3 cashback and rewards programmes Singaporeans should already know

Shopping and dining are the favourite pastimes of many Singaporeans. Nothing beats the thrill of getting more bang for the buck with discounts, gifts and promotions from their spending, and this could be why cashback and rewards programmes are popular.

While such programmes are not new, technology is reinventing them.

A decade ago, we would be obsessing with checking out credit cards that offer the best rewards, cashback or even air miles. But today, we are seeing these rewards shifting to online or apps.

Besides earning cashback, rewards and even air miles, some of these programmes also offer exclusive discounts and promotional tie-ups with partners for any purchase made via their site or app, making them even attractive for shoppers.

Here we present to you 3 cashback and rewards programmes that you should know about and use to stretch your dollar.

#1 SHOPBACK

One of the pioneers of Singapore's online reward programme, ShopBack offers users cashback on everything and anything that could be bought online through its app or website.

ShopBack has over 300 merchant partners onboard, including many well-known brands that are relevant in Singapore covering lifestyle, fashion, groceries, dining and even car rentals.

Besides allowing shoppers to earn cash rebates on their purchases, ShopBack also offers discounts on purchases or special promotions that coincide with the festive season from time to time.

In addition, one of the features of ShopBack is to allow users to withdraw the cashback earned into banking accounts, which makes it a flexible rewards programme in town.

#2 REBATEMANGO

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Featuring a rewards programme that is similar to ShopBack, RebateMango is one of the new entrants to join the market.

However, unlike other rebate programmes that offer only cashback, RebateMango allows users to choose their preferred rewards, such as miles from partner airlines or rewards points including GrabRewards.

The flexibility to choose the desired reward makes it useful for those who are looking to redeeming air tickets, free rides or even meal deliveries as opposed to getting cash.

In addition, RebateMango has a tiered membership status, where users will earn 5 points for every dollar spent via the site or app. The points are collected to allow for upgrades to the next higher membership tier that comes with up to 10 per cent additional cashback on their purchase.

However, one drawback is that users will need to keep their account constantly active. Any account that is left dormant for a year will be deemed inactive, and all accumulated cashback or rewards will be forfeited.

#3 MILKADEAL

A Malaysian-based cashback programme, MilkADeal has grown from a small startup to one of the major cashback sites with a wide number of partners, including ASOS, Lazada, Sephora and Zalora just to name a few.

One of the features that sets MilkADeal is their referral programme. Typically, cashback sites will offer a one-time payout for every successful referral. For MilkADeal however, on top of the usual one-time payout, users will stand to earn 5 per cent referral rewards each time their referral makes a purchase via the site or app.

However, do take note of the fine print before you start shopping because charges such as GST or delivery fees are excluded towards counting cash rebates on some merchant partners.

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With a myriad of cashback and rewards sites and apps to choose from, you should evaluate your preferences and habits so that you will sign up for a programme that will suit your needs and leveraging on the savings even further.

For those who prefer a standard cashback structure, ShopBack would be the best choice. For those who are looking for air miles, RebateMango may suit their needs.

But for sure, there is no doubt that these cashback and rewards programme will change the way we shop, dine or even enjoy our vacation.

This article was first published in Dollars and Sense.