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Ashish Lath, the founder and CEO of SaveSage
In a recent episode of the Startup Pedia podcast, Ashish Lath, founder of the credit card rewards platform SaveSage, shared a surprising insight that could make many Indians rethink how they pay for things. Speaking with podcast host Jameel Akhtar, he said most people in India overlook the rewards they could earn from credit cards.
During the conversation, Jameel asked how a small group of users manages to enjoy free luxury travel while the average person fails to see the benefits of credit cards.
Ashish responded that many people believe avoiding credit cards is the safest choice. But in reality, they may be missing out.
According to him, while people think they are being responsible by avoiding credit, they are unknowingly funding the rewards of those who know how to play the system.
"In India, 99% of people are just using debit cards and UPI. They are paying the full price for every service, but they aren't getting anything back. That 2-3% margin that banks and merchants keep for rewards? If you don't claim it, someone else will,” Ashish Lath told Jameel Akhtar, co-founder of Startup Pedia and podcast host.
“So, when I stay at a luxury hotel for free, it’s because the 99% who didn't ask for their rewards are essentially paying for my room," he added further.
How do the 99% fund the 1%?
Lath says this free lifestyle isn’t magic. According to him, it’s simply how the rewards system works, and most people don’t realise it.
He explained that only a small group of users understands how to use credit card rewards properly, while the majority of Indians mostly pay through debit cards or UPI.
He explained that when banks or merchants price a product, they often include a small percentage (around 2–3%) to cover reward costs. But when most people pay through UPI or debit cards, they pay the full price and receive no rewards.
That unused reward value doesn’t disappear. Instead, it goes to the small percentage of users who actively optimise their credit cards to earn points, cashback, and travel benefits.
In simple terms, while most people play it safe with traditional payments, a few who understand the system end up enjoying the rewards.
"The math is simple: when you pay with UPI or a debit card, you are paying the full price but getting zero value back. That 2-3% margin for rewards is already built into the cost of everything you buy. If you aren't the one claiming that value, you are effectively leaving your money on the table for someone else to pick up,” Ashish says.
About SaveSage
SaveSage is an AI-powered platform founded by Ashish Lath in 2023 to help people understand and use credit card rewards better. He created it because many Indians don’t fully understand how reward points and loyalty programs work.
During his conversation with Jameel Akhtar on the Startup Pedia Podcast, Lath said his own success, more than 430 free flights and 100 luxury hotel stays, didn’t happen by luck. It came from understanding and using reward systems that most people ignore.
SaveSage works like a personal assistant. It tracks over 750 credit cards and 75 loyalty programs, helping users see the real value of their points and use them for travel and other benefits.
The platform gained major attention after appearing on Shark Tank India Season 5, where Lath secured a Rs 4 crore investment for 12% equity from sharks Anupam Mittal, Kunal Bahl, Namita Thapar, and Mohit Yadav.
Since then, SaveSage has grown to serve more than 200,000 users. Lath says his goal is to help people make better use of rewards, especially in India, where points worth over Rs 10,000 crore expire unused every year.