[이데일리 전선형 기자] As prices continue to rise, more and more people are looking for credit cards that offer discounts on the cost of living. The amount of issuance is expected to increase further as basic living costs increase, including gas and apartment management fees, which have been raised three times this year.
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According to the credit card industry on the 3rd, inquiries about issuing credit cards that reduce the cost of living are increasing. In the case of one card company, the issuance of cost of living cards is known to have increased by more than 10%.
The reason why the cost of living benefit card is popular is that various fees have risen according to high prices. In particular, there were people who turned on the heat in the sudden cold weather and were hit by gas bill bombs. This year, gas rates were raised three times due to gas supply shortages due to the Russia-Ukraine war. Gas rates for homes increased from 65.23 won to 66.98 won per 1 megacalorie (Mcal) in April, 74.49 won in July, and 89.88 won in October. This is an increase of more than 30% this year alone. Electricity rates have also increased since last October. Electricity rates were raised by 7.4 won per kilowatt-hour (㎾h). As a result, the electricity bill for a household of four increased by around 2,270 won per month. A card industry official said, “It is true that inquiries about linked cards are increasing as basic living expenses such as oil, gas, and utility bills rise,” he said.
In response, Cardgorilla, a credit card information platform, recently drew attention by selecting and issuing cards that reduce utility bills. For the selected cards, discounts on monthly payments are basic, and gas, telecommunications and market costs are also discounted.
First up is the Shinhan Card ‘Mr Life’ card. The key to this card is a 10% discount on electricity bills, city gas bills and telecommunications bills. The discount limit varies depending on the performance of the power supply, and if you have made more than 1 million won in the previous month, you can receive a discount of up to 10,000 won per month. In addition, you can get a 10% discount on convenience stores, hospitals, pharmacies and laundries, as well as discounts on three large markets and four large gas stations. There is a 10% discount at the mart and 60 per liter is earned at the main station.
Lotte Card’s LOCA 365 card is also gaining popularity. This card includes apartment management fees and city gas fees. You can get a 10% discount on seven items, including electricity, mobile communication, public transport, insurance, and study materials. The discount limit is 5,000 won each, and you can receive a discount of up to 35,000 per month. Streaming services like Netflix and YouTube are discounted by 1,500 earned once a month. In addition, if you pay more than 50,000 won in domestic merchants, you can receive interest-free installments for up to 3 months.
The ‘Samsung iD Daldal Discount’ card from Samsung Card offers a 10% discount on regular charges such as apartment management fees, mobile communication fees, insurance, and study materials. The discount can be up to 35,000 depending on the previous month’s performance. A 5% discount is also available in supermarkets and large stores, and streaming services such as Netflix or recently introduced subscriptions such as Coupang Rocket Wow can be paid at half price.
