Credit card usage period. How to use a Sberbank credit card with a grace period
Credit cards are very popular, and people use this banking product every day in shopping centers, the Internet, and also make various cash payments. However, not all people know how to use a credit card. In this article, we will consider the rules for using a credit card of Sberbank of Russia.
A plastic card allows you to withdraw cash in self-service devices, make various payments for services and goods. A credit card has a large number of opportunities that every cardholder should know about.
Sberbank credit card activation
Upon receipt of a credit card, a special envelope is issued to the client, which contains a personal four-digit code necessary for any financial transactions. In some cases, a bank specialist may suggest that the client independently come up with a personal code.
Make sure your name and surname are written in Latin letters on the front side of the plastic without errors. If the card is not registered, then there will be no information about the owner. On the reverse side of the credit card, be sure to put a signature on it
.
After receiving a banking product, it will be automatically activated within one day.
Payment by credit card of Sberbank
If you decide to pay by credit card, simply transfer it to the cashier. Before that, you need to see that the logo of the desired payment system is drawn at the checkout.
In some cases, they may ask for identity documents: driver’s license, passport details and others.
To confirm the operation, you must enter your PIN code or sign on the check. But before that, be sure to check the entire amount on the check, as the cashier may make a mistake.
If you refuse your purchase, you must present the seller with a card and a check, and also return the goods. As a result, the cashier will carry out the operation to return the goods and transfer to the card account. It is recommended to store any checks for at least six months.
Receiving cash from a credit card
Money can be withdrawn in special self-service devices with the necessary function, as well as at the Sberbank cash desk.
If you decide to use an ATM, then you must perform the following steps:
- Check that the terminal accepts cards of your payment system. Usually at the ATM there are corresponding logos.
- Insert a credit card in a special receiver.
- Follow the onscreen instructions.
- Enter your personal code. It is important to note that if the password is entered incorrectly three times in a row, the card is blocked for two days.
- Indicate the amount of withdrawal.
- Take a credit card, banknotes and check. This must be done within 45 seconds, otherwise the ATM may delay the banknotes.
Credit Card Payment Online
In the age of modern technology, it became possible to pay by credit card on the Internet. To do this, you do not need to leave the house and wait for your turn. All operations can be performed from your computer or mobile device connected to the global network.
Pay by credit card only on trusted sites that provide a secure connection during a financial transaction.
To make the necessary payment, in most cases, you must enter the 16-digit card number, expiration date, your name and surname in Latin, a special 3-digit code on the back of the credit card.
To confirm the operation, you must enter the control code, which is sent to the cell phone number. After successful payment, a payment notification will be sent to the phone.
It is important to note that some foreign websites do not accept credit cards of Russian banks. Therefore, before payment you need to check this information.
Individual card account limits
If necessary, you can independently set certain limits on the use of funds from the credit card balance. The restriction can be set for the following operations:
- Any expense financial transactions.
- Withdraw funds.
- The implementation of cashless transactions.
To establish individual restrictions, you should contact the Sberbank representative office in which the card was issued and write the appropriate application.
Sberbank special card mode
Sberbank of Russia offers a special service to all credit card holders called Special treatment. It is intended for the client to indicate the countries in which he is going to use a credit card. If the operation is requested in a country not specified by the owner, then it will be rejected without fail.
You can enable or disable this service, as well as indicate the countries in which operations are allowed, in your Sberbank Online account. If this is not possible, then you should contact customer service.
Use of credit funds
A credit card is very convenient and easy to use. The client withdraws money, pays with a card or makes a payment. As a result, the credit limit is reduced by the amount of payment or purchase. Every month you must make a payment not lower than the minimum amount. After that, the credit limit increases again and it can be used for its intended purpose.
To control the borrowed funds, you should order a report on your operations and account status. This information can be obtained by e-mail, on a mobile phone, by phone of the contact center or in your personal account of a remote service.
Mandatory payment by credit card of Sberbank
In order to use credit funds, it is not necessary to immediately repay all debt. For this, mandatory payments are provided, which must be paid every month. Payment amount:
- Not less than 5% of the amount of debt.
- Amount exceeding the limit.
- Interest on the use of borrowed funds.
- Penalties, forfeit, various fees.
The payment schedule should be provided to the borrower along with the loan agreement.
Credit Card Interest
- According to the tariffs indicated in the loan agreement, interest begins to accrue every day after the loan debt has formed.
- Interest ceases to accrue after the debt has been fully repaid and there is no debt.
Skip Mandatory Payment
If for some reason the obligatory monthly payment was not paid on time, then this amount will be added to the next payment. In addition, late fees will have to be paid.
