of my shopping, as well as on Yandex Food and Yandex Taxi. I'm not sure if being a Plus subscriber for my family members affects the categories I get cashback on, or if it's just random.

Here's the main page in the Yandex Pay app. I was thrilled to discover the Super Split card, which lets me see my Pay and Split balances, as well as the categories where I've earned Plus points. Plus, I get a great offer to boost my rewards. In this app, I can also sign up for a Savings account, which occasionally prompts me to take out a credit – I always give it a go, fill out the application, and, of course, I always get rejected haha.

Thankfully, they didn't cut me off from Split, but I was initially over the moon when they gave me a whopping 100,000 credit limit. I thought I'd gradually transfer my loans from microfinance institutions to Split, but that was short-lived. As soon as I started making regular purchases at grocery stores, they slashed my limit to 30,000. Well, at least I saved myself from 0.8% interest per day with the microfinance institutions.

I'm really loving Super Split for its flexibility – now I can split my payments anywhere, whether it's a virtual or a physical card with a deferment option. Initially, I was a bit slow on the uptake and set up a 6-month deferment, but it's possible to defer payments for up to 24 months. What I love is that the money I put towards my Split balance, minus interest, can be spent immediately – just not in cash.

The free period for Split is now only 2 months, after which you'll start paying interest. When I calculated my future payment, I realized I'd only be paying 3% interest per month – that's a steal for me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they'll reinstate my original limit. For now, I'm actively splitting my payments, earning rewards, and racking up 5+ points.