While Unlock 1.0 has allowed for some offices to begin operating, requirements for reduced staff and social distancing norms are ensuring that many continue to work from home. Are you now thinking of investing in a proper home office? If so, we have some good news — there are credit cards best suited for just this.
The fatigue from working on a makeshift table and using a non-ergonomic chair is real. Plus the long hours we are putting in to make up for not being physically present in the office isn’t health-friendly. It could be time to consider investing in a comfortable home office space. An adjustable desk to align with your body, an ergonomic chair, a lamp with warm light (to curb blue light emissions), a small indoor plant, noise-cancellation headphones, and don’t forget a high-speed internet connection (because your mobile hotspot may not cut it any more). An air conditioner in this heat is a must if you do not already have one. This is assuming, of course, that your laptop works well.
If spending at once sounds daunting, credit cards that not only earn points for you but offer cashbacks could lessen the immediate burden. In-person verification is common before a card is issued to you, but this is not necessary if you have an excellent credit history and a consistent salary package. Here is a look at some of the best credit cards to sign up for, to place your home office orders online.
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1 /5
If you buy everything from Amazon, then signing up for this card earns you cashbacks (upto five percent) even if you are a non-Prime member for purchases and payments (up to two percent). A no cost EMI option for purchases above Rs 3,000 for tenures of three to six months is also available. There is no annual fee.
2 /5
You could get perturbed by the joining fee of Rs 500, but the welcome benefits of Rs 3,300 more than make up for a loyal Flipkart consumer. Besides the five percent cashback on Flipkart, Myntra, and 2GUD, four complimentary domestic lounge visits a year and a one percent fuel surcharge waiver (up to Rs 500) per month, makes this card attractive. No cost EMI option is also available. The annual fee of Rs 500 is waived off if you spend Rs 2,00,000 in a year.
3 /5
This card allows benefits for both Amazon and Flipkart consumers with 10 reward points for every Rs 50 spent on Flipkart and five reward points for the same amount on Amazon (and a few other online marketplaces including food and grocery). The annual fee of Rs 495 seems negligible with a cashback of Rs 500, if you spend Rs 10,000 in the first 90 days. The fee is waived if Rs 40,000 is spent in a year. You can earn one reward point for every Rs 50 spent on insurance, utilities, fuel, cash transactions, and EMI conversion.
4 /5
If you do not want to be bound by the online marketplace you shop on, this card offers 1.5 percent cashback on all online spends without a maximum cap. The first year annual fee is also waived off, and subsequent ones are waived off if you spend Rs 1 lakh in a year. Ease of payments is highlighted by cashback on instant EMI conversions and changing your dues into EMIs or transferring your dues from another bank. You could also make the most of introductory offers at Amazon, Swiggy, dining and airport lounges.
5 /5
This card allows you to redeem points you earn against your statement where every Rs 100 is equal to Rs 20. With the 500 reward points, you earn as a welcome gift, every Rs 150 spent online gathers Rs 4 as reward points from July 2020 onwards. Additionally, you can earn a gift voucher of Rs 500 if you spend Rs 50,000 each quarter. A 1 per cent fuel surcharge waiver on transactions above Rs. 400 is attractive too. The annual fee of Rs 500 doesn’t apply in the first year and is waived off if you spend Rs 50,000 in a year.
Anam Naqvi
Anam is an astute writer who aims to demystify personal finance and wealth management for the common man. She has written on geopolitics, economics and politics as well for the Economist Intelligence Unit before moving to personal finance content strategy. Her penchant for storytelling and conversation has resulted in a podcast about human stories.