Grace Period
Sberbank of Russia provides an opportunity not to pay interest. This is only possible if the spent credit funds were returned within 50 days after their spending. It is important to note that such a period is valid in the case of cashless payments, if funds were withdrawn from a credit card, then the grace period does not apply. If you do not have time to return the amount of debt in the specified period, then interest will be charged on the credit card, according to the loan agreement.
Secure Credit Card Usage
For the safety and security of borrowed funds, it is necessary . This way you can avoid fraudulent activity.
- To prevent funds on the card balance from being available to third parties, never write down your password on the plastic of the card. Do not tell anyone your personal code. When making an online payment, no password is required.
- Keep your credit card in a safe place. Do not store the card near electrical appliances; try to eliminate mechanical damage.
- In case of damage, loss or theft of a credit card, it must be blocked urgently. To do this, you need to contact bank specialists.
- Remember that Sberbank employees never ask for the PIN code of your card. Therefore, if you receive a call asking for data, never do this and report this case to the support service of Sberbank of Russia. Also do not respond to such messages.
Credit card debt repayment
Paying off credit card debt is quite simple. You just need to replenish the card balance before the set date, according to the payment schedule. There are many ways to pay off a debt, so each borrower can choose the most suitable method.
- Bank transfer from Sberbank's bank card. Such an operation can be performed in self-service devices, in the personal account of Sberbank Online, as well as using the Mobile Bank service. Funds will be credited to the account within 24 hours.
- Bank transfer from any card of financial organizations. To replenish it is necessary to indicate all the details of the credit institution and the owner of the credit card.
- Cash in terminals and ATMs that support this function. Funds come almost instantly.
- At the box office of any commercial financial organization.
Sberbank Credit Card Report
Each month, the credit institution sends the owner of the credit card a report on the movement of borrowed funds. This allows you to control the flow of money and make timely payments on mandatory payments. The report contains the following information:
- Reporting period. That is, the time for which the bank report was generated. Usually it is 30 days.
- Information about the loan. Interest rates, limit, available funds.
- Mandatory payment. The size of the minimum payment for using a loan. The date of deposit is also indicated.
- Grace period conditions.
- The movement of funds on the credit account.
- Detailed report.
- And other information.
Additional credit card information
- After the expiration of the bank card, you should contact the nearest representative office of Sberbank. Most likely the new product has already been released.
- If the ATM did not return the credit card, it is necessary to contact the bank employees to block the card.
- If you can’t remember your PIN code, then you should contact the bank’s representative office in which the credit card was issued.
- In the event of a change of place of permanent residence, it is necessary to report this fact to the financial organization within one week.
- If you change the cell phone number with the Mobile Bank service activated, you must disable it.
- When changing your name, you need to order a new credit card issue.
Follow the simple rules of using a Sberbank credit card and your funds will always be safe.
A credit card is an easy and quick way to get a loan from a bank. A huge plus of the product is a revolving credit line, that is, the repaid amount again becomes available to you. But is it so easy to understand the conditions of lending, does the loan agreement always provide comprehensive explanations of the mechanisms for calculating interest, the effect of the grace period and possible penalties? We sort it out together ...
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The principle of credit cards
Credit card is
“A banking product intended for cashless payments in cash within the established limit”.
Money withdrawn from the card must be returned and you need to pay for it.
A credit card will always have:
- credit limit;
- interest rate;
- service fee;
- cash withdrawal fee;
- fines and penalties for violation of the terms of the contract.
Under certain conditions, commissions may be zero, interest may not accrue - this is the terms of the loan.
The main advantage of credit cards over consumer loans is revolving funds in the account, the money deposited in the form of repayments becomes available to you again. No need to re-collect and submit documents, just do not violate the terms of the contract.
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The concept of “credit card value” includes the aggregate of all interest and fees charged by the bank for various card transactions. The lion's share of the cost is the interest rate for using a loan.
Let's see how these percentages are calculated.
Interest is accrued by the bank every day and is displayed with the total amount at the end of the billing month. In contracts, the annual rate is always indicated, for calculating the daily rate, we divide it by 365 in a normal year and by 366 in a leap year.
For example, 29.9% / 365 \u003d 0.0819178% per day
Consider the accrual procedure by example.
Credit card limit - 60,000 rubles, rate - 29.9%
12.04: consumption of 12,000 rubles.
April 30: arrival of 6,000 rubles.
May 31 - you want to fully repay the loan.
04/13: 12,000 * 29.9% / 365 \u003d 9.83 rubles.
…
04/30: 12,000 * 29.9% / 365 \u003d 9.83 rubles.
April 30: an extract was formed - the total amount% \u003d 18 days * 9.83 \u003d 176.94 rubles.
April 30: repayment of accrued interest - 176.94 rubles.
repayment of the main debt - 5823.06 rubles.
01.05: 6 176.94 * 29.9% / 365 \u003d 5.06 rubles.
