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?

Forget about Shopback

[The opinions are mine, and solely mine]

I would like to add a note about Shopback. Previously, I use to brag to friends about how much I've saved through them... $300+ since about a year ago.
However, I noticed that recent transactions started getting rejected. Especially those big ticket items, 11% of 800+ type. When I emailed them, they claimed that I didn't purchase properly. I'm like, huh? I've been purchasing this way for the past year and why only now that I've gained confidence in using Shopback that they claim I didn't purchase according to their fine print.

Sigh.

Stretching your dollar (Part 2)

This post will be a list of websites that I buy from. Not arranged in order of preference, just what I can recall.

Qoo10 - first up since I just received a delivery from there minutes ago. I like their Qxpress delivery. Most of the time they are punctual and polite. Easy to tell them alternative to place the items in case I've stepped out for a while and can't receive the delivery.

Stuff I've bought: Body soap (this just arrived. Bought because it was an introductory offer). Food (dim sum from Swatow Restaurant, Milo, Korean snacks, otah, ice cream, granola, bak kwa). Household items (cleaning items, laundry detergent, softener, mosquito spray/patch, bedsheets, toilet paper). Others (shoebags, caps, Romoss powerbank).
Tips: check out shop coupons that can be ustacked with event coupons to save even more money. I've bumped up and included stuff I didn't need just to qualify for shipping and further discounts before.
Pros: many promotions
Cons: price not always cheapest (eg. Kinohimitsu Superfood is cheaper on their own website)

Lazada - I like the GSS promos. This round, I bought a Sun Protection box at $29 for $100 value. There are weekday daily promos and brand promos. Check out the credit card promotions as well. I typically use this with the Fuzzie card.

Stuff I've bought: USB drive, Milo, standing fans, digital phone, Keds sneakers, Kinohimitsu, L'Oreal, tester perfumes

Guardian - I only come here if there is a 20% off online and always through Shopback for the rebates. Delivery is efficient. Product range is limited though as in out of stock items have been there for months.
Tip: Add your Passion card number (the 16 digit number etched at the bottom back of the card)

Singsale - once in a while if they have good promos. Suggest you try the size at the brick and mortar shop for the size first before buying online.

That's all for now... I'll do a separate post for buying from Taobao / Tmall.

Stretching your dollar (Part 1)

Some friends have requested that I share with others how I save money buying anything from daily household items to holidays. Basically, I find it fun to look for such deals or promotions and I don't mind sharing... just that I'll just share what I can remember as I go along.
[ disclaimer : I'm not in anyway affiliated with any of the website / apps that I am sharing and opinions are my own. Also, links below are not referral links. I'm not doing this for referral money. ]

First up - before buying anything
I have many adhoc purchases but if I'm not in a hurry, I'd check out some of the following:

Singpromos - I like this website because of its easy interface. There are various filters like onoing / upcoming / started or ends today. They also classify according to categories like Department Stores, online stores etc or Footwear.

Pros: easy interface to search
Cons: many bank advertisements to sign up for credit cards

Shopback - This is an online rebate system that lets you cash out accumulated rebates once it exceeds S$10 directly to a bank account. How this works is that you go to Shopback website, find the merchant you want to buy from (check out the Visa option too for an additional 1%) and click to access the merchant's website.
Fastest cashback I've experienced was using it for Cotton On (no longer a merchant with Shopback) purchases when I got the money in 2 days. Usually it takes 60 to 90 days. I've more than S$300 cashed out since I started more than a year ago. I've used Shopback for purchases at : Cotton On, Redmart, Expedia, BusOnlineTicket, Easybook, Lazada, Guardian, Groupon, Fave, Taobao, Qoo10, Ezbuy etc though some of these are no longer with Shopback.

Tip: install the shopback buddy on your browser to get instant notification if the website supports Shopback
Pros: high cashback during promotions (get the email notification to be in the know)
Cons: missing cashback - I encountered this several times. Easy to initiate an investigation but sometimes it takes up to 60 days and the record was actually wiped out before any conclusion. However, I still continue to use because I consider cashback as a bonus and not a requirement.

Ebates - I don't use this. I tried once and it didn't work so I gave up. Maybe next time...

Qoo10 - I installed this app on my phone so I can go to the Q-lounge daily to click attendance. They give increasing Qpoints every 6th day of attendance so you can claim up to 190 (?) Qpoints which is equivalent to $1.90 credit (redeemable as whole dollars though). Each attendance is also a chance at the wheel where you can get more Qpoints or discount vouchers. Check out the Mameball event too, to play a game similar to Pokemon Go to catch brandmons to exchange for more Qpoints or buy selected items at a further discount. Exchange selected brandmons for even more Qpoints.
Gmarket Korea also has a similar programme.

