Take advantage of everyday discount deals to save

SINGAPORE — Using your credit card or debit card to get 15 per cent off at a restaurant or boutique is a good deal. Indeed, people are constantly looking for ways like that to save money. To get the really great deals, though, savvy shoppers are constantly looking for real gems that can help them save even more. Beyond just getting a discount, they are also looking at how to find deals without frittering away too much time or travelling across the island to save just a few more cents.

DISCOUNTS

It used to be easy to find a deal, since stores advertised sales or put posters in the window. Choosing the right credit card or debit card has also been a traditional way to save 10 per cent or more, and it is still almost a default choice for many shoppers. Sites such as GETdeals make it easy to compare deals with cards and maximise your savings.

Now, though, going online and finding deals can save you even more, whether you are looking for coffee or cosmetics or casual travel.

Online coupon pioneers such as Groupon are still around, and you could recently save 40 per cent on eating, shopping and plenty more. Eatigo goes one better, though, and gives you instant discounts of up to 50 per cent at restaurants where you want to go or near where you are now. Even better are the free meals available through sites such as Free Famous Food, albeit with just a small number of vouchers and only a few restaurants each day.

Shoppers can also get a slew of discounts at sites such as Flipit, which offer savings at stores ranging from Sephora and HP to foodpanda. ShopBack offers deals as well at hundreds of stores, then gives rebates that are often 5-8 per cent or more.

Travellers can save money as well by buying airline tickets, hotels and tour packages online at sites such as Kayak, Expedia and Skyscanner.

Discounts or better pricing on services are available online too. Consumers can save hundreds of dollars on insurance or loans by comparing prices on GoBear, for example, while sites such as Money Digest and SingSaver offer comparisons of loans and other services.

Many shoppers head online for all their everyday shopping too, since online stores can offer good choices and discounts as well as free delivery. Qoo10 or eBay offer new and used items for any shopper, for example, and Redmart offers some good prices on groceries.

Shopping is no longer confined to the shores of Singapore, of course. Many online shoppers head to overseas websites which offer cheaper prices, then get free shipping from Amazon with a minimum purchase or use a US address and cheaper shipping from services such as Borderlinx or ezbuy if they do not meet spend the minimum to get free shipping.

While these sites offer great deals, there are plenty of others that offer discounts and new ones are popping up all the time. Searching online and chatting with friends can turn up even more hidden gems.

LOW COST SHOPPING

Even though online deals are great, savvy shoppers also save by finding the best places to buy everything from groceries and toiletries to clothes and books at the lowest cost.

Consumers who want household goods can save as much as 50 per cent, for example, by heading to Swanston at People’s Park Complex. MyCK stores in heartland locations island-wide offer low prices on everything from fashion to household items, and ValuDollar stores similarly offer good value.

Families with can head to NTUC FairPrice’s Warehouse Club to save on groceries, trying it out for free periodically before buying an annual membership.

Don’t forget to sign up for retailers’ loyalty programmes too. While the benefits are small, a free coffee at Starbucks or something else every once in a while is still nice to receive.

Smart shoppers who head to malls and even to these budget stores no longer automatically accept the price offered, of course. Instead, they go online on their phone while they’re shopping to see if they can find an even better deal somewhere else.

ENJOY LIFE FOR FREE

While it’s great to get discounts, enjoying free entertainment and outings here may be the best deal of all.

Culture vultures can explore public museums for free, and music aficionados can bask in the sounds of free concerts at the Esplanade, Botanic Gardens or other parks. Movie lovers can see classic movies outdoors for free at the Botanic Gardens or Movie Mob events. There are always plenty of other free events all across the island as well

FINDING THE LATEST DEALS

There is no shortage of deals in Singapore, of course, and any article can just touch the surface. Fortunately, plenty of people track new deals. Along with checking with friends all the time, taking a look at Frugal in Singapore or TheSmartLocal and other sites can be a great way to make sure the best deals and everyday savings keep on coming all the time.