…
31.05: 6 176.94 * 29.9% / 365 \u003d 5.06 rubles.
May 31: an extract is formed - the total amount% \u003d 31 days * 5.06 \u003d 156.86 rubles.
To completely close the debt, you need to make: 6,176.94 + 156.86 \u003d 6,333.80 rubles.
When calculating interest, there are always errors not in favor of the borrower. Processing of all accounts takes place automatically, do not think that a mathematical error has been made somewhere. A deviation of up to 2 rubles per 1,000 is considered normal.
All interest and penalties accrued on the loan are reflected in the bank in a separate account, they will never be deducted from your limit. Without your participation, you can only write off the card usage fee (monthly or once a year), cashing fees, transfer fees, etc.
At the time of replenishment of the card, funds are automatically distributed in the following order:
- penalty;
- forfeit;
- fine;
- interest;
- loan body.
If the amount of your contribution is not enough to pay off all "charges" before replenishing the card, you will not get.
What is a grace period?
In Russia, the first real credit card with grace period appeared only in 2005 after amendments to the tax legislation.
When there were few such cards on the market, banks took a fee for connecting to the service, increased annual maintenance, commissions for recording the amount of obligations. Today everything is much simpler and, having carefully studied the offers of various banks, you can really find a credit card with transparent terms of the grace period.
Grace Period - the number of days during which the bank does not charge interest on the amount of debt.
You can use this period only for non-cash withdrawals, the service does not apply to funds withdrawn from an ATM.
The grace period will start on the day the transaction is completed, but the end date will depend on the settlement scheme approved by the bank.
The most common grace period calculation schemes.
1. Calendar month +
The scheme is practiced by most banks and in terms of lending is listed as “grace period - up to N days”, where N is the number of days.
This means that the grace period will be equal to the number of days until the end of the month + (N - 31).
For example, 50 days \u003d 31 days of the current month + 19 days of the next month.
If you spend money on the 1st day and there will be 31 days in a month, then interest on your debt really will not be charged 51 days.
And if the operation takes place on the 31st, you will only have 19 days to use the grace period.
The advantages of the scheme: a fixed end date for the period and the ability to draw up a clear repayment schedule (for example, every month until the 19th day).
Disadvantage: if you did not meet the deadline, interest is accrued for the entire time you use the money.
2. Fixed period
Each purchase has a separate grace period of 30 days.
It is necessary to independently monitor the repayment date for each withdrawn amount - and this is the main drawback of the scheme.
An example is a grace period of 30 days,
01.05 - payment of 500 rubles.
10.05 - payment of 2 000 rubles.
As of 01.06, you will have a debt of 2,500 rubles, but 500 had to be paid off until 31.05, and 2,000 could be used until 09.06.
You’ll have to either keep all your checks, or visit the bank regularly and take account statements, or maintain a multi-level repayment schedule. The day after the end of the grace period, interest will accrue to you for the entire time you use the money.
So, I use the credit line absolutely free?
Even if you pay with a credit card only through terminals, always fit in the grace period and pay payments regularly, remember - credit cards have a fee for issue / reissue, annual commissions, paid connections to insurance programs.
Carefully read the loan agreement and never sign it without familiarizing yourself with all the additions and applications specified in the paragraphs.
Credit card repayment schedule
A distinctive feature of credit cards is the lack of a fixed debt repayment schedule.
Firstly, it is simply impossible to draw up a schedule for a revolving credit line, and secondly, the bank does not oblige you to withdraw money at all - there is no need, you do not use credit funds.
In this regard, many borrowers have a misconception about their obligations.
Indeed, you can withdraw, replenish the card within a month without restrictions, but it is still worth monitoring the timeliness of the payment of payments.
- Set your own repayment period.
- Set a minimum payment for yourself - banks offer to return 5% of the debt each month, but this scheme works only in favor of the bank (the longer you return, the more you pay interest).
- Try to fit into the grace period of the loan.
Consider an example of calculating a repayment schedule (suppose that you cannot use the grace period).
Paid purchase - 35 000 rubles.
Rate - 34%
Monthly service fee - 99 rubles.
You want to close the debt for 10 months.
1. Divide the main debt by 10 months
35 000/10 \u003d 3,500 rubles / mass
2. Calculate interest
I month - 12 days (from the next day from the date of purchase to the end of the month) * 35,000 * 34% / 365 \u003d 391.23 rubles.
3. Payable on the last day of the month: 3,500 + 391.23 + 99 \u003d 3,990.23 rubles.
If your payment passes on the 1st of the next month:
II month - 30 days * (35,000 - 3,500) * 34% / 365 \u003d 880.27 rubles.
Payable in the second month: 3,500 + 880.27 + 99 \u003d 4479.27 rubles.
The interest rate will decrease every month and you will get a classic differentiated chart, i.e. reduction chart.
