Apply, swipe and pay. That’s the standard cycle each consumer experiences.  

In the process, are you missing out on the perks and rewards offered by your cards? We get it, maximising your cards requires research and that means time and effort. No time for that, or simply don’t feel like investing the legwork? 

You don’t need to forsake prudent use of credit cards altogether. Instead, adopt a few simple habits to take full advantage of your credit cards. Here at CardsPal, we’ve prepared 7 ways for time-strapped individuals, or simply lazy people, to hack their credit cards, from the application stage, all the way to the evaluation stage. 

When applying for credit cards: 

Read the fine print carefully

1. Eye power. Read the fine print

While terms and conditions in your credit card application may look lengthy and boring, they often hold important information overlooked by the common man. They provide vital information about the caveats for features, helping you to better strategise what’s the best way to use your card. Therefore, when opening a new credit card account, make sure you understand before agreeing to the details in the fine print.  

Some important details in the fine print include cashback rewards and cashback rates. With cashback credit cards, for every 1 SGD that you spend, a percentage of that purchase will be returned to you in the form of a cashback.  

In the fine print, review your card’s rewards program in detail and note them down. Details such as the amount you get back per purchase, any possible cashback limit as well as the process of receiving your reward should be taken into consideration.  

All in all, understand the cashback rewards, cashback rate as well as the cashback capacity per month. This will allow you to choose a card that maximises all the benefits you are looking for! 

Do a google search for sign-up promotions

2. Chill and wait it out. Apply only when there are attractive sign-up promotions 

If you’re not in a hurry to get the card, why not wait it out for the best timing to apply?  

3rd party websites partnering with the banks for card acquisition often encourage sign ups with free gifts such as a few hundred dollars of cash, or attractive gadgets.  

Banks also offer attractive sign-up bonuses if you meet certain requirements after registering for a card.  

For example, use code 200CASH to get S$200 cashback when you apply online via digibank or Myinfo with Singpass and charge minimum of S$800 within 60 days of card approval for the DBS Altitude card and POSB Everyday Card. Sign-up bonuses are also known to offer the highest rewards and cashback.  

See an attractive sign-up deal? Seize the opportunity to apply, making full use of the sign-up perks that come along with your card to save more. 

For the slightly more motivated people, if waiting seems too passive, doing a simple google search will show you the best application deals. Low effort for the amount of perks you’d get, we’d say. 

When using your credit cards: 

Volunteer to settle the bill first at meals

3. Pay first when eating out with family and friends 

When it comes to earning more cashback on credit cards, one of the most popular hacks is to volunteer to pay for shared expenses such as meals, movie tickets or grab rides, and then receiving the amount from your friends via PayLah or PayNow. Most engrossed in lively chatter would be grateful to have someone settle the bill first. 

Paying first allows you to accumulate spend and cashback to your credit cards. If you do not have expensive purchases up your sleeve, consider doing this the few months after you first register for your card. This also allows you to hit the minimum spend of your credit card. 

This super easy hack saves your friends the trouble of laying out cash on the table, and also helps to boost your cashback and rewards. Everyone wins! 

Settle household bills with your credit card

4. Pay your bills with your credit card  

What is better than using your credit card to pay your household bills? Paying your monthly bills using your credit card could be a great way to earn more rewards and points at one time. This means increased cashback that can be used to offset future deals.  

If you have recently opened your credit card, paying your household bills can also help you to meet your credit card sign-up bonus requirements with awesome benefits up for grab. Putting your bills on your credit card also means easy tracking of expenses.  

Moreover, increased credit usage would also increase your credit score, maintaining a good financial track record when you apply for loans in the future. 

However, while this may seem attractive, do take note of the possible fees, risk of debt and additional interest rates if balance is not paid in full.  

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When paying your credit card bills: 

Use GIRO for your credit card payment

5. Automate your credit card bill payment with GIRO 

Are you racking up interest payments and accumulating balance on your credit cards?  

The seemingly insignificant amount of penalty fees here and there may look negligible at first glance, but beware as they are silently offsetting the cashback you’ve painstakingly accumulated!  

Is remembering your bill payment date or even setting an alarm to pay your bills routinely too much of a hassle? Use GIRO instead, whereby payments are automatically made for your bills.  

There are some possible downsides to GIRO deduction though. As payments are charged automatically, you might end up paying your annual fee instead of waiving it.  Wrongly incurred transactions will also be automatically paid for.  

What’s more, GIRO transactions may also take up to 2 days for to be processed, causing some last-minute payees to miss payment date. Weigh the pros and cons before deciding if setting an alarm is a better alternative to automation.  

If you choose to pay your credit card bills via GIRO, simply log in to internet banking to download and complete the GIRO form. Once authorised, the bank will start automatic transfers each time your credit card bills are due. 

When evaluating: 

Monitor your spend and spring clean your credit cards

6. Seasonal credit time spring-cleaning and credit card spending strategy 

A little effort goes a long way. Evaluate your card collection and credit card spending strategy once in a while.  

Entered a new phase in your life and realised that your cards aren’t not working for you anymore? Milestones such as embarking on your first  full-time job, getting married or preparing for your new home may bring major changes to your life and thus spending behavior. 

Switch to a card that is more suitable for your phase of life. Instead of changing your spending to meet your credit card’s requirements, choose a card which meets your spending habits or money goals. Based on your identified spending needs, match them to the card’s specific features and requirements.  

For example, if you are a party goer, consider getting a UOB EVOL card as it offers 8% cashback on weekend dining and entertainment. Alternatively, if you are an avid online shopper, consider the DBS Live Fresh card with up to 5% cashback on online spending. Most importantly, choose the card which offers the most valuable rewards for your regular purchases. 

Wondering if It’s time to spring-clean your card collection? Read this article to find out! 

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CardsPal’s Cashback Cardculator

7. Make use of apps that give you recommendations on cards with highest cashback 

Unsure of which card is most suitable for you? Use applications such as CardsPal to get recommendations on credit cards which offer you the most cashback for your desired spending.  

With the app, you can find out the card which offers the most cashback for spending at particular merchants. What’s more, the Cashback Cardculator also allows you to see the estimated cashback you’ll get. Use this feature to accumulate rewards and compare the perks from other cards as well to make the best purchase decision. 

Maximize Your Rewards with CardsPal   

On the lookout for more savings on your credit cards? Some of your cards allow you to be rewarded without paying a dime for your annual fees. Read here to find out more. If a cashback credit card is what you’re looking for, read here. And if you’re looking for the perfect app to calculate your cashback, we got the perfect one for you! Check out our Cardculator to view card recommendations in 3 categories to give you the best cashback for your spending.  

Download the CardsPal app on the App Store or Google Play Store now and get the latest deals, tailored according to the cards you own!