u/RetroCompass

21M, recently started my first job as a Software Developer and I'm confused about what to do regarding my salary account.

Current situation:

- Monthly salary credited to bank account: ~₹49,000

- Currently receiving salary in my SBI Savings Account (zero balance account)

- I also have an Axis Easy Access Savings Account (less than 6 months old) with an AMB requirement of ₹12,000

- My company supports salary accounts with SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, IndusInd, IDFC First, HSBC, Standard Chartered, BOB, IDBI, Kotak, and Yes Bank

What I'm confused about:

1. Should I convert my SBI account into a salary account and continue using it?

2. Should I convert my Axis Easy Access account into a salary account instead?

3. Should I open a salary account with HDFC, ICICI, IDFC First, or another bank that offers better benefits ?

4. Also should I close the Axis account as I dont use it much (It is less than 6 months old)

Is there any significant advantage to choosing HDFC/ICICI/IDFC over SBI or Axis for someone with a monthly in hand salary of around ₹49k?

My priorities are:

- Good banking app and overall experience

- Low or zero charges

- Good debit card and salary account benefits

- Good customer service and RM

- I've also recently started using credit cards, so it would be nice if the banking relationship helps me get better credit card offers.

Would appreciate hearing from people who have used salary accounts. What would you do in my situation?

Hi everyone, I recently started working as a software developer and have been investing ₹18,000 per month through SIPs.

My current allocation is:

ICICI Prudential Liquid Fund Direct Growth – ₹5,000 (building an emergency fund)

Invesco India Small Cap Fund Direct Growth – ₹3,000

Quantum Gold Savings Fund Direct Growth – ₹1,000

Bandhan Nifty 50 Index Fund Direct Growth – ₹5,500

Edelweiss Mid Cap Fund Direct Growth – ₹3,500

I am new to investing and mutual funds, so I'm not sure whether this portfolio and allocation make sense or if I should make any changes. I've been investing according to the above distribution for the last 3–4 months.

My goal is long-term wealth creation, and I have a relatively high risk tolerance due to my age. I would appreciate feedback on whether these funds are good and whether the allocation can be improved.

I am currently building my emergency fund through a combination of liquid funds and FDs. Once I reach my emergency fund target, I plan to redirect the ₹5,000 SIP currently going into the liquid fund toward equity investments.

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Hi everyone,

I'm 21 and started my first software engineering job in April 2026. My in-hand salary is around ₹49k/month.

I started building credit in March 2026 and currently have two FD-backed cards: Super.money Utkarsh SFB SuperCard with a ₹10.8k limit and IDFC FIRST Hello Cashback with a ₹15k limit.

My CIBIL score is 779 and I've never missed a payment. Because my total limit is only ₹25.8k, I often end up paying the cards multiple times during the month to keep utilization low.

For rewards, I currently get 1% cashback on UPI spends through the SuperCard. On the IDFC Hello Cashback card, I get 3% cashback on online spends and 5% cashback once I cross ₹10,000 in monthly spending.

Most of my spending is on Swiggy/Zomato, Blinkit/Zepto/BigBasket, VRL bus tickets (5–6 per month), Amazon/Flipkart, Jio Fiber and mobile recharges, and occasional dining out.

I'm thinking about applying for my first unsecured card because my current limits feel restrictive.

My questions are:

1. Should I apply now or wait until I have a longer salary/credit history?

2. Which unsecured cards would I realistically get approved for?

3. How much does my short credit history matter despite having a 779 CIBIL score?

4. Which cards would best suit my spending pattern?

Would appreciate any advice. Thanks.