Mr Shadbolt told the Otago Daily Times credit cards were simply "not worth the hassle"and he was advising those in public office to follow his example and cut them up.
"I would advise all elected officials not to have one," he said.
He made the decision to get rid of the mayoral credit card, which came with a limit of $14,000, last April following scrutiny over his use of it for personal transactions.
Although covering personal expenses through regular automatic payments, "I got rid of my credit card because regardless of the expenditure it always looks bad".
Despite being entitled to claim for council-related expenses, Mr Shadbolt said it "took too much time and paperwork", and was now covering any legitimate costs with income derived from his regular speaking engagements.
He tried to estimate how much the move had cost him personally, and while this proved too difficult it was easily in the "thousands".
"I will just write it off."
He would not claim for any of the expenses, and would continue his no credit card policy if re-elected, he said.
While the council's credit card policy, which was introduced in April last year, was all about "perception not procedure", Mr Shadbolt stopped short of criticising the dozen council senior staff who continued to use their credit cards.
"I believe it's more legitimate for senior staff to have credit cards but if I was a senior staff member I still wouldn't have one," he said.
Mr Shadbolt said he was first given a credit card while mayor of Waitemata City in 1986, but told council officials at the time "I did not believe in them".
"I could see nothing but trouble."
He was told the cards were an invaluable tool in monitoring transparency, despite "my life being an open book".
Those same officials who forced cards on staff should also be facing public scrutiny, he said.
Invercargill City Council finance and corporate services director Dean Johnston said credit cards were "administratively efficient", and while Mr Shadbolt had refused his, this was unlikely to become policy when credit card use was reviewed in 2012.
While he acknowledged the public had every right to be angry over unjustified spending, staff rewarded with a morning tea for doing a good job should not undergo scrutiny "just because they are local government employees".
Mr Johnston said he had reviewed the council's credit card spending following an Official Information Act request by the Otago Daily Times, and there "is no cause for concern".
The council operated 12 cards, with cards having a limit of $3000, barring his which had a $10,000 limit and chief executive Richard King's which had a limit of $20,000.
No card-holder had their card withdrawn, and one staff member was reminded of council's credit card policy when they put a private transaction on their card in error, he said.
Spending on executive cabs, Koru Club lounge, and meals while on business were justified given some members of the executive travelled on up to 30 trips each year, he said.
