Making use of vouchers and promo codes is one of the best ways to save money on your expenses, whether it’s for food delivery, grocery delivery, online shopping, etc.
But sometimes, it’s possible to take it 1 step further.
It’s also helpful to consider whether splitting your order into multiple, smaller orders would allow you to use more vouchers and therefore save more money.
This can usually be done when placing a big order or when your order includes items of different categories.
For example, say you intend to place a pick-up order on GrabFood to make use of the 15% off self pick-up order offer.
Your order consists of:
- Item A ($30)
- Item B ($25)
- Item C ($20)
- Item D ($15)
So your total bill is $90, and you expect your discount to be 15% * $90 = $13.50.
However, the terms & conditions of the offer state that the discount is capped at $8, so if you order your items in a single order, you will only enjoy $8 off your bill of $90 – not $13.50.
To maximize the discount, you can instead split your order into 2 smaller orders.
Order 1 (Total $50):
- Item A ($30)
- Item C ($20)
Order 2 (Total $40):
- Item B ($25)
- Item D ($15)
The total discount you will receive in this case is 15% * $50 + 15% * $40 = $7.50 + $6 = $13.50, which is the rightful amount that you expect to receive.
A similar hack can be done on e-commerce platforms like Shopee.
Usually, you’re only allowed to use 1 platform voucher per order.
If you buy multiple items from different categories in a single order, chances are that you’ll have trouble finding a voucher that can be applied to all items in your order.
What you can do instead is to split your order so that items of the same category are in the same order to maximize the value of any vouchers you have to use.
For example, group items that are eligible for cashback in the same order and use a cashback voucher to maximize the number of coins you can earn in that order.
Or, group items under the same category (ie beauty, fashion, electronics, etc.) and use a category-specific voucher to offset your cost.
One thing you should take note of about this hack is the shipping or delivery fee.
If splitting your order means you incur more delivery charges, you should consider whether the extra savings from the vouchers is enough to offset the increased delivery charges.
This simple hack can save you a few dollars every now and then, and it’s always nice to maximise your discounts!