HSBC Gold Credit Card?

symphonies

Hi!

Trying to figure out what the benefits the Gold HSBC credit card have. Tried to check it out online but can barely find any info on it.

My partner has just found his HSC Gold credit card which he hasn't used in ages. He can't remember what the benefits are - if any. I have the normal HSBC credit card which doesn't really offer much except for a BT which I don't need.

Just curious, really. If it doesn't offer anything, then he said he would just close it and apply for something better. Tried ringing up but all three agents had no idea what he was talking about!

As far as I can see, it's definitely a UK issued card.

bouncydog1

Just google HSBC gold credit card and you'll find several links providing details.

planteria

my Dad has the gold card. very retro nowadays.... ive never had a gold card. it's been Platinum, or not, for a long long time now.

i would be looking closely at the market and deciding what cards suit you both best. Amex is the obvious spending card for me. and then it's a matter of looking at a non-Amex spending card, if required.

[Deleted User]

Didn't they phase out the Gold Card in favour of the whole HSBC Premier shebang?

planteria

it's not available now, bill (just Standard/Premier/Student).. but i understand that existing customers do have them reissued.

symphonies

bouncydog1 wrote: »

Just google HSBC gold credit card and you'll find several links providing details.

I did. I mainly got links to NON UK cards. Couldn't find a thing on UK ones.

symphonies

planteria wrote: »

my Dad has the gold card. very retro nowadays.... ive never had a gold card. it's been Platinum, or not, for a long long time now.

i would be looking closely at the market and deciding what cards suit you both best. Amex is the obvious spending card for me. and then it's a matter of looking at a non-Amex spending card, if required.

Currently, partner is using the low rate MBNA card. The low APR doesn't really make a difference because its always paid in full. The Gold card was just found recently on top of the book shelf!

Amex sounds good! I'll get him to look into that. And he's thinking of trading his MBNA in for something with added benefits - we're currently looking into the Santander as he drives a lot.

Cheers for the suggestions. And for double checking the HSBC credit cards in your second comment. Much appreciated!

planteria

no problem.
if the balance is being cleared in full each month, then yes, looking for an alternative spending card seems a good idea.

Mr_Lawnmower

These days the HSBC Gold Visa offers no benefits whatsoever - it used to have lower fees than standard HSBC credit cards and there was a points scheme many years ago, but those benefits have long since disappeared. I still have HSBC Gold Visa and a standard HSBC credit card (currently Mastercard, will become Visa when it is reissued shortly). The standard credit card has a lower interest rate than the Gold Visa!

The only reason I hang on to these HSBC cards is that the Gold Visa has the highest credit limit of all my cards, so might be useful for a large transaction one day (use the card and and pay it off at the end of the month), whilst the standard credit card has the lowest interest rate of all my cards just in case I need to borrow temporarily. In truth, I don't foresee borrowing on credit cards and I think both cards are likely to remain semi-dormant. I use them for an occasional small purchase just to keep them active.


I have moved on to Lloyds Choice Rewards and Nationwide Select Credit Card for spending.

Lloyds Amex - spending in the UK when Amex is accepted

Nationwide Visa - almost all other spending: primarily UK spending at places that don't accept Amex or transactions in a foreign currency

Lloyds Mastercard (on the same account as the Amex) - barely used because of the miserable reward rate; it's only useful when there's some kind of benefit to using Mastercard or when I want to make a contactless payment and Amex isn't accepted (unlike Nationwide debit cards, Nationwide credit cards are not contactless)


The old HSBC Gold Mastercard was a rather more selective thing and is arguably thought of as the forerunner to the current Premier Credit Card. Even so, I don't think it offers any significant benefits these days. Both the HSBC UK gold cards are legacy products that have been closed to new business for years.

If your partner asks HSBC, they can probably send him the insert that is enclosed with a new card which explains the available services and benefits. Unless you have a use for a card with a reasonably low interest rate and high credit limit, there's probably no point using one of the old HSBC gold cards. If you have a good credit history, you're better off getting a cashback/reward card for everyday spending and/or a 0% purchase offer card for borrowing.


I've already changed my credit card arrangements to a couple of cashback/reward cards as detailed above, and moved my current account from HSBC to Nationwide FlexPlus (the savings from cancelling standalone insurance products more than offset the £10/month charge). I may well close my remaining HSBC accounts, as they are clearly disinterested in anyone that pays less than £1250 per month into their current account, and really only seem to pay much interest to those that qualify for Premier.