It’s not just about convenient payment!
Credit cards have become somewhat of a mainstream payment method in Singapore. With so many different types of discounts, rewards and rebates to be earned, it’s no longer just about the convenience it brings! More recently with the launch of mobile payment that’s fast gaining popularity in Singapore, credit cards have become even more important, since you can easily link your card with your mobile phone. Now, you can make easy payments without even reaching for your card in your wallet.
Other than offering a convenient way to pay locally or overseas, credit cards come with a host of other merits as well. Here are 5 ways to use it such that it even beats cash!
Keep track of spending
Want to have a clear idea of how much you are spending per month and on what? Tracking your monthly spending using a credit card beats collecting bills and manually recording what you’ve spent. Simply charge most of your expenses to your credit card and use it as an easy reference.
Automatise your bill payments
Can’t seem to remember to pay all the different household bills on time, or even gotten a late payment penalty? Simply put all your utility, telco and even insurance bills on your credit card and make just one single payment per month.
What’s more, you might even get higher cash rebates by having all these regular spendings on your credit cards that help you easily reach the minimum required spending.
Get exclusive discounts
It’s no longer a secret – credit cards offer some great discounts on food, retail and petrol spending. If you are a foodie who enjoys eating out, you can’t miss some of these awesome F&B partnerships that offer credit card holders irresistible deals! 1-for-1 offers, pay 3 and 1 gets to dine free plus seasonal early bird deals all make for a good bargain.
If you regularly dine out or buy food gifts during the festive seasons, it’s a good idea to check out what each bank’s credit cards have to offer and choose one that provides discounts for your preferred merchants. If you’re looking for a shopping card that offers the best rewards and discounts when shopping in Singapore, then make sure to check out some of these great rewards cards.
Travel Freebies
Most credit card users fall into 2 camps – cashback or miles. For frequent travellers, getting a miles card make lots of sense because of the freebies you get. For instance, accumulating enough miles not only gets you free flights and upgrades, but travel credit cards even grant you access to exclusive airport lounges, concierge services, hotel deals and free travel insurance! Add that all up and it easily comes up to over hundreds of dollars of savings, so what’s not to like?
Build credit score
Have you ever gotten rejected for a loan application by a bank even if you have never made a late payment? Guess what, it could be the lack of credit record that had you rejected. It’s not just about having a clean credit record when getting a loan or credit approval from a bank, but not having enough information on that file can also disqualify you. The best way is thus to start using some credit – a credit card is perhaps the easiest way to do it. However, ensure that you pay off your bill entirely at the end of each month to show that you are a good payer. Do that for a few months and you can try applying for that loan again; there’s no guarantee but if a lack of credit record is the reason, you’d likely get an approval.