Consider the same example, only with minimal payments:
I month you will pay 5% of the debt
35,000 * 5% \u003d 1750 rubles., Of which:
interest - 391.23 rubles.
commission - 99 rubles.
body - 1 259.77 rubles.
II month you will pay 5% of the debt
33 740.23 * 5% \u003d 1 687.01 rubles, of which
interest - 30 days * (35,000 - 1,259.77) * 34% / 365 \u003d 926.24 rubles.
commission - 99 rubles.
body - 661.77 rubles.
Approximately you will pay the loan for 4 years with all the resulting overpayments and commissions.
Credit limit exceeded
It is possible to exceed the limit on a credit card under two circumstances:
- the card level allows for off-line operations;
- you withdraw money where there is no instant data exchange with your bank processing (for example, abroad).
Exceeding the limit is considered your mathematical mistake - you simply could not correctly calculate how much money was left on the card: you did not take into account the conversion, a blocked deposit at the hotel, etc.
For a mistake, the bank punishes with a one-time penalty + interest for each day. As a rule, the accrued interest rate is slightly higher than that provided by standard tariffs.
What to do?
- Pay off debts as quickly as possible with all fines.
- Keep track of the balance of the card account, especially when traveling abroad.
What will be the late payment?
Each loan agreement prescribes fines for violation of the terms of the minimum payment installment.
They did not make the payment on time - 500-1000 rubles were added to the debt, they missed the payment and the next month - another 2000 rubles. In addition, banks charge penalties as a percentage of the amount of debt.
After 3 months from the date of the last payment, the bank may demand to repay the debt in full and cancel your credit line. Also, the bank may block further withdrawals, stop accruing bonuses, disable the "cash back" service.
Credit card debt is divided into 4 stages:
- up to 30 days;
- from 30 to 60;
- from 60 to 90;
- from 90 days.
By analogy with other products at each stage, the bank leads the debtor in various ways: sends SMS messages, calls, sends letters, acts through relatives.
Which card to choose?
At the moment, almost every first bank offers its own credit cards. From my experience of using I can recommend a Tinkoff Bank card, in addition to attractive conditions, they offer one of the best online banks and any transactions can be carried out remotely, without visiting the bank.
Hello, friends!
Credit card is a popular type of banking products. People increasingly use them to pay for goods and services. But are all the rules of use known to us?
Practice shows that no. If you get acquainted with the reviews of credit card holders, it turns out a lot of subtleties of handling this tool. Therefore, today we will analyze how to use a credit card correctly so as not to be left with an empty wallet and a damaged credit history.
Have you considered buying a credit card? Then it's time to study the conditions under which it will become an effective payment tool in the hands of a financially competent person. And you are just like that or strive to become one, because at least read thematic articles on finance. Do you agree?
Every year, banks are trying to facilitate the process of obtaining a credit card. In most cases, the client can fill out a questionnaire on the site without leaving home and wait for a decision on extradition. After the application is approved by the bank, you will receive a credit card at the office of this financial institution, by mail or by courier. Typically, a card is issued in a sealed envelope. Opening it, you will find the card itself and activation instructions.
The procedure is straightforward. Sometimes it is necessary to contact the bank via remote service channels (for example, at Tinkoff Bank) in order to activate the card. But in most cases, even this is not required. In Sberbank, it becomes available for use the day after receipt.
Upon activation, you receive a PIN code that you will need to use an ATM or to enter your personal account on the bank’s website. It is also sometimes requested at places of purchase of goods and services. Mandatory safety rules:
- Do not tell anyone the pin code. Emphasis on the word ANYONE. Even bank employees, if they introduced themselves like that. And, of course, sellers in stores or waiters in restaurants.
- Do not write it in a notebook or phone. In general, do not record anywhere.
- Try to enter the pin code unnoticed by others. For example, covering with a hand.
- Do not enter it if there are many people nearby. You cannot control the process.
- Do not enter the code in suspicious ATMs from your point of view.
Carefully inspect the receiver, there should not be any foreign objects, overlays.
Cases of fraudulent actions with cards have become more frequent. For example, my friend posted an ad on a popular resource for selling a children's bike. The “buyer" called her and offered to pay by bank transfer. I asked to inform not only the card number, but also its validity period and CVV / CVC code (last 3 digits on the back). As a result, a friend lost 50,000 rubles.
To transfer money, only a card number or account number is enough.
Remember to sign your card on the back.
With the activation of the card sorted out. Now we pass to its immediate use. What is the main desire of a credit card holder? Use other people's money and do not pay anything for it. Normal desire. But there is also another side - the bank. What does he want? Make money on you. Our task is to prevent these desires of the two parties from coming into conflict. We must learn not to pay the bank.
