Cashless in Singapore - Part 2

Experimented going out cashless (okay, okay so I brought standby cash and a physical card as a back) for a few days.

Firstly, I topped up the EZlink card from my Singtel Dash account. I previously assumed that it was only for Singtel customers with a NFC-SIM but it works with my M1 card. Since I don't have a Singtel bill to charge the top-up to, I used my credit card instead. Oddly, there is no $10 option so I chose $5. Most times I used POSB or DBS cards. This means I need to top-up before leaving home because I can't remember the 16 digits and other details. Or else top-up a larger amount which means money stuck in there.

Second thing I did was to save the Fairprice card to Android Pay. Previously I only saved the card to Android pay as a credit card. I didn't realise I had to save the card as a loyalty card (apears as a white card) so I could also use it to tap for Linkpoints. Just turn on NFC, choose the loyalty card, tap for Linkpoints and switch to the credit card to pay and tap again. I used it last night to the cashier's amusement. I think I'm her first customer to also tap for Linkpoints.

Some things to look out for

• DBS Paylah now has a on-demand withdrawal if you link your bank account. This means I don't have to top-up, pay and then send the balance back. I try not to leave cash on my phone because it is not earning interest, even at 0.05%, LOL.
• About DBS Paylah - so there's this nondescript bookshop near the market that offers Paylah for payment, proudly displaying their QR code. However, when I paid, the owner said the phone was with his wife who wasn't there yet. He let me go because I was a regular. I wanted to go back and showed him the transaction history but DD said it was okay.
• Check if Fave Pay is accepted. You'll get rebates for the next payment.
• Singtel Dash's Fairprice rebate is capped at $2.50 which means a $50 spend. Any amount above that will not earn rebates. Incidentally, Khatib's Fairprice has removed the terminals though the promotion is valid till 31Dec.
• Cashless hawker centres - I like to eat the wanton noodles at the Hong Lim Food Centre but, alas, it doesn't subscribe to cashless payment. DS suspects such establishments don't want their income tracked.
• phone defaults - currently my default is Android Pay. If I want to use NETSpay, I have to manually switch it. Haven't found many places that I normaly go to that use this though.

I realised one thing though... now that I don't have to bring cash/cards out, I might have to bring a portable charger. *grin*

Have a blessed cashless day!

Cashless in Singapore

Tried to download the NETS Pay app from Google store but couldn't get past the registration. Kept getting errors that my PIN was not recognized. Not that I changed it 20 mins after logging on from my laptop to check my balances. Gave up and uninstalled. #anothertime

Which brought to mind my neighbourhood bookshop, a nondescript unit tucked at the back of the wet market that is into themed selling, currently displaying calendars after removing the lanterns. I don't recall ever using NETS there, always bringing cash to such HDB shops. However, during the last trip there on Saturday, I sported a Just Scan and Paylah sign there complete with QR code.

I'm for cashless. In my phone there is Singtel Dash, PayLah and Fave Pay and Android Pay (though I've yet to use the last two). In terms of preference, it's in that order, with Singtel Dash having the most (and better) promotions but PayLah has suddenly awakened and in is back in the picture.

My motivation is the promotions rather than the ease of using the payment system. I'll use whichever seems to give me the best rebate / discount. For example, I used to use Dash to pay for Fairprice purchases getting 5% rebate till I got the NTUC credit card and upped it to 7%.

Perhaps another method of cashless is to use digital vouchers. Sometimes I do that, buy / exchange vouchers online and use these and pay the balance with a credit card. Better still, if these can be stacked, like the time when I bought a $50 and a $30 Daessiksin Korean BBQ voucher from Fuzzie app and paid the $7.90 balance with a credit card. A $87.90 meal cost me ($25+$$18+$7.90 = $50.90) after rebates. #nice

Anyway, wouldn't it be even nicer if such cashless payment had promotions on craft materials... #dreamon

ps: by the way, I only just realised that Spotlight membership promotions don't require me to show the card anymore. Just have to identify yourself (cashier asked me for my postal code and name). That's how I got the 2 jelly rolls at $19.99 each instead of $24.99 or higher. #cool

current itch : dyeing yarn - just watching videos (lust of the eyes, sigh) for now...

current WIPs : DD's jellyroll blanket (3x3 parquet), DS' blue tones crochet blanket (if I can find the 4.5mm needle that DD misplaced or maybe I'll just get a new one, again), seed stitch scarf (was linen stitch then frogged then broken rib then frogged), tubed ribbon yarn throw (for mindless knitting while watching Kdramas)

current thoughts : should I cave in and buy the Clover weaving loom on 11.11?