Which Mastercard credit card is good to have, just as a spare card?

Hi anon,

Try the CIMB mastercards (world/platinum). They are zero fee cards and you can just stick it in your wallet and pull it out when needed.

Take note however, that if you don't use it frequently, you must remember to pay the bill when it is due. Some people might forget to pay the bill since it's not their main card.

I keep both CIMB's Visa and Mastercards in my wallet, just in case.

A simple card to meet your needs may be the Stanchart Unlimited card (1.5% on everything), or to simply get a MasterCard debit card for your bank account, since you're after the bulk 15% discount with actual card rewards mattering less.

These promotions seem to be far and few these days though - most tie ups (if any) are more closely associated with partner banks and respective cards. While it's a one-off and the 15% indeed does sting, the question is whether you wish to carry a dummy card along in your wallet at all times for such rare occasions.

You could also put across the case that this card may be loaded into your phone on Apple / Samsung / Google Pay. However, it also brings you down the slippery slope - what if the next time there's a bank specific promotion and you don't have a card from that bank? The next course of action would be to then sign one card from every bank, hoping to never miss out on such deals.

While it's a good thought to have and doesn't hurt to have an extra card, it's probably also a good chance to think where you're comfortable to stop at.​​​