We correctly calculate the grace period
In my opinion about the ideal credit card in the first place - the presence of a long grace period of money back to the bank. The longer the better. But it is equally important to learn how to calculate it correctly.
The main differences of the grace period in different banks:
- the duration of the period (from 50 to 120 days);
- what it applies to (all card transactions, including cash withdrawals, or only for the purchase of goods and services);
- calculation method;
- honesty period.
I will dwell on the last two concepts in more detail.
The grace period may have different calculation technology:
1. From the start date of the billing period.
The day after the preparation of the bank report, the countdown of the interest-free period begins. For example, in Sberbank the settlement period is 30 days. Then there is another 20 days for full repayment of the loan or making a minimum payment. Total grace period - 50 days.
Honest or dishonest grace period? These terms were not coined by banks, but by their customers.
Imagine the situation. You spent some amount of money during the billing period and returned only part of it to the end of the grace period. Accordingly, you start to pay interest. In the new billing period, you will not be given an interest-free period until you fully repay your debt. Fair? Users think not.
With an honest grace period, a 0% loan rate is valid in each billing period. The main thing is to make a minimum payment.
Before you order a credit card, take an interest in the method of calculating the grace period. Otherwise, you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation for the debtor.
How to repay a loan
They didn’t forget that at the beginning of the article we agreed not to let ourselves be confused and try to use the bank’s money without paying a dime for it? Then remember the rule that must be strictly observed.
If you do not want to constantly go to the debtors of the bank, then repay the entire amount of money spent until the end of the grace period. If every month you make only the minimum payment, then pay the bank a lot of interest for using its funds.
What I mean? Banks provide an opportunity to choose any of the proposed loan repayment schemes:
- Payments of at least a mandatory minimum payment.
Banks set it as a percentage of the principal amount of the debt and set another minimum border. For instance:
- in Sberbank - it is 5%, but not less than 150 rubles .;
- in Alfa-Bank - 5%, but not less than 300 rubles .;
- at Tinkoff Bank - not more than 8%, but not less than 600 rubles.
In order for you not to be seduced by the word “minimal”, read once again the rule that we have adopted with you a little higher. Of course, the temptation to pay a small loan amount each time is great, but then the interest calculated later will be much higher.
- Redemption by any amount is greater than the minimum.
There is absolutely no difference with the first option. In any case, you are in debtors and give the bank exactly what it was for which he opened the credit card - income.
- Completely close the entire loan amount.
This is the only way not to pay interest to the bank for its money. Use them during the grace period, but before it ends, pay off the full amount of the debt. Only in this case, the bank will not be able to earn money on you.
Cash withdrawal
A credit card is not intended to cash money, although it does provide such an opportunity. It is on this service that banks earn the most. Look at the commission that you will pay if you decide to cash out the bank's money:
- at Sberbank: 3% of the amount, but not less than 390 rubles .;
- at Tinkoff Bank: 2.9% + 290 rub.
At Alfa Bank, you can withdraw up to 50,000 rubles per month. no commission, subject to repayment of the debt before the end of the grace period. If you withdraw more than the declared amount, then pay a commission in the amount of 3.9 to 5.9% of the difference.
Do not consider a credit card as your wallet. Firstly, this is not a wallet, and secondly, not yours. A credit card is intended for non-cash payments and only in extreme cases. For example, the refrigerator broke or the only winter boots were torn, and a couple of weeks before the paycheck. But you should not use the card for daily purchases in supermarkets.
How to correctly use the bonus program
Each bank has a loyalty program, the main purpose of which is to attract as many customers as possible not only with attractive credit card rates, but also with bonus programs. In this case, different options are possible:
- Refund of a part of the cashback program in the form of points.
The percentage of return can vary from 0.5 to 30%. For some banks and above. But here you need to understand that high percentages of cashback are given only for certain purchases.
Points are equal to rubles. It is beneficial if the accumulated points can be paid in any store. Some banks, for example, Sberbank, allow you to spend bonuses only in partner stores. And on the Tinkoff Platinum card - only in the restaurant and when buying train tickets.
Another nuance is associated with the observance of certain conditions when calculating cashback. For example, on a Cash Back card from Alfa Bank, to become a member of the program, you need to spend at least 20,000 rubles. per month on the map.
- Refund of a part of the cashback program spent in miles and other units (for example, tripcoins).
The difference from the point system is that you accumulate miles, tripcoins, etc. This is actively used by travelers or people who spend a lot of time on business trips. As a rule, accumulated units can be exchanged for railway or air tickets, hotel reservations, car rentals.
For me, the best option is one in which I am not tied to any store partner. I get a certain percentage from every purchase paid with a card, and I can spend it on anything.
Closing credit cards
The procedure for closing credit cards is approximately the same in different banks. It is necessary to pay off existing debts and inform the bank of your decision to close the credit card 30 days before the termination of the contract.
