From The Straits Times    |

Photo: 123rf

Of all the different types of credit cards, I have to admit I have a soft spot for cashback credit cards. There’s something so satisfying about getting money for doing absolutely nothing more than, uh, spending money.

So which are the best all-purpose cashback credit cards to use? Here are our top picks (in no particular order):

 

UOB One Card

Photo:Moneysmart

This card offers some of the most generous cashback rates on everything you spend on—a maximum of 5%.

But there is a catch—the minimum spending requirements are not just high, but have to be met every month in a quarter for you to qualify for these insane cashback rates.

If you can spend $2,000 consistently, every month in a quarter, you will qualify for the maximum cashback tier of up to 5%. If you can spend at least $500 (entitling you to a max of $50 rebates a month) or $1,000 (entitling you to a max of $100 rebates a month) a month for a quarter, you can get a maximum of 3.33% cash rebate. Oh yeah, you also have to make at least 5 transactions every month in a quarter.

Features at a glance:

Max of 5% rebate if you spend $2,000 + make at least 5 transactions every month in a quarter

Max of 3.33% rebate if you spend at least $1,000 + make at least 5 transactions every month in a quarter, up to a maximum of $1,000 a month.

Max of 3.33% rebate if you spend a least $500 + make at least 5 transactions every month in a quarter, up to a maximum of $50 a month.

Get this card if: You are a big and consistent spender.

 

HSBC Advance Credit Card

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This card offers a great 3.5% cashback on everything… IF you are an HSBC Advance account holder and spend above $2,000 a month. If you spend less than that, you still get a decent 2.5%.

How do you become an HSBC Advance account holder? There are a few ways, the main ones being making a deposit of $30,000, having an HSBC home loan, crediting a monthly salary of at least $3,500 to the account or depositing at least $2,500 a month.

So what happens if you’re not an HSBC Advance member? You get 2.5% cashback if you spend above $2,000 a month, and 1.5% if you spend less than that.

Features at a glance:

3.5% cashback for HSBC Advance account holders who spend above $2,000 in a month.

2.5% cashback for non-HSBC Advance account holders who spend $2,000 and below in a month.

2.5% cashback for non-HSBC Advance account holders who spend above $2,000 in a month.

1.5% cashback for non-HSBC account holders who spend $2,000 and below in a month.

Get this card if: You are an HSBC Advance account holder, or willing to become one. It’s actually relatively simple to do so.

 

Citi Cash Back Card

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Technically speaking, this card doesn’t exactly reward you with cashback on every single thing you could possibly spend on. But it offers cashback on a wide-enough basket of categories to be used as an all-purpose cashback credit card.

You get a whopping 8% cashback on dining, groceries, food and grocery delivery, Grab rides and petrol. That means most of your daily necessities (food and transportation) are covered.

The monthly minimum spending requirement is $888, but that’s not the biggest drawback, which is that cashback is capped at $25 per category, the categories being dining, Grab rides, groceries and petrol.

Features at a glance:

8% cashback on dining, groceries, Grab rides and petrol, capped at $25 cashback per category.

Minimum spending requirement of $888 a month.

Get this card if: You can meet the minimum spending requirement and spend often in at least two or three of the spending categories.

 

American Express True Cashback Card

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This cashback credit card is the most uncomplicated on this list. You get 1.5% cashback on everything, with no minimum spending requirement and no monthly cashback cap.

What’s more, in the first 6 months of card membership, you enjoy 3% cashback on up to $5,000 worth of spending, so sign up for the card just before you’re about to make a large purchase.

Features at a glance:

3% cashback on everything in the first 6 months on up to $5,000 worth of spending.

1.5% cashback on everything else, with no cap and no minimum spending requirement.

Get this card if: You don’t want to have to meet any minimum spending requirements.

 

Standard Chartered Unlimited Cashback Credit Card

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This card gives the Amex True Cashback Card a run for the money. The card’s base cashback rate of 1.5% is the same, and it doesn’t impose a minimum spending requirement either.

Until 31 Oct 2017, you also get 3% unlimited cashback on all foreign currency transactions and overseas spending.

Features at a glance:

1.5 cashback on everything.

3% unlimited cashback on overseas spending till 31 Oct 2017.

No minimum spending requirement and no cashback cap.

Get this card if: You don’t want to have to meet any minimum spending requirements.

 

OCBC 365 Credit Card

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This is another card that doesn’t exactly give you cashback on everything under the sun, but on enough to make it your go-to cashback credit card.

You get 6% on weekend dining, and 3% on weekday or overseas dining, online shopping, grocery and recurring telco bills. This is one of the few cards that gives generous cashback on telco bills. There’s a monthly cashback cap of $80.

Of course, there is a minimum spending requirement. At $600, it’s not terribly high, especially for those who eat out or shop online a lot. If you’re having trouble hitting the minimum spending sum, offer to pay for a few group dinners and have your friends pay you back in cash.

Features at a glance:

6% cashback on weekend dining

3% cashback on weekday dining, overseas dining, online shopping, grocery bills and recurring telco bills.

Minimum spending requirement of $600 a month

Get this card if: You eat out and shop online a lot.

 

This article was first published in Moneysmart.

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