UOB Absolute Cashback Card

[revhappy]

You have to carry something to get home if your mobile phone is lost or fails, right?

For me the decision is easy. I am a cheapo and my latest phone Redmi Note 10X although quite featurefull for a $200 phone, doesnt have NFC. I dont know when NFC will arrive in a $200 price range, until then I just use the physical card.

 

[Hippocrates]

You have to carry something to get home if your mobile phone is lost or fails, right?

If the phone is lost, the easiest solution is to borrow a phone from any stranger to make a call to get help (you just need to carry your friendliness lol).

Otherwise, carrying a $50 note can get you home too… it is easier to carry than a card and you won’t be fixated about getting tiny cashback from $50 in times like that.

Anyway, the risk of mobile phone loss or failure is much smaller than the inconvenience of carrying another card - but it could be different for you. So it boils down to individualised risk reward ratio.

 

[oceanicmanta]

For me the decision is easy. I am a cheapo and my latest phone Redmi Note 10X although quite featurefull for a $200 phone, doesnt have NFC. I dont know when NFC will arrive in a $200 price range, until then I just use the physical card.

Try Poco X3 NFC ... $269, got $15 voucher on Lazada I think

Using it now

 

[cassowary18]

Try Poco X3 NFC ... $269, got $15 voucher on Lazada I think

Using it now

Moot because you can't digitise this UOB Absolute Card... If you want digitisable card go for Amex True Cashback Card

 

[revhappy]

Try Poco X3 NFC ... $269, got $15 voucher on Lazada I think

Using it now

$200 is like a psychological barrier for me and anyways my next phone upgrade is atleast 2 years away

 

[cassowary18]

$200 is like a psychological barrier for me and anyways my next phone upgrade is atleast 2 years away

Used to be for me too...until I realised how useful NFC payments were after my wallet grew too thick. Now I don't think I can live without NFC payments. I still hold a few cards in my wallet, for those that can't be digitised or for big transactions that cannot use Google Pay, but most of my cards are now in my Google Pay.

Oh yeah I have the POCO X3 NFC too, a very good smartphone.

 

[CrashWire]

My mistake: "Purchase Protection is only available to Personal, Gold, Platinum and Charter American Express Charge Card Members holding a valid American Express Card". All the while I thought purchase protection is offered universally to all Amex cards.

Amex Rewards Card and their base Platinum Credit card both have it:
https://www.americanexpress.com/sg/credit-cards/the-rewards-card/https://www.americanexpress.com/sg/credit-cards/platinum-credit-card/

 

[BBCWatcher]

If the phone is lost, the easiest solution is to borrow a phone from any stranger to make a call to get help (you just need to carry your friendliness lol).

Otherwise, carrying a $50 note can get you home too… it is easier to carry than a card and you won’t be fixated about getting tiny cashback from $50 in times like that.

A $50 note costs $50 when you lose it. An UOB Absolute Cashback Card costs $0 when you lose it.

It's up to you whether losing 20 basis points of additional rebate -- and sometimes 170 basis points (since the UOB card provides rebates on more transaction types) -- is worth it. My opinion is you're making weak arguments right now, but it's your decision of course.

Anyway, the risk of mobile phone loss or failure is much smaller than the inconvenience of carrying another card - but it could be different for you. So it boils down to individualised risk reward ratio.

Yes.

 

[Hippocrates]

A $50 note costs $50 when you lose it. An UOB Absolute Cashback Card costs $0 when you lose it.

It's up to you whether losing 20 basis points of additional rebate -- and sometimes 170 basis points (since the UOB card provides rebates on more transaction types) -- is worth it. My opinion is you're making weak arguments right now, but it's your decision of course.

Nope, the cost of losing a credit card is not at all zero. Absolute Cashback Card doesn't isn't as secure as mobile contactless payments - all the details needed for transactions are exactly as what on the card. Any fraud related to card loss requires effort and time to rectify/recover. Time is not free. For working individuals, opportunity cost of one hour is easily way more than $50.

Like I've said, it boils down to individuals - for people who have high propensity of losing cash and don't mind the bulk in the wallet, it could work lol.

 

[BBCWatcher]

Nope, the cost of losing a credit card is not at all zero. Absolute Cashback Card doesn't isn't as secure as mobile contactless payments - all the details needed for transactions are exactly as what on the card. Any fraud related to card loss requires effort and time to rectify/recover. Time is not free. For working individuals, opportunity cost of one hour is easily way more than $50.