The card belongs to the bank, so it may require a return.
Conclusion
Let's summarize. I decided to do this in the form of a summary of the main rules for using credit cards, which we talked about throughout the article.
Rule 1. Get a credit card only if you have a steady income. Do not consider it as a means to hold out until the salary. Remember that this is not your money and you must give it on time or pay for the delay.
Rule 2. Do not withdraw cash from your credit card. For this, the bank takes a rather large commission (exceptions are the banks for which the cash withdrawal operation is included in the grace period).
Rule 3. Learn how to calculate the interest-free period correctly. You always have access to remote service channels where you can clarify information.
Rule 4. Repay the loan on time and preferably the entire amount of the debt before the end of the grace period. So you will avoid interest.
Rule 5. Follow security measures and do not fall for the tricks of scammers.
That’s probably all. If you want to learn more about the criteria for choosing a credit card, then see the article and their proper use.
Subscribe to our blog, because there is still a lot of interesting research.
Sberbank offers its customers many services, the main among which are still debit and credit plastic cards. The popularity of the latter is only increasing from year to year, which is not surprising. The convenience of their use cannot be overlooked: once you appear in the bank once, you don’t have to think about finding funds. At the same time, the plastic holder should be on the alert: after a certain period of time, they “drop” the interest that must be paid on time. To use the loan on the most favorable terms for yourself, you should know the rules for using a Sberbank credit card.
Activation
Regardless of which credit card was issued for the owner, it must be “launched”. Sberbank issues cards blocked so that no one outsider can use the funds in the account tied to it. After checking the spelling of the personal data on the card, proceed to its activation. For this, a Sberbank terminal is required. The procedure does not take much time and boils down to the following sequential actions:
- Insert the card into the terminal.
- Enter the PIN code indicated in the envelope (in some cases, the owner of the payment plastic comes up with a secret combination of numbers).
- Perform any operation (get information about the balance, make a payment, etc.).
- Pick up a card from the terminal.
If the activation procedure was not performed by the client independently, nothing terrible will happen. The card is automatically unlocked within 24 hours after receiving it at the bank.
Cash withdrawal
The rules for using a Sberbank credit card cannot but include a clause such as cash withdrawal. The account holder can withdraw money in any terminal, however, the cost of the service will be different. A commission is charged each time a transaction is issued with a credit card. The “native” terminal of Sberbank will additionally charge 3% for its services (at least 390 rubles), and devices of other banks will request 4% with the same minimum commission amount of 390 rubles. For example, when removing 100 p. account balance will decrease by 490 p. This money is considered spent, and they also accrue interest on the loan. Therefore, it is advisable to include in the following paragraph: withdrawing small amounts of money is unprofitable, the best option would be to cash out 10 thousand rubles. and more.
In addition to the commission, for credit cards there is a limit for a one-time withdrawal of funds, which amounts to 50 thousand rubles. Holders of "golden" plastic such as Visa Gold and MasterCard Gold have the opportunity to instantly cash out 300 thousand rubles.
Cashless payments
Using money without even holding it in your hands is doubly convenient and profitable. There is no need to carry an impressive amount with bills, being afraid to “shine” them in society. In addition, the user has open doors to any online store. Without leaving your home, you can pay for any purchases and services where supported
If you need funds in a store, restaurant or other institution, you need to ask for a payment terminal. A card is inserted into it, a PIN is entered, after which a transaction is carried out. If there are enough funds, it succeeds. At the same time, the owner of the credit card does not pay a penny commission and receives bonus points under the program "Thank you from Sberbank." Cashback is 1.5 bonuses for each ruble in the first three months of using the card and 0.5 bps. after their expiration. Accumulated points can pay for purchases.
Gold credit card holders make cashless payments even easier: cards support contactless payment technology PayWave / PayPass. To do this, just bring the card to the payment terminal. You do not need to enter a PIN or sign a check.
Is it possible to "bypass" the withdrawal fee?
Entrepreneurial people, learning about the large fees for cashing out funds, are trying to find other methods to withdraw money. An elementary Card to Card transfer or replenishment of an electronic wallet comes to mind. Unfortunately, these methods will not work with a Sberbank credit card. The card simply does not have such functionality: it is impossible to transfer funds to any bank card (even your own) or to replenish an electronic wallet with it.
There is still one option for urgent withdrawal of money from a credit card: you need to replenish your mobile phone account, and then withdraw funds through the payment system of the telecom operator. The commission is still charged, but is a smaller amount. The method will take much more time and energy and promises dubious benefits. But it will help maintain the grace period. One more point should be included in the rules for using a credit card of Sberbank: it is worth cashing out funds only as a last resort. The procedure not only threatens a large commission, but also deprives the owner of the most important benefit of a credit card - a grace period.
