Sharing My Credit Card Success Story – 2021

Credit cards aren’t often shown in good light so let me share my success story with you and hope it changes your mind about them.

You’ve probably heard a ton of horror stories related to credit cards by now. From people drowning in debt to having unauthorized transactions, credit cards have a very notorious reputation.

Let’s face it, it is so much easier to get yourself into a credit card horror story than a success story. Just spend beyond your means and you’re all set to having headaches over debt. On the other hand, gearing yourself up for success requires commitment. Yes, hindi lang pang relationship ang commitment! With this kind of mindset, here’s what I achieved in 2021 when it comes to credit cards.

Accumulated 240,000 airline miles

This is the amount of miles I was able to accumulate this year. To date however, I’ve reached 1 million airline miles! Be sure to check out the blog post I’ve linked to know how I did it.

Earned PHP 26,949.66 in cashback

Pretty specific number isn’t it? That’s because I really do keep track of everything – even down to the last cent! With this, I’m also able to see which of my credit cards are working for me or not. 

Lurking around Reddit (and PinoyExchange forums before), I see a number of people asking whether they should keep a particular credit card or have it cancelled. Honestly, this question is very subjective; and in the end, it’s something only you can determine. Having specific numbers, such as whether one is able to compensate the annual fee through the benefits, is great for helping you decide.

Got PHP 8,000.00 worth of vouchers

Aside from the cashback promos, there were also promos which rewarded me with vouchers or gift certificates. In this case, I got a total of PHP 6,000.00 worth of Lazada vouchers and PHP 2,000.00 worth of Grab vouchers. Hurray for “free” shopping and dining!

“But Kevin! The promos are so hard to achieve! Ang taas ng minimum requirement per transaction minsan!” Here’s a hack. Pay your bills in excess using Lazada. Bills are something you’ll have to pay for anyway and the excess goes towards your succeeding monthly bills. You can also offer to perform transactions on behalf of your family and friends, just make sure they’ll be paying you! 

Reached Elite Gold-Tier Membership in KrisFlyer

Last but not the least, I reached elite gold tier with KrisFlyer or Singapore Airlines! Thanks to their year-long promo, I was able to do this without actually flying. Kasi hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako masyadong pinapayagan lumabas, kahit magpa-gupit nga ayaw ng parents ko. Unfortunately, the gold tier membership ends on December 2022 and unless some miracle happens, I really doubt I’d be able to fly and enjoy this.

And that’s it for my 2021 credit card in the numbers! While things seem grim, here’s to hoping 2022 gets better.