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Lifestyle Spending The Frugal Handbook

The Frugal Handbook #9: Cashing Receipts

I never used to like keeping receipts.

And I think most students/young adults share the same sentiment. 

After all, we’re probably just going to throw it away in the next dustbin we see, so what’s the point?

Well, it turns out that you can actually earn a little bit of money (and I mean a little bit) for keeping receipts –  via mall loyalty programs.

Without going into too much detail, shopping malls are usually managed by some parent company/organisation. 

The more common ones include CapitaMall (ie Plaza Singapura, IMM, Bugis+) and LendLease (ie 313, JEM, Parkway Parade).

Most of these organisations have a loyalty program that includes all of the malls under their management to encourage people to shop at their malls more frequently than other malls.

Usually, the way this works is as follows:

  1. Download the mall app on your phone and sign up
  2. Ask for a receipt whenever you spend in a participating mall
  3. Snap a photo of the receipt and upload it into the app
  4. Points will be awarded based on the spending amount stipulated in the receipt
  5. Points can be exchanged for mall/store vouchers

There is typically a minimum amount for receipts of $10-$20 and receipts need to be submitted within a few days of the purchase.

Here’s a list of some mall apps that offer loyalty programs:

  • CapitaStar
  • Lendlease Plus
  • VivoCity SG
  • GreatRewards
  • Suntec+
  • shopFarEast

The easiest one to use is probably CapitaStar since it has the most number of malls around Singapore, so you’ll likely have an easier time collating receipts.

You can signup with my referral link to get $5 for free!

The rewards rate for such programs is usually 0.5% – ie a $5 mall voucher can be redeemed with accumulated spending of $1000.

I did say it was a little bit of money, didn’t I?

The goal isn’t to spend $1000 at the mall just so you can redeem that $5 voucher, but if you’re out with your friends/family and they don’t use the app, you can just ‘kope’ the receipt for your own use.

You won’t be earning much, but at least it’s something – especially if the spending didn’t come out of your own pocket!

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