How you can reduce your travel/transport expenses via Cashback / Rebates

One thing is certain in Singapore - fare hikes for public transport. Be it Taxis/Bus/MRT/LRT, you can be sure of it.

Give the Public Transport Council/LTA credit - they make sure to break the news way in advance so that when the hikes kick in, what's new?

While there's really not much poor commuters can do to prevent the fare increases, you can make sure you get the most savings from your transport expenses. Here's how you can do it:

1. Go ahead and apply for a HSBC Revolution card - or get a family member to do so. Why? Because you get 7% cash rebates for all your purchases on your Ezlink card
2. Make sure you sign up for EZ-reload (select $50 top-up value) - it saves you the hassle of having to top-up your Ezlink card (& time)
3. ***Make sure you spend $300 on the card every billing cycle*** - Otherwise, you get no rebate for the quarter. This however is not difficult, especially if you link multiple Ezlink cards of your family members to the same credit card

Tip1: Wherever you can use the Ezlink card to make purchases, use it (e.g. Cold Storage/Giant etc.) to enjoy the 7% rebate as well

Tip2: Other than rebates for your Ezlink spend, the Revolution card also gives rebates for budget airlines, online shopping, coffee and dining (see the table below)

As the saying goes: 

It's Not How Much You Make - It's How Much You Save

So save away~

Merchants	Rebate amount
www.tigerairways.com	5% rebate
www.airasia.com	5% rebate
www.jetstar.com	5% rebate
www.flyscoot.com	5% rebate
Ezlink Re-load	7% rebate
Coffee joints Coffee Club Spinelli Starbucks The Coffee Bean and TeaLeaf The Connoisseur Concerto(TCC)	10% rebate
Dining at Robertson quay and Clarke quay Click here for full listing	10% rebate
Dining at Dempsey Hill and Rochester Park (Valid from 1 October 2013 to 30 June 2014)  Click here for full listing	10% rebate (Valid from 1 October 2013 to 30 June 2014)
Online shopping (Valid from 1 October 2013 to 30 June 2014)  Agoda.com Sistic.com Zuji.com Apple.com Comgateway.com Vpost.com	10% rebate (Valid from 1 October 2013 to 30 June 2014)

Bottled water that are safe for drinking in India

Getting reliable portable water in India can be tricky - there are horror stories about unethical vendors re-bottling empty bottles with tap/drain water.

Here's how you can mitigate the risk of purchasing contaminated water:

• Exercise common sense - buy ONLY from reputable vendors/reasonably clean stores
• Always check that the seal is intact!

These are some of the brands of water which have served me well while I was travelling across India:

Bisleri, Himalayan (by Tata), Kinley (Product of Coca cola), Aquafina (Product of Pepsi co) and Bailley

Stick to these and all should be fine! 

Oh by the way, water happens to be the top beverage of 2013 among adults, so cheers and drink on!

Get a $25 Voucher code for your first booking with airbnb - Use in Singapore

Airbnb has a new deal - free $25 credits for new members!!!

All you have to do to qualify for the voucher code is to click here and register your account.

Note: Only valid for new accounts

I recently had my first trip with Airbnb and I loved it - new people to meet and you pay less for accommodation. I wish you a great holiday! :)

Obtaining a Pre-paid Sim Card in India

Note: if your stay in India is less than 3 days, forget getting a pre-paid sim

Thankfully, I did some research beforehand and had some idea of the process. Unlike in most countries where you can get the sim activated on the day of purchase, it actually takes days (2-3 days to be more precise). You will have to call a certain number once you get signal to verify your name, address and father's name. I would assume these safeguards are in place for reasons relating to terrorism. Otherwise, it would simply be appalling inefficiency.

I chose Airtel (Red logo, you won't miss it - right when you enter the arrival hall at Delhi International Airport), in part for its affiliation to Singtel (no, I am not a shareholder at the time of posting), although Vodafone would probably serve the same purpose. Again, another complex process awaits; a form to fill, affix a passport photo (don't worry if you have used your last for your Visa on Arrival; they have a webcam and color printer to serve as a crude backup).

I was carrying an iPhone 5, so the guy had to cut the sim into nano sized (I'm pretty sure he has a micro cutter if your phone requires).

In all, I paid about S$10 for 200 minutes worth of local calls and 1GB of data (valid for a month). Data allowance and credits could be used anywhere in India (I visited a few states). The salesman tried to peddle a top-up of 1300Rs (S$26); but I knew better. Ask for the cheapest top-up amount with data, you can top-up if you run out of credits.