How to stay in the “plus” of the loan?
Terms of use seem quite simple: after spending money from the account, they must be returned. Without delving into the essence of the process, many are undermined by easy money and the bank owes an impressive amount. How to properly dispose of funds and not get into debt? Everything is simple. The Bank provides the customer with a grace period during which it is possible to use funds at a rate of 0%. Having returned all the money before the set time, the card holder remains the winner: he did not overpay a penny, and received bonus points.
The rules for using a credit card of Sberbank "Visa" or "Mastercard" to get the maximum benefit from the loan are reduced to the following points:
- spend money only in non-cash way;
- correctly calculate the grace period in order to manage to deposit money before interest is charged;
- do not forget to pay in time for card servicing.
Before spending money with a credit card, you should think carefully about whether it will be possible to pay off the amount before the end of the grace period. Otherwise, you will have to pay a considerable percentage to the bank.
About the essence of the grace period
Before applying for a loan, a bank employee announces the rules for using a Sberbank credit card. The grace period for such products is 50 calendar days. But it’s not always clear to the user at what time the countdown begins and when the debt should be repaid.
The structure includes two periods: 30 days for purchases and 20 days for repayment. The first period of time is called the billing period, it starts from the moment the credit card is activated. You can learn it from the bank employees. This is a certain number of the month that remains constant. Within 30 days (sometimes 31), the cardholder makes settlements, after this period comes an extract-notification about all the funds spent, the amount of debt and the minimum payment. There comes a payment period of 20 days, during which the borrower must pay the bank.
How is it profitable to repay a loan?
Within 20 days, the cardholder must make a payment. Moreover, the profitability of the transaction depends on the borrower: if you pay exactly the amount that was spent in the billing period, then there will be no overpayment. You should be careful about the provision of preferential repayment at the rate of 0%: the rule applies only to non-cash payments. When withdrawing funds, the interest will be charged on the amount of cashing out (plus commission) daily, so you need to return this money as soon as possible.
If it is not possible to repay the entire amount within 20 days, at least a minimum payment of 5% of the spent funds must be paid. This also includes commissions (for cash withdrawals, card servicing, paid services), interest on operations not included in soft loans, and penalties (for late payments, exceeding the credit limit). The situation will continue on a monthly basis until the client repays the entire amount, taking into account interest. In this case, there is no need to talk about a zero rate.
Note to credit card holders
The article examined the main actions that a loan owner will have to face. Let’s summarize the rules of using a Gold credit card as an example:
- card activation is performed using the terminal with the introduction of a PIN code;
- cash withdrawal is fraught with the expenditure of additional funds (3% of the amount, at least 390 p.) and daily accrual of interest on the amount of cash in cash + commission;
- you can repay the amounts spent by bank transfer during the grace period;
- spending money is more profitable at the beginning of the billing period, so there will be almost 50 days for interest-free use;
- if the full amount cannot be repaid, at least the minimum payment recommended by the bank (5% of the expense + commission) should be paid, while interest on the balance of the debt will be charged at a rate of 17.9-23% per annum (for a Gold card), which will have to be paid already in the next period with part of the main debt;
- funds spent in the billing period will relate to the next month and are not subject to current payment.
A credit card is a very convenient financial tool, if you can use it correctly. However, in practice, one may encounter a number of mistakes made by the holders of "plastic". As a result, they overpay tangible amounts, which does not allow saving money and spending them in a more profitable direction.
3 mistakes when choosing a card
Choosing a credit card is a very important decision. Indeed, today in the market you can find several dozens and even hundreds of offers from various banks. Among them there are more and less profitable, so you should try to avoid typical mistakes when choosing.
Disclaimer of Alternatives
Often, borrowers receive a credit card from the same bank that serves the salary card. At the same time, the bank offers “personal” or “special” conditions that can actually be quite profitable. On the other hand, before making a decision, it is better for the client to get acquainted with at least 2-3 offers from other banks in order to choose even more convenient conditions.
Bonus Rejection
A credit card is not just the credit limit itself, but also additional features in the form of bonuses, the return of a part of funds from purchases. It is better for the borrower to carefully study the bank's offer and choose a card with a profitable program. For example, if a person rarely travels by plane, it makes no sense to use the bonus miles offer. It is better to get a credit card with a refund of part of the amount from any purchases.
Terms of Service
You also need to carefully study the contract, especially those clauses that describe the conditions for servicing the loan, calculate the interest rate, tariff for banking services, mobile banking, etc. For example, it often happens that a bank provides free service for the first year, and then charges 1,000-3,000 rubles annually. You can find other cards that are serviced for free under certain conditions throughout the entire period of use.
7 mistakes when using
This is the main group of errors that is most often observed in practice. You can find a large number of wrong decisions of borrowers. Here are the most common ones.