Like I've said, it boils down to individuals - for people who have high propensity of losing cash and don't mind the bulk in the wallet, it could work lol.

And the loss of a mobile phone is less traumatic? Come on.

I think you’re making weak arguments against a perpetual loss of 20 or 170 basis points for practically every transaction. UOB‘s annual fee is also likely easier to waive than AMEX’s. And you can still use GrabPay (QR codes) from your mobile phone if you want the 1.7% rebate, whatever Grab promotions Grab is offering, and don’t want to carry the physical card. AND you can still attach another card to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay, which you probably have to do anyway since American Express acceptance is more limited. Get a Standard Chartered Spree Visa, for example, and you’re getting a flat unlimited, uncapped 2.0% rebate on most contactless transactions, including mobile NFC transactions, as long as you steer clear of typical exclusions that UOB’s new card doesn’t have. (Why would you use a 1.5% rebate card at all with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay? There are better deals for that.)

 

[Hippocrates]

And the loss of a mobile phone is less traumatic? Come on.

I think you’re making weak arguments against a perpetual loss of 20 or 170 basis points for practically every transaction. UOB‘s annual fee is also likely easier to waive than AMEX’s. And you can still use GrabPay (QR codes) from your mobile phone if you want the 1.7% rebate, whatever Grab promotions Grab is offering, and don’t want to carry the physical card. AND you can still attach another card to Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay, which you probably have to do anyway since American Express acceptance is more limited. Get a Standard Chartered Spree Visa, for example, and you’re getting a flat unlimited, uncapped 2.0% rebate on most contactless transactions, including mobile NFC transactions, as long as you steer clear of typical exclusions that UOB’s new card doesn’t have. (Why would you use a 1.5% rebate card at all with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, or Google Pay? There are better deals for that.)

Sorry, you are totally digressing and your arguments lacked logic.

It was not about losing a phone or credit card (low prob event but you brought that up anyway).

It wasn’t even about the merits of carrying a physical credit card vs $50 (that was in respond to your statement that you need something to get home in case the phone got stolen - but no, there are lots of way to get home in Singapore under such rare event and carrying $50 is just 1 out of such numerous alternatives)

However you kept digressing into irrelevant points, bringing up other credit cards. I don’t even remember asking you for recommendations lol. Facts are useless when you missed the big picture, worse when they are biased and exaggerated.

I merely asked our nice fellow forumer about his decision of dropping Amex true cashback card in exchange for UOB absolute. He answered that succinctly - that’s useful!

 

[fr33d0m]

Why not both?
When you want 1.5% with contactless payment, by all means, use AMEX true cashback with Apple Pay. Anywhere else, go ahead with UOB absolute cards. It is stupid to ignore the 0.2%. GrabPay top up does not require physical card for every top up.

 

[Panerex]

Why not both?
When you want 1.5% with contactless payment, by all means, use AMEX true cashback with Apple Pay. Anywhere else, go ahead with UOB absolute cards. It is stupid to ignore the 0.2%. GrabPay top up does not require physical card for every top up.

after knowing about SCB Spree, I will use it for contactless payment at 2% cash rebate.

and UOB absolute Amex for grab top up

 

[mdax23]

Amex like not so widely accepted as visa or master in some places

 

[Trazora]

Amex like not so widely accepted as visa or master in some places

can use the Amex card topup grab and use grabpay mastercard, can earn grab points also when using grabpay

 

[silverbomb]

Uob Amex > grab card via Samsung pay.

1.7% + (≈)1.2% + Samsung rewards points

 

[gravityz3r0]

Too bad this card won't count towards eligible spending to meet criteria for UOB One account since it's not a visa/master. Otherwise double dip man!

 

[cassowary18]

Too bad this card won't count towards eligible spending to meet criteria for UOB One account since it's not a visa/master. Otherwise double dip man!

Only 5 cards count towards UOB One bonus interest: UOB One credit card, UOB One Visa debit card, UOB One Mastercard debit card, UOB YOLO, and UOB Lady's Card

 

[badsector]

but UOB ONE card was 3.33%

 

[chekchek]

Not very useful. Can only pay sp service but not gomo giga or ezlink. Or is there another way I am not aware of?