Tips: the $2 off a $15 item can also be used for accumulated items, eg. you can use the $2 if you buy 3 quantities of the same $5 item. Install Live10 app and collect more vouchers other than the event ones. Discounts can be as high as
Pros: many promotions.
Cons: conditional vouchers

Fuzzie - I discovered Fuzzie gift cards recently. I like it's instant rebate because the rebate is instantly subtracted and I only pay the difference but I don't like it because it makes me want to buy more. LOL. They have cards for various merchants and because it is relatively new, some of the staff at these merchants don't quite know how to redeem from the phone.
I've bought : Lazada, Althea, Books Depository, Ezbuy

Taobao - they also have a loyalty points programme where you can collect points to offset final purchase price of selected items. Number of points increases from 5 by 5 points to a maximum of 30 if you collect daily.

Ezbuy - collect ecoins. Can't be used for offsetting price. Only for lottery chance of winning more ecoins or vouchers.

That's all for now...

What have I been up to?

Recently?

Crocheting.

I didn't like crocheting in the past for a few reasons - the holey nature, the stiffness, the ties with amigurumi. Not sure how I got started again but I think it was something to do with DS' blanket. Last year or actually, year before last I started knitting a blanket for DD that took almost 2 kg and 11 months. Huge and heavy blanket that DD put aside because she said it was too heavy. She chose the pattern and the colours. I chose milk cotton yarn. Now that DD has hers, it was time to make DS' and he chose 5 shades of blue. Somehow, when the blue yarn arrived, I wasn't inspired. Perhaps dreading the next 11 months of knitting. (DD's got so big it covered me when I knit it). It was about this time that I chanced upon a yarn kit that had 10 different colours and almost a different colour for each row. This would negate the boredom, I thought. It was also about the time when they released some nice Korean dramas and what best to do is to crochet and watch dramas. I finished marathons and almost completed DS' blanket.

Back in a bit... the delivery guy just arrived with the yarn winder an I can't figure out how it works... LOL!

Malacca Travels

We've been to Malacca a few times, returning only yesterday from the most recent trip. I wasn't able to find much craft stuff there. There was a fabric shop or two, mostly selling either dress or curtain fabric. Else there is Daiso.

Just want to blog some points about Malacca.

• Cendol opposite the red square - they used to open at 9am, then 10am, now they open at 11 sometimes. They've also diversified and are selling watermelon with the inside juiced with a handheld blender.
• Claypot rice at the Mahkota Parade foodcourt - Just follow the smells or look out for the long queue. Value for money claypot cooked in a flash.
• Ee Ji Ban Chicken Rice Ball - we have eaten there every trip, sometimes a few times in a trip. DS and DD like the vegetables and the cincalok omelette. I prefer this to the Farmosa because the chicken rice balls here are hand formed and thus not so tightly packed like the golf balls in Farmosa. We chanced upon it while roaming near Hotel Equatorial.
• LW pineapple tarts - they have several outlets but we go to the one that displays the world record pineapple tart near the stage at the end of Jonker street.
• Banya Peranakan food - not too bad for the buah keluak but this is a halal restaurant
• Tastebetter durian puffs - stuff one into your mouth for a new experience. Get these from the shop near the stage at Jonker street and not from the basement outlet at Dataran Palawan which sells dried out puffs.
• Unicorn Cafe - recent find. Babi pongteh is a must.
• Brands outlet and Padini - DS' favourite shopping places
• Cotton On and Nichii - DD's favourite shopping places

We've always stayed at Mahkota Parade Hotel but we're not going back there anymore.

• Pros - huge room with 2 bedrooms and 2 toilets, sitting room and kitchenette
• Cons - crossing the road to Mahkota Parade, pathetic state of rooms (most recent stay)

Cost is around S$150 per pax for 3D2N F&E if you go through the agent but S$100 if you DIY. For this last trip I used bookticketonline.com and Expedia.

• Bookticketonline - I missed out on the Big Box trips because I wanted to wait for Black Friday deals. We ended up using Boon Lay shopping centre instead. Finding the unit to get bus details was a bit unnerving at first because I couldn't find the unit. The numbering of the units in the shopping centre is a bit odd. They are not in running order. The trip there had a stop for breakfast which didn't happen with the previous trip. Then we were caught off-guard with insufficient food. The return trip was also worrying and it didn't help that the lady at the counter made a comment that she was surprised that there was a Holiday Inn stop and asked me to call should the bus not appear. It did appear, but as a Five Stars bus (more comfortable than Konsortium) though I noticed the smaller travel agency sticker later. Both bus trips ended and started at Holiday Inn which is next to Mahkota because I couldn't get one that did.
• Expedia - so many deals available. Ended paying less for the room than the coach rides. Checking in was hassle free. I'd try Expedia again.

Changing of SGD there is also easy. It starts from S$2 but you'll get a bad rate. There are also credit card promos and DD's Popular card worked in Mahkota.

Tourist privilege card at Mahkota used to be much better but now we don't bother much. Perhaps for the bowling next time...

Getting local products is easy, either at the pink shop up north from the red square else at San Shu Gong which has outlets at Jonker Street and Dataran Palawan.

That's all for now. Have a safe trip always...