Minimum payment
Skipping the minimum payment is the most obvious and very blatant mistake. Moreover, sometimes users who have many credit cards simply confuse or forget about the next date, which is also unacceptable. To avoid this, just connect SMS-informing or just follow the dates yourself, recording them in any convenient way.
You can also set up auto payment - a certain amount from the salary card will be debited in favor of a credit card every month (until a specific date). It is important to understand that violation of the payment deadline threatens not only with significant fines, but also a deterioration in credit history.
Misunderstanding the amount owed
Paying only the minimum payment is a very common mistake, which leads to a deterioration in the financial position of the borrower. The minimum payment is about 5-8% of the total debt.
However, in this amount, the largest part will be the payment of interest and banking services. Therefore, realistically no more than half of the payment amount will go to repay the debt. At this rate, you can pay off only in a few years and with a large overpayment.
Misuse of grace period
Usually it is about 50-55 days (less often - 100 days, sometimes up to six months). At this time, the borrower does not pay interest, even if he made a purchase on the card (provided that he did not withdraw cash). However, it is important to calculate correctly in order to use it as long as possible.
It lasts from the date of generating the report on the card to the next such date and plus 20-25 days. Details need to be specified in the bank branch or by calling the hotline.
Cash withdrawal
For such an operation, the bank charges an additional fee. In addition, the grace period does not work in this case. At the same time, sometimes the bank can hold shares, reducing or even zeroing the commission for cash withdrawals. However, in any case, such actions should be resorted to only in the most extreme cases.
Immoderate spending
A very common mistake. Worst of all, it is common to almost all credit card holders. Interestingly, according to statistics, when making purchases with a card, a person usually spends 20-30% more than cash that he would be ready to give back at that moment in time.
This is due to the peculiarities of psychology: it is much harder to part with your personal money than with "virtual" credit funds. Therefore, large purchases must be planned in advance, and for ordinary expenses it is better to make a list, relying only on your own funds.
Credit limit exceeded
A certain limit is always set on the card - for example, 100-200 thousand rubles. Most borrowers believe that it is impossible to go beyond it; if the limit is exceeded, the bank will simply refuse to carry out the operation. However, in practice, very often the user has the opportunity to exceed the limit.
Such services are called differently, "over limit", "overflow", etc. The bank charges additional fees for these operations, and they are very tangible. For example, a purchase of just 100 rubles from above may result in a commission of 390 rubles and the accrual of large interest for each day of using this amount.
Open a large number of credit cards at once
Today there are a lot of similar offers. Various banks can send SMS to the same person: those where he used to take a loan, those who service a salary card (or previously served a salary account with a former employer), etc. Often, borrowers tend to get as many credit cards as possible, using these offers to the maximum.
Subsequently, this can lead to excessive spending, delays in payments, and deterioration of credit history. Therefore, it is necessary to adequately assess both your financial capabilities and needs so that you do not literally drive yourself into debt.
3 security bugs
These errors can cause the greatest financial damage. If you do not take into account the basic security requirements, access to the card will be granted to unauthorized persons. This can happen for various reasons.
PIN code storage with the card in one wallet
In fact, an envelope with a PIN code needs to be destroyed immediately after the holder remembers the combination. It is most convenient to change your PIN at an ATM - usually this is done in 1 minute, and no transaction fee is charged. You can create a single code for all cards - then the risk of forgetting the combination almost disappears.
Shopping on dubious websites
Today, users make a lot of online purchases; in most cases, operations are successful. In order not to be fraudulent, you need to make a purchase only on trusted services (for example, using Verified by Visa technology).
Transfer of any data related to the card to third parties
It excludes the transfer of a PIN code and SMS passwords (when making a purchase) to any person, including a bank employee. The remaining data (number, validity period, etc.) can be called only by representatives of the bank when necessary.
2 closing errors
And 2 more wrong decisions can arise at the stage of closing the card. They represent opposing situations that can equally damage the financial position of the borrower.
"Liquidation" on its own initiative
The client stops using the card, completely repays the loan, after which he simply liquidates the plastic (upon expiration of the validity period indicated on the front side). However, termination does not mean automatic closure of the loan agreement. Often the bank simply reissues a new card, for which you also need to pay a service fee.
Hasty decision
On the other hand, the client is often in a hurry to get rid of the card without foreseeing a situation where he might really need a small amount of money. Subsequently, you have to contact the bank again, and if the situation is urgent, you need to arrange microloans at much higher interest rates.
Therefore, a credit card is a very convenient tool (subject to a moderate interest rate of up to 20-25% per annum). She can not only help out her owner, but also allow him to save and even increase funds through bonuses and promotions. However, for this you just need to understand its functions and skillfully take advantage of it.