--- title: "The Myth of the Maximum Percentage: Why Ukrainians Lose Money by Choosing Cashback Incorrectly" description: "💸 How not to lose money on cashback: an expert from Globus Bank explains why a high percentage is a trap. 🔍 The main mistake of Ukrainians is choosing cashback categories based on ads rather than real spending. ✅ Advice: analyze your budget for 3 months. Better 3% on groceries than 20% on rare purchases. 🚫 Don't spend more for bonuses! Cashback is an optimization tool, not a stimulus for shopping. #finance #cashback #banks #savings #GlobusBank" date: 2026-08-18T07:08:04.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/myth-max-cashback-why-ukrainians-lose-money tags: [finance, cashback, ukraine-banks, money-saving, globus-bank] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # The Myth of the Maximum Percentage: Why Ukrainians Lose Money by Choosing Cashback Incorrectly ![Young couple discussing cashback on a smartphone, illustrating the topic of choosing beneficial offers and avoiding financial mistakes](https://xab.info/media/2026/08/18/myth-max-cashback-why-ukrainians-lose-money/myth-max-cashback-why-ukrainians-lose-money-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - The choice of cashback should be based on regular expenses, not on the maximum percentage. - An audit of expenses for the last 3 months is necessary to choose the right category. - It is important to consider accrual limits and loyalty program conditions. - Cashback should not stimulate unplanned purchases. In conditions of financial instability and inflation, every hryvnia counts. Cashback programs offered by Ukrainian banks have become a popular tool for returning a portion of spent funds. However, according to expert opinion, most users make a fundamental mistake by focusing solely on the figures in advertisements. Vladimir Solodky, Director of the Digital Business Department at Globus Bank, stated in a comment to RBC-Ukraine: the true benefit lies not in the maximum return percentage, but in the exact match of cashback categories with the client's real financial habits. ### The Strategy of "Real Habits" vs. Marketing Tricks The key mistake consumers make is chasing the highest return percentages, often ignoring the context of their expenses. The expert emphasizes that maximum benefit is gained by those who correlate available cashback categories with their actual spending. If a significant part of the monthly budget goes to groceries, utilities, or transport, then even a small cashback percentage (e.g., 1-3%) in these categories will bring a larger return amount than a high percentage (10-20%) in a niche category where purchases are made episodically. Vladimir Solodky advises conducting an audit of expenses for the last two to three months before choosing a loyalty program. Only an analysis of the real budget structure will allow one to determine where the bulk of money is actually directed and to choose a card or tariff that works for the owner, and not the other way around. ### Hidden Limitations and Condition Traps Focusing exclusively on the cashback interest rate can be deceptive. The expert urges to closely study the terms of the loyalty program, which are often hidden in the fine print. It is critically important to pay attention to the following parameters: - **Maximum cashback amount:** many banks set a "ceiling" for accrual per month. If your turnover exceeds this limit, the excess spending will not be rewarded. - **List of participating transactions:** a high percentage may apply only to a narrow list of specific stores or brands, not for the entire category as a whole. - **Validity periods of offers:** special conditions may be limited in time. As the banker notes, a high percentage may look attractive, but if it has a low accrual limit or applies to a narrow segment, the actual benefit may be less than that of a program with a lower rate but broader and more transparent conditions. ### Cashback as an Optimization Tool, Not a Spending Stimulus The fundamental principle of using cashback, which Vladimir Solodky promotes, is that it is a tool for optimizing already planned expenses. Cashback should not become a reason to make additional purchases. The program brings the most value when it rewards everyday, necessary payments. The psychological trap lies in the fact that the desire to get a bonus can prompt a person to make unplanned expenses. Ultimately, the cost of an impulse purchase can many times exceed the amount of the bonus received, reducing the financial benefit to zero or even a negative value. ### Contradictory Data In the provided sources and expert comments, there is a consensus regarding the strategy for choosing cashback. Vladimir Solodky and RBC-Ukraine analysts agree that regular expense categories should be the priority. There are no alternative points of view or controversial data regarding the effectiveness of loyalty programs in the current context. The only nuance requiring attention is the dynamism of the banking sector: conditions change, and what was profitable yesterday may become unprofitable tomorrow, requiring constant monitoring by the user. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Is it worth choosing a card with the highest cashback percentage? **A:** No, the expert advises focusing on your regular expenses. A high percentage in a rare category will bring less money than a low percentage in a category of daily spending. ### Q: How to choose a cashback category correctly? **A:** It is necessary to analyze your expenses for the last 2-3 months and choose the category where the main part of the budget goes (e.g., groceries or transport). ### Q: What else should I pay attention to in a loyalty program? **A:** It is important to check the maximum cashback amount per month, the list of participating stores, and the validity periods of offers.