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Who doesn’t love a good deal? Check out how to make your money’s worth with these supermarket reward programmes and memberships, and save more as you shop more.
Tips on saving money for your grocery shopping
Use the best credit card
Do your research before applying for a credit card – some credit cards have discounts specific to certain merchants. For example, the OCBC Plus! Visa Card lets you enjoy up to 12% off at FairPrice in-store and up to 8% off at FairPrice Online, with the criteria that you need to be a NTUC member to be able to apply for one.
If you know your family and yourself are in favour of a particular supermarket chain, why not look up which credit card spend would allow you to gather more savings or rebates on your groceries? Here are some of the recommended cards by SingSaver:
- Best For Cold Storage: UOB One Card
- Best For Giant: HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card
- Best For NTUC FairPrice: OCBC Plus! Visa Card
- Best For Sheng Siong: BOC Sheng Siong Card
- Best For Online Grocers: CIMB Visa Signature
- Best For All Supermarkets: Citi Cash Back Card
Sign up for memberships
Signing up for a membership with a supermarket chain means you could earn more rebates or gain access to more special offers. Just be sure to sign up for a membership with a supermarket chain you are likely to visit often – this could include several points of consideration such as how near the supermarket is to your home, convenience, variety of stocked items, and also price point. With more trips to the supermarket, you reap more rewards! To further enhance your savings, consider exploring money-saving mobile apps that can help you track expenses and find the best deals.
Look out for ongoing promotions at supermarket chains
Oftentimes, supermarkets have many ongoing promotions instore and online. Check the supermarket websites online to check out for any available promotional codes, and ongoing promotions in-store as well. Some supermarkets have a ‘clearance sale’ near the end of the week – for example, Cold Storage often has ‘Reduced to Clear’ items at marked down rates which can still be consumed within a limited time frame. When you purchase these items, you not only save some cash, but also help to save the earth by helping to prevent food wastage as well.
Utilise senior citizen discounts if applicable
If you are a senior citizen, you’ll be happy to know that there are plenty of supermarket deals and discounts available to you. Apart from the supermarket deals below, check out other deals you can benefit from as a senior citizen!
| Grocery Store | Senior Citizen Discounts | Additional Info |
|---|---|---|
| NTUC Fairprice | 3% discount on Mondays for Pioneer Generation cardholders | Pioneer Generation cardholder must be present to show Pioneer Generation card. |
| 2% discount on Tuesdays for Seniors | Senior shoppers aged 60 years and above must be present to show NRIC. | |
| 3% discount on Wednesdays for Pioneer & Merdeka Generation cardholders | Pioneer & Merdeka Generation cardholder must be present to show Pioneer or Merdeka Generation card. | |
| Giant | 3% discount on Mondays to Fridays (5% discount till 1 Jul 2022!) | Senior shoppers aged 60 years and above must be present to show NRIC upon payment. |
| Prime Supermarket | 3% discount on Mondays and Fridays | |
| Sheng Siong Supermarket | 3% discount on Tuesdays and Wednesdays | |
| Cold Storage | 3% discount on Wednesdays |
Comparison of supermarket memberships
Depending on which supermarket you would like to frequent, you probably would want to pick a membership not just to declare allegiance and loyalty, but also to reap the benefits of cashback, rebates, and discounts. Wondering which membership is the best for you? We have compiled a list of supermarket memberships and their benefits, so you can make an informed decision for you and your loved ones.
NTUC FairPrice, Unity stores: Plus! Rewards programme
NTUC FairPrice is one of the longest standing supermarkets in Singapore. The Plus! Membership Rewards programme, a consumer loyalty programme, was launched by NTUC to help spenders accrue more savings on their daily expenditure to alleviate the cost of daily living. Although many see the Plus! Membership as synonymous with the NTUC membership, they are actually two different membership programmes.
With the Plus! Membership, you can earn LinkPoints on your spending at NTUC supermarkets and Unity stores. LinkPoints are not just limited to supermarket shopping – you can accumulate LinkPoints with other Plus! Partners, such as Downtown East, LensKart and others.
There are two main types of membership under the Plus! Membership rewards programme. The Plus! Membership is the membership rewards programme without an NTUC membership, while the NTUC Plus! Membership consists of both the NTUC membership and Plus! Membership. There are additional benefits, such as insurance and dividends, if you are under the NTUC membership scheme as well.
