In my day, students had allowances of $8. And those were the rich kids. Our mobile phones was two soup cans connected by string. When we broke bones, we set them with super glue because the doctor was too expensive. And schoolbags were made of buffaloes, which we wrestled to death with our bare hands. Apparently, kids today are lot less independent, and need credit cards to buy things. Well, because I have mercy, I’ll make a concession. Here are the best cards for Singapore students:
E-Vibes Card
The qualification for an E-Vibes card is as follows: Can you write your name? Yes? Well done, you’re qualified. This card was made for students; there’s no income requirement. It’s also one of the best entertainment cards in Singapore, because the only thing better than getting smashed is getting smashed on credit. Features include:
- Cheap movies
- Discount drinks at clubs and pubs
- Rewards program with shopping vouchers
- No income requirement
- No annual fee
The card gives you 1-for-1 movie tickets at WE Cinemas, before 6pm. Perfect for dates and missing lectures. At Cafe Del Mar and Yellow Jello, the card gets you a 1-for-1 deal on swill house pours, spirits, and beer. Also, you get into the priority queue at Lunar, where the bouncers have biceps wider than a hog’s bottom.
The rewards program gives you tr’eats dollars (no idea why it’s spelled like that). $1900 nets you $10 tr’eats dollars, which can spent at malls like Tangs and Mustafa Centre.
Standard Chartered NUS $500 Credit Card
Did you know if someone bombed NUS, the world’s nerd population would drop by 99%? NUS students are like…going to be my bosses forever. Damn. Anyway, the creatively named Standard Chartered NUS card is aimed at NUS students. There’s no income requirement, and it caters to the uni student’s bottomless appetite. Advantages include:
- Shopping discounts
- Enough dining discounts to redefine “morbid obesity”
- Rewards program
- No requirement
- Only $30 annual fee
The shopping discounts on this card are underrated. At stores like Mayer, you get an 8% discount store wide. Linen Home and GNC gives you 10 – 15% off selected items, but this is mostly everything they have.
Dining is where this card excels; there are blanket 10-15% discounts in places like Carnivore and Thai Accent. And the hundred off restaurants covered aren’t cheap places either; BLU and Le Baroque are on the list. Why get obese with TV food when you can do it with pate and cheese platters?
The rewards program gives you one point per dollar spent. That’s easy to calculate, and you can cash in fast. Rewards range from discounts at Hagen Dazs to Isetan vouchers.
Citi Clear Card
As the name implies, the Citi Clear Card is jet black and opaque. Who the hell names these things? Probably a bunch of guys who spent half their business degree on a bar room floor. And, who empathize with the drinking habits of tertiary students (ranges between “too much” to “chunks of my liver are in this glass”). Anyone, however drunk or broke, qualifies for this no-income requirement card. Advantages are:
- Drink discounts to get you smashed out of your skull
- Food discounts so your waistline can race students with the NUS card
- Good rewards program
- No requirement
- One time annual fee of $28
Practically every discount on the “clear” card is related to alcohol. I’m not kidding. 1-for-1 drinks at Zouk, 10% off the total bill at Wala, 15$ discount at Beer Market…I suspect the card holders’ visions are anything but clear. So, get it if you drink.
The dining benefits are comparable to the NUS card. While there’s a similar range of restaurants, the Clear card’s discounts are, uh, less clear (I’m starting to think it’s ironically named). At Din Tai Fung, for example, the 10% discount only applies between 3 – 5 pm. At Coffee Club, you get 10% off if you spend up to $15, and 15% off if you spend $30. There are a lot of conditions, even if the discounts are decent.
The rewards program is also close to the NUS card. It’s one point per dollar, and you can cash in for bonus miles, food vouchers, and movie tickets.
Get the Cards
To compare more viable cards, go to SmartCredit.sg. This free to use site has information on all local credit cards. Simply enter a preferred category (e.g. entertainment or dining), enter your income requirement, and you’ll have a list of the best matching cards.
Drag the cards onto the sidebar, and you’ll be able to make one-to-one comparisons. You can also apply for the cards directly through the site.
Image Credits:
Pink Sherbert Photography, Images_of_Money
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