How credit card joining bonuses really work

Joining bonuses are the hook banks use to get you to sign up. But they often come with strings attached.

The Spend Milestone Trap

Many "free" bonuses require you to spend ₹50,000 in the first 90 days. If you don't naturally spend that much, you might end up buying things you don't need just to unlock a "free" gift.

The Points vs. Cash Value

A "10,000 Points" bonus sounds huge, but if 1 Point = ₹0.20, that bonus is only worth ₹2,000.