“I’m just going to browse in this store really quick.” That’s what I told my husband every time we passed a clothing store that had a big “Sale” sign. I am a shopper. I like to find a bargain for clothing, handbags, and at times electronics. I even shop for others! I am a firm believer that the credit card I use to shop should reward me in return. Here are a few recommendations.
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Citi Rewards Visa Card
The Citi Rewards Card earns a whopping 10 points (or 4 miles) for every S$1 spent whenever you shop for clothes, bags, or shoes, purchases at department stores and at online shopping websites. This is valid for both local and overseas shopping. Everything else earns 1 point for every S$1. You can use your points to offset some of your purchases on your credit card (that’s like buying something and getting a discount), redeem for shopping vouchers at participating merchants (that’s like getting a gift card), redeem for cash rebate (that’s like getting paid to shop), or redeem them at over 300,000 hotels and 900 airlines with no blackout dates (that’s like getting to go on vacation for free). Furthermore, you can get exclusive online discounts with your Citi Rewards Card. All you need to do is check the Citi World Privileges to see your card’s exclusive deals. The current welcome bonus is up to 30,000 Citi ThankYou Points. Unfortunately, your points are capped at 10,000 per statement month. Maybe this is good so I don’t shop out of control!
To qualify for this credit card, you must be at least 21 years old. For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, a minimum annual income of S$30,000 is required. For foreigners, the minimum annual income to qualify is S$42,000. The annual fee is S$192.60, with the first year waived. If the minimum payment is not received on or before the payment due date, there is a late payment charge of S$100. The Effective Interest Rate is 28% per annum.
OCBC Titanium Rewards Card
The OCBC Titanium Rewards Card is ideal for shopping online, in stores, locally or overseas. You can now earn 10x OCBC$ for every S$1 spent. There is a cap at 120,000 OCBC$ within one year from when your card is issued. What is extremely nice is their e-commerce protection. The credit card safeguards the cardholder against non-delivery and defective products when you shop online on any purchase with a minimum value of USD 50. This coverage is up to USD 200 per year.
To qualify for this credit card, you must be at least 21 years old. For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, a minimum annual income of S$30,000 is required. For foreigners, the minimum annual income to qualify is S$45,000. The annual fee is S$192.60, with the first two years’ fees waived. If the minimum payment is not received on or before the payment due date, there is a late payment charge of S$100. The Effective Interest Rate is 26.88% per annum.
UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card
The UOB Preferred Platinum Visa Card is a more balanced card because you can earn points on categories other than shopping exclusively. This rewards credit card earns 10x UNI$ (or 4 miles) on online shopping (not exclusive to only clothing but also includes electronics, books, or even your fast food delivery online) and entertainment. You can also earn 10x UNI$ on contactless transactions, such as when you use Visa payWave or your mobile phone. UNI$1 is awarded for every S$5 spent.
To qualify for this credit card, you must be at least 21 years old. For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, a minimum annual income of S$30,000 is required. For foreigners, the minimum annual income to qualify is S$40,000. If you do not fulfill the income requirement, you can opt to have a fixed deposit collateral of S$10,000. The annual fee is S$192.60, with the first year waived. If the minimum payment is not received on or before the payment due date, there is a late payment charge of S$90. The Effective Interest Rate is 28% per annum.
American Express True Cashback Card
The American Express True Cashback Card is a solid credit card that earns a flat 1.5% cash back on everything. There is such beauty in this simplicity. The current welcome offer is 3% cash back, up to S$150 cash back for spending S$5,000, in your first 6 months. Additionally, you can receive up to S$60 CapitaVouchers in your first month. Therefore, wait to apply for this card until you have some large purchases coming up. There is no minimum spending amount nor earn cap.
To qualify for this credit card, you must be at least 21 years old. For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, a minimum annual income of S$30,000 is required. For foreigners, the minimum annual income to qualify is S$60,000. The annual fee is S$171.20, with the first year waived. If the minimum payment is not received on or before the payment due date, there is a late payment charge of S$90. The Effective Interest Rate is 25.90% per annum.
American Express Capita Card
If you spend a large amount of money in certain retailers, you may consider retailer-specific credit cards, such as the Metro-UOB Card when shopping at Metro stores. However, the American Express Capita Card gets an honorable mention because Singaporeans do enjoy shopping at CapitaMalls. There are 19 CapitaLand malls and counting. This makes the credit card a bit more diverse, rather than simply shopping at one retail brand.
You earn 10x STAR$ for every S$1 spent at participating merchants at CapitaLand Malls and 3x STAR$ for all other merchants. Everything else earns 5 STAR$ for every S$1 spent. You can convert 50,000 STAR$ to get a S$50 CapitaVoucher and have a great time running around the mall. You also get 3-hour complimentary parking across 15 CapitaLand Malls when you spend a minimum of S1,200 per month. With free parking, voucher cash, and the ability to earn more voucher money while shopping, your day at the mall just got more amazing.
To qualify for this credit card, you must be at least 21 years old. For Singaporeans and Permanent Residents, a minimum annual income of S$30,000 is required. For foreigners, the minimum annual income to qualify is S$60,000. The annual fee is S$171. If the minimum payment is not received on or before the payment due date, there is a late payment charge of S$60. The Effective Interest Rate is 25.90% per annum.
Final Thoughts
It is great to be rewarded for shopping. Choosing the right credit card is essential to get the most points, miles, or vouchers for your purchases. Most good reward credit cards come with annual fees. Be sure to calculate that charge when you budget for your next credit card. Happy shopping!
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