Membership/Cards available:
- Plus! Membership
- NTUC Plus! Rewards Card
- Plus! Visa Credit/Debit Card
- NTUC Plus! Credit/Debit Visa Card
Benefits
Offset your spending with LinkPoints
For every 100 LinkPoints collected, you are eligible to offset $1 of spending at NTUC supermarkets and Unity stores. For Plus! Members, every $2 spent will credit 1 LinkPoint into your account. For NTUC members, every dollar spent will accumulate 2 LinkPoints.
Save more with various partners across the island
The Plus! Membership is one of the biggest membership programmes in Singapore with an extensive array of partners with promotions and discounts. What’s more, you can also chalk up LinkPoints with them and save more. Shop and browse to your heart’s content here to see what is available currently.
Here is a breakdown of the different NTUC membership types and how they compare in terms of benefits directly to grocery and daily expenditures.
| Plus! Rewards Card | NTUC Plus! Rewards Card | Plus! Visa Card | NTUC Plus! Visa Card | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Discount at FairPrice | 1.3% | 5.3% | 7% | Up to 12% |
| Discount at Unity Pharmacy | 1.3% | 5.3% | 7% | Up to 12% |
| Discount at Esso | – | – | Up to 18.5% | Up to 18.5% |
| Discount at Caltex | – | – | Up to 18% | Up to 18% |
How to sign up
You can apply for a card here or through the Plus! app on your mobile phone.
There are different criteria for the different types of membership. Check what you are eligible for below.
| Type of Plus! Card | Fees and charges | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| Plus! Card | One-time $10 membership fee | No age restrictions No minimum income requirements |
| NTUC Plus! Card | NTUC Membership fee of $117 per annum | Age 16 and above Must not be employed by Singapore Police Force, Singapore Prisons, or Auxiliary Police bodies Must not be a foreign domestic worker and/or full-time student |
| Plus! Visa Credit Card | $107 per annum | Age 21 and above $30,000 and above earnings per annum for Singaporeans and Singaporean PRs $45,000 and above earnings per annum for foreigners |
| NTUC Plus! Visa Credit Card | Free | NTUC Plus! Members only Age 21 and above $30,000 and above earnings per annum for Singaporeans and Singaporean PRs $45,000 and above earnings per annum for foreigners |
| Plus! Visa Debit Card | $24 per annum | Age 16 and above No minimum income required Singaporeans, Singaporean PRs and foreigners |
| NTUC Plus! Visa Debit Card | Free (prevailing NTUC Membership fee applies) | NTUC membership benefits and privileges NTUC Plus! Members only Age 16 and above No minimum income required Singaporeans, Singapore PRs and foreigners |
Prime Supermarket: Prime Supermarket Membership
One of the biggest family-owned supermarket chains in Singapore, Prime Supermarket boasts about 20 outlets islandwide, and has launched their very own Prime Supermarket membership to enjoy greater savings when you shop with Prime.
With the membership, you get to earn Fresh Points on your purchases, which allows you to redeem for savings later on.
Benefits
Offset your spending with Fresh Points
Every dollar spent at Prime Supermarket awards you with one Fresh Point, with a minimum spend of $10 nett per receipt. For every 100 Fresh Points you accumulate, you can redeem them for $1 worth of savings on your purchases.
How to sign up
Membership is free with a minimum spend of $20 at Prime Supermarket. Sign up at the cashier counter when you spend at least $20, and the counter staff will register you straightaway. You can receive your Prime Supermarket membership card on the spot – a plus point for convenience!
Giant, Cold Storage, Guardian, Market Place, Jason’s: TapForMore
You may not know this, but what do Giant, Cold Storage, Guardian, Market Place, and Jason’s have in common? Besides being places to buy your daily necessities, they are all under the Dairy Farm International (DFI) Retail Group, one of the leading retail groups in Singapore.
DFI has partnered with the PAssion Card programme under the People’s Association, to offer a TapForMore rewards programme for its loyal spenders at its supermarkets. Launched in April 2010, the TapForMore Rewards Programme allows members to earn and redeem points from their purchases at selected partners (like Cold Storage), so as to stretch every dollar spent. The programme is tied to the PAssion card, so you must have a PAssion card to start earning points. Simply tap your PAssion card every time you shop, to collect points for greater savings.
Benefits
Offset your spending with TapForMore points
For every purchase, PAssion card members will earn TapForMore points – there is no minimum spend to be eligible for point collection, so hurrah to earning points on even the smallest purchases! Every dollar spent gives you one TapForMore point, and points earned can be redeemed immediately to offset purchases. For every 150 points, you can redeem $1 off, and for every 1,500 points, you may redeem $10 off. Points accumulated are valid for up to 18 months on issue.
