General Travel

Staying wired while traveling is practically a must these days and while there are a couple of ways to get internet connection while on the road, there are pros and cons for each method. In my years of traveling, I have tried these methods:

• Buying local sim card in my destination – This is widely available in major airports but speeds can vary depending on the network provider. You might also have to queue alongside other arriving passengers to buy a sim card. If your mobile phone does not handle dual sim cards, you might need to bring an additional phone with you (assuming you have an extra phone lying around). This can be an issue though if you are crossing land borders, where land borders don’t necessarily have shops selling local sim cards.
• Using your home network provider’s roaming data service – This is certainly convenient but it is likely to be an expensive option. Your local network provider can charge a bomb if they don’t have a standing agreement with any of your destination’s network providers.
• Renting a portable WiFi device – This is useful if you intend to visit multiple countries in a single trip. It is a suitable option for those who do not travel frequently. For those who travel often, it might be more economical in the long run to get your own device rather than renting.
• Getting a portable WiFi device of your own – This is useful if you travel frequently or would like the flexibility of integrating your wifi usage with your home network. Depending on where you are located, prices for data top-ups of WiFi roaming devices could be comparable to your home country’s internet cost.

Although I have not been traveling as of late, I have been testing out Pokefi which is a portable WiFI roaming device. The device is available for purchase which means that instead of being charged by the day, you just need to pay an upfront cost for the device (with an added 5GB of data at the start) and just top-up whenever you need additional data.

The fact that you own the device opens it up to a lot more methods of usage. For instance, rather than just relying on the device for internet needs while on the go, the device could also complement one’s internet needs while at home or while traveling within one’s home country. The initial 5GB that comes with the device has no expiry date while top-ups have expiry dates ranging from 2 to 10 years which is more than enough time to exhaust the data allowance.

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There is a new credit card promotion with Singsaver this month where you can receive a brand new Sony Noise Cancelling True Wireless Headphones WF-1000XM3 (UP S$349) or Fitbit Versa 2 (UP S$288). New Standard Chartered (SCB) cardholders (those who have not held a Standard Chartered card in the past 12 months) who apply for a credit card and get approved are entitled to the Sony Noise Cancelling True Wireless Headphones WF-1000XM3 or Fitbit Versa 2. This Standard Chartered Sony headphones / Fitbit offer is valid until 28th February 2021 (11:59PM). You make the selection for your preferred gift at the time of application. If you are an existing cardholder, you will receive S$30 as sign-up gift.

sony true wireless headphones WF-1000XM3 for standard chartered credit cards (source: sony)

Note that this offer is valid only if you apply via the below exclusive links (direct application with Standard Chartered doesn’t count for the promotion). Why is that so? Singsaver actually acts as an aggregator and affiliate partner for Standard Chartered cards and from time to time, Singsaver and Standard Chartered may jointly fund the gift in order to split the marketing expense between them. 

After clicking submit on your credit card application, make sure to take note of your Application Reference Number. You will have to fill out a redemption form (automatically sent to your email once you make a card application) in order to be registered.

Once your card is approved, remember to spend at least S$80 within 30 days of receiving your card in order to receive the Sony wireless headphones or Fitbit Versa 2. You will get an email within 60 to 90 days with instructions on how to claim your gift.

Here are the Standard Chartered cards that qualify for the promotion:

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While it may not be practical to travel at the moment, possessing a card that allows one to pay for overseas transactions with as little charges as possible is as relevant as ever. Online shopping has become a major pastime in the current situation – more so if you consider that the only way to get one’s coveted items from abroad these days is to have them shipped here. Enter YouTrip – one of the digital wallets available that allow you to make foreign currency transactions both online and in stores using wholesale exchange rates and with no extra charges.

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You may have seen some higher tier credit cards – case in point The Platinum Card by American Express which carries an annual fee of S$1,712 – that come with special hotel benefits such as free breakfast, US$100 dining/spa credit, late check-out and perhaps room upgrade and wish there was a way that mere mortals like us who don’t want to fork out more than a thousand dollars on a credit card and at the same time, aren’t elite members of hotel loyalty programmes to enjoy those same kinds of perks.

This week, Hotelux launches in Singapore as a way for the public to access those luxury travel advisor benefits without having to go through those hoops. The app acts as a booking platform with a similar interface where you input your preferred stay dates with the app showing you its best rates with Hotelux partner hotels as well as a set of benefits that come with the stay. 

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Google Pay is a platform developed by Google that allows you to make payments through a single app. You can use Google Pay to digitally store your credit cards and make credit card payments through your mobile phone via contactless payments, transfer money to friends via PayNow and also make payments to establishments via PayNow. If you are familiar with other payment apps like Samsung Pay or Apple Pay, Google Pay fulfills the same functions but has more capabilities as it can also link to your bank account through PayNow.

