I am planning a trip to Beijing and I would like to hear which debit card I can use in China for convenience? I hope to do a lot of shopping and entertainment on the side and would prefer a card with good deals and benefits. I am grateful for your help.
If you target to spend on major event tickets and high price items with the plan to split by instalment then this card is for you. However I notice that if you have an existing OCBC saving account, it makes bill payments much more seamless. And aside from being able to split payment into monthly instalments interest free, you can earn up to 1% rebate on your purchase. Only few cards in the market that allow auto convert spending into interest free instalment and still be entitled to 0.5% or 1% cash rebate.
OCBC Cashflo Credit Card / Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
This card offers a few thrills if you are one for accumulating miles as you can earn 1.3 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 equivalent in foreign currency spent overseas on eligible purchases up to S$3,800 each month. On such purchases above S$3,800 each month, you can earn 2 KrisFlyer miles. Furthermore the card allows earnings of 1.3 KrisFlyer miles for every S$1 spent locally in Singapore dollars on eligible purchases up to S$3,800 each month. On such purchases above S$3,800 each month, earnings are 1.4 KrisFlyer miles. Highly recommended for those who seek to accumulate miles.
American Express Singapore Airlines PPS Club Credit Card / American Express International
So it is really convenient that I can get and use my card instantly when I apply via MyInfo. And the cards instant digital card that can be used for mobile wallets, online and mobile app purchases. Now aside from the same day physical credit card issuance for online applications you also get S$50 cash rebate upon approval with no minimum spend required. However that is only for new OCBC Credit Card applications.
OCBC Robinsons Group Credit Card / Oversea-Chinese Banking Corporation
The Citi SMRT card is a pretty decent card for spending but they unfortunately exclude travel related online merchants. This to me is the downside of the card and may be a reason to get another card for travel websites.
Citi Prestige Card / Citibank Singapore
Very impressed by the complimentary night stay I got after I made bookings for a five nights stay at a resort I spent my birthday at in Malaysia. Even more pleasing was the complimentary golf games at a high quality golf courses in Malaysia. As a matter of fact, I had as much as six complementary golf games.
Citi Cash Back Visa Card / Citibank Singapore
Unfortunately, the HSBC advance card is not an unlimited cashback card as they have a cap on the cashback per month, even for advance banking clients. Furthermore, if you are not an advance banking client, you would not get subsequent card fee waiver if you do not get to spend at least $12,000 in a year.
HSBC Advance Credit Card / HSBC Bank Singapore
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I can gladly recommend the BOC Zoabao Debit Card as you can enjoy ticketing privileges to selected events like forums, workshops, fairs and performances under SPH Chinese Media Group and its media brands with zero currency exchange fees for all RMB transactions through your RMB account. No transaction fee for your cash withdrawals at over 24,000 BOC ATMs in Mainland China, for a limited time only. Additionally you can enjoy payment convenience with UnionPay, the largest payment network in China. They also offer enhanced card protection with EMV chip to allow 24-hour SMS notification for your transactions. Furthermore there are no annual fees ever with the card with an efficient online banking system which allows you to view your transaction details, change daily transaction limits and activate overseas usage on your debit card via BOC Personal Online Banking.