Exclusive offers for PAssion card members
Exclusive offers and invitations to special events/activities are made for PAssion card members.
Even more special discounts for PAssion card silver members
The PAssion card silver membership is for seniors, and holders of this card can enjoy further discounts on their supermarket spending. Cardholders can enjoy 3% off at all Giant outlets on Tuesday, and 3% off at all Cold Storage outlets on Wednesdays.
How to sign up
You will need to have a PAssion card to start tapping into the TapForMore rewards programme.
| Membership type | Fees and charges | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| PAssion card membership – 5 years validity | $12.00 for a Principal Card $10.00 for those below 18 and 60 years old & above | No age limit |
Sign up here.
HAO Group Supermarkets: HAO Friends loyalty programme
HAO Mart Group’s loyalty membership programme, HAO Friends, is a free groceries loyalty programme. Like the other loyalty programmes, you can use HAO points to offset purchases across all HAO group stores. However, there is something slightly more unique about the HAO Friends loyalty programme – the more you spend, the more points you will earn on each dollar as there is a multiplier effect. For example, for a spending of $10, I earn one HAO point per dollar spent. But for a spending of $100, I earn three HAO points per dollar spent. You can earn up to eight HAO points spent per dollar if you spend more, more, and more!
Benefits
Offset your purchases with HAO points
One HAO point can be redeemed for 1 cent off, and 1,000 HAO points for $10 off. Do note that certain items like tobacco and newspapers are not eligible for points accumulation.
How to sign up
There are two options: 1) get a physical card, and 2) register on your phone.
E-application
Sign in at www.haomart.com.sg/friends and tap on your mobile card. A one-time barcode will appear. Scan it before your purchase at any stores islandwide to collect points.
Physical card application
Simply fill in the application form at a HAO outlet to apply for a card. There is a one-time membership fee charge at $10, but is waived for seniors aged 60 and above. A replacement fee is chargeable if you lose the card at $10.
Don Don Donki: Don Don Donki membership
You will be glad to know that everyone’s favourite Japanese supermarket, Don Don Donki, has a membership loyalty reward programme as well. Don Don Donki doesn’t need any introduction – a supermarket chain originating from Japan, it is well loved by many Singaporeans for its wide variety of Japanese products. Get a pocket-friendly taste of Japan with Don Don Donki’s membership programme as well.
You can earn points called dMiles with your purchases, and exchange your dMiles for a range of rewards in the Don Don Donki App, such as coupons for selected discounts on products. The number of dMiles you can incur on a purchase also works based on a multiplier system, and you earn different number of dMiles per dollar spent based on your rank: bronze, silver, gold, or platinum.
| Rank | dMiles grant rate | Base amount for rank |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1x | $0 – $1,999 |
| Silver | 2x | $2,000 – $4,999 |
| Gold | 3x | $5,000 – $14,999 |
| Platinum | 4x | $15,000 ~ |
Here is a helpful chart breaking down the multiplier effect of dMiles per dollar spent, based on your rank.
| USAGE AMOUNT $ | BRONZE 1x | SILVER 2x | GOLD 3x | PLATINUM 4x |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1.00 | 1 dMiles | 2 dMiles | 3 dMiles | 4 dMiles |
| $10.00 | 10 dMiles | 20 dMiles | 30 dMiles | 40 dMiles |
| $100.00 | 100 dMiles | 200 dMiles | 300 dMiles | 400 dMiles |
| $1,000.00 | 1,000 dMiles | 2,000 dMiles | 3,000 dMiles | 4,000 dMiles |
Benefits
- Offset your shopping by redeeming coupons with your dMiles: You can exchange your dMiles for shopping coupons to use at Don Don Donki.
- Enjoy a variety of reward selection: Besides coupons to offset expenditure, you can redeem rewards with your dMiles as well through the Don Don Donki app.
How to sign up
You can download the Don Don Donki app for free here to start collecting your dMiles.
Sheng Siong
Unfortunately, Sheng Siong does not have a loyalty programme or a membership card. You can earn cash rebates on selected credit cards though, and these are the following cards:
- Bank Of China Sheng Siong Card: 6% cash rebate at Sheng Siong with no minimum spend
- POSB Everyday Card: 5% cash rebates
- Diners Club / Sheng Siong Cobrand Credit Card: Earn up to 5% cash rebate per month with minimum spending at Sheng Siong outlets.
Looking for affordable yet comprehensive caregiving services?
While these membership savings may appear small, the savings can add up quite significantly over time. Apart from supermarket rewards and memberships, there are other areas that we can also cut back on.