Get S$8 free by signing up for Google Pay here (offer ends 31st Dec 23:59PM)

After downloading the app, all you need to do is to link it to your PayNow / Paylah / Standard Chartered account and add your credit cards to the digital wallet to get going. 

Currently, Google Pay is running a series of offers where new users who sign-up will get S$8 cash – sent straight to your bank account after you make your first payment of at least S$10. Each week, users also get to earn additional cashback – a random amount sent via digital scratch cards, with the maximum at S$10 per scratch card. I have been using Google Pay for a couple of weeks now and have earned just a little under S$100 in cash back. Cash back is earned through the following ways:

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There is a new credit card promotion with Singsaver this December where you can receive a brand new Garmin Venu SQ Watch (UP S$299) or Apple AirPods (UP S$239). New Standard Chartered (SCB) cardholders (those who have not held SCB card in the past 12 months) who apply for a credit card and get approved are eligible for either gift. This Standard Chartered Garmin Venu SQ Watch or Apple AirPods offer is valid until 10th January 2021.

Standard Chartered Garmin Watch offer

Annual fee is waived for the first two years for all the cards listed below. Standard Chartered usually waives the annual fee for succeeding years as long as you actively use the card but if not, you can always cancel to avoid paying the annual fee. You can even cancel the card after receiving the gift if you wish.

If you are already an existing SCB cardholder, fret not. You still get to have S$30 cash via PayNow with your successful application.

After clicking submit on your credit card application, make sure to take note of your Application Reference Number. You will have to fill out a redemption form (automatically sent to your email once you make a card application) in order to be registered.

Once your card is approved, remember to make at least one transaction (at least S$80) within 30 days of receiving your card in order to receive the reward. You will get an email within 60 to 90 days with instructions on how to claim your gift.

Here are the SCB cards that qualify for the promotion:

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Singsaver is offering an attractive promotion for caffeine lovers this November where you can receive a brand new Nespresso Inissia Coffee Machine & Aeroccino 4 Milk Frother (UP S$346). New Standard Chartered (SCB) cardholders (those who have not held SCB card in the past 12 months) who apply for a credit card and get approved are eligible for the Nepresso machine. This promotion is valid until 9th November 2020.

get a nespresso machine as a new scb cardholder

Annual fee is waived for the first two years for all the cards listed below. Standard Chartered usually waives the annual fee for succeeding years as long as you actively use the card but if not, you can always cancel to avoid paying the annual fee. You can even cancel the card after receiving the Nespresso machine if you wish.

If you are already an existing SCB cardholder, fret not. You still get to have S$30 GrabFood vouchers with your successful application.

After clicking submit on your credit card application, make sure to take note of your Application Reference Number. You will have to fill out a redemption form (automatically sent to your email once you make a card application) in order to be registered.

Once your card is approved, remember to make at least one transaction (any amount) within 30 days of receiving your card in order to receive the reward. You will get an email within 60 to 90 days with instructions on how to claim your gift.

Here are the SCB cards that qualify for the promotion:

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In light of the current global situation, the Singapore government last week issued a mandatory 14-day stay home notice for people returning to Singapore from other ASEAN countries, Japan, Switzerland or the UK effective 16th March 2020, 11:59PM. Only a few days later, the government expanded its scope and made it mandatory for residents returning from ANY country to stay home for 14 days. 

I was in another ASEAN country when I first heard about the stay-home notice affecting returnees from ASEAN countries. Although there was a bit of a grace period, I could not return to Singapore prior to it kicking in as I was overseas due to an urgent personal matter. I eventually returned to Singapore on the 19th March, days after the restriction kicked in. 

Update: As of 18th June 2020, there are now slightly different variations of the stay-home notice which depend on (a) which country you come from and (b) your residency status in Singapore. 

If you are arriving from these countries: Australia, Brunei, Vietnam, New Zealand, China (including Hong Kong and Macao), Taiwan, Japan and South Korea – you can serve your stay-home notice at your place of residence regardless whether you are a Singaporean/PR or a Long-Term Pass Holder. If you are a Long-Term Pass Holder, you should also possess a valid approval letter for entry into Singapore. In addition to the stay-home notice, all arriving passengers must also do a covid-19 test before the SHN ends and this is chargeable (S$200, regardless of residency status).

If you are arriving from a country other than what is mentioned in the preceding paragraph, then you can only do your stay-home notice in an approved facility. If you are Singaporean/PR, this is not chargeable if you last left Singapore prior to the 27th May 2020 travel advisory (chargeable at S$2,000 if you left Singapore after the travel advisory). If you are a Long-Term Pass Holder with valid approval letter to enter Singapore, the stay-home notice in a facility is also chargeable (S$2,000). Again, the covid-19 test is also required and is chargeable regardless of residency status.

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