My advice is, if you are staying for more than 1 week, get the data. Against conventional wisdom, Google Maps actually work wonders in India (especially if your tuk-tuk/auto driver has no idea where your hotel is).

Visa on Arrival at Delhi International Airport

While the Singapore passport exempts holders from visa requirements for many states, I found out that India does not exempt Singaporeans from visa requirements. Instead, upon arrival in India (Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Trivanduram, Bangalore, Hyderabad etc.), a Visa on Arrival needs to be obtained (remember to bring a passport photo).

I would not describe the process as a breeze - it took the officer about 20 minutes per passenger. 3 passengers were ahead of me, and it took a whole 90 minutes to get my visa. Every single field is vetted.

You would imagine that for US$60 a pop, there would be more staff serving/a quicker experience. Sorry to disappoint.

They says first impression counts; I counted 90 minutes of my time away. I would recommend that if you have a connecting flight/train/bus to catch, have a comfortable allowance or try to get the Visa in Singapore (not sure if this is possible).


For more information on Visa on Arrival (VOA) for Singaporeans, visit the Indian High Commission's page (Singapore).

Credit Card Payment Options in Singapore

Stumbled upon a post on hardwarezone, where a helpful forumer had helped compile a useful list of payment options for local cards. Note that this list was last updated in 2009, nonetheless, still was of great use to me!

DBS/POSB
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
DBS Phone Banking (for DBS/POSB account holders only) 
DBS Internet Banking (for DBS/POSB account holders only) 
DBS/POSB ATMs (for DBS/POSB ATM cardholders only) 
Cheque 
InterBank GIRO (need to complete GIRO application form) 
Cash Payment at DBS/POSB branches 

http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards/addit...fo/faq/payment/ - refer to point 1.

UOB
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
SAM
Post Office
Interbank GIRO
Personal Internet Banking
Phone Banking
Cheque
UOB ATM
UOB CDM
Cash Payment at UOB branches

http://www.uob.com.sg/pages/personal/cards/index.html

OCBC
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
OCBC ATM
Phone Banking
Internet Banking (OCBC/NTUC FPP account holders)
Interbank GIRO
Cheque

Citibank
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
Citibank ATM
Citibank CDM
24-Hour Citicard Banking Centers 
Interbank GIRO
Cheque

HSBC
SingPost outlets 
SAM machines 
online@hsbc (if you have a banking account with HSBC) 
7-Eleven outlets 
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
HSBC ATMs 
Phonebanking Hotline on 1800-227 8888 
Bulk Cash Deposit machines in ATM lobbies 
Cash at any HSBC branch 
Autopay/Inter Bank GIRO for automated bill payment 
Cheque made payable to "HSBC" 

http://www.hsbc.com.sg/1/2/miscellaneous/p...redit-card-faqs - Scroll down to point 15

RBS
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
SAM
Interbank GIRO
Cash payment at ABN AMRO branches
Cheque

Maybank
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card) 
Cash Payment at Maybank Branches 
Cheque
Interbank GIRO
Maybank ATM
Maybank CDM
Online Interbank Funds Transfer (for Citibank, DBS Bank, OCBC, Standard Chartered Bank or UOB accounts only)
Phone Banking
Internet Banking

http://info.maybank2u.com.sg/personal/card...ips_payment.htm

Standard Chartered
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
Standard Charted CDM
Internet Banking
Cheque

Diners
Internet Banking (for DBS/POSB, Maybank, OCBC, UOB account holders only)
AXS Stations (Via Nets or Cash Card)
Cheque
Cash Payment @ Diners Club Office

American Express
Cheque
Sam Machines
Internet Banking (applicable for OCBC, UOB, DBS and POSB account holders)
Over the counter payments:
• Foreign Exchange Counter, 320 Orchard Road, Tang Plaza, Singapore 238864 
o Operating hours are: 9.30am to 8.30pm, open daily inclusive of Sundays and Public Holidays 

• American Express Bank, 16, Collyer Quay, Hitachi Towers, Ground Floor, Singapore 049318 
o Operating hours are: Mondays to Fridays 10.00am to 3.30pm, closed on weekends and Public Holidays 

http://americanexpress-sg.custhelp.c...se_cat_lvl1=28

Featured on the Singapore GP site

Me getting a Pirelli cap signed by Kimi :)