The HSBC Advance Visa Platinum Credit Card is dead (for mile-chasers anyway) and it will become a cashback card soon - the 4 miles per dollar promotion will end officially on 31 May 2017 and you will only earn 1X (0.4 miles per dollar) Rewards point with eligible dollar spent in the month of June 2017. You will have to redeem all your Reward points by 31 August 2017 or they will be converted into cashback on 01 September 2017 at a 100 Reward points to $0.25 rate.

Photo Credit: HSBC

Obviously this is a terrible move (but I presume the bank has been losing a lot of money from this promotion) and I will definitely be moving money out of the HSBC Advance account but in the meantime, the OCBC VOYAGE Card offers 2.3 miles per dollar on food which is not a bad deal considering how the UOB PPA is no longer available for application. It's time to move back to DBS and UOB credit cards. Thanks HSBC, it has been a fun (albeit short) ride!

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Aug 22, 2017 Guide Citibank, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Zalora, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Citi Rewards Card offers 8 Miles (20X Rewards) per Dollar on Zalora Spend - Valid until 31 October 2017

Aug 22, 2017 Guide Citibank, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Zalora, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Citibank discontinued the 20X Rewards promotion with Amazon (which equates to 8 miles per S$1) last month and have just introduced Zalora as the newest partner for the 20X Rewards promotion - this will run until 31 October 2017. While this is definitely great for people who shop on Zalora (though I am not sure who in this day and age), it is certainly not as impressive as the Amazon promotion that was running prior to this.

Aug 22, 2017 Guide Citibank, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Zalora, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Aug 21, 2017 Guide Citibank, Miles, Points, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment

Citibank Removes Delta Skymiles from List of Points Transfer Partners

Aug 21, 2017 Guide Citibank, Miles, Points, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment

While most banks in Singapore allow you to convert your points (or equivalent currency) earned from credit card spend into Airline or Hotel points, Citibank has one of the most comprehensive list of points transfer partners - I have previously counted the total number of partners to be at 12 but they have apparently removed Delta Skymiles from the list. There are currently 11 airline points transfer partners for Citibank if you hold an eligible credit card in Singapore.

Aug 21, 2017 Guide Citibank, Miles, Points, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment

Jul 17, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Travel Guide, China, Beijing, VPN Mark Chua Comment

A Quick Guide to Getting 4G and Around the Great Firewall of China - 2017 Edition

Jul 17, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Travel Guide, China, Beijing, VPN Mark Chua Comment

Everyone must have heard of the extensive internet regulation and censorship in China and first-time travellers to this country do not always know what to do in order to get around the notorious Great Firewall of China. As I will be traveling to Beijing pretty soon, I have put together a short guide on getting around this regulation and also a number of things to take note of when you travel to China. The first thing any tech-savvy traveller would ask is about the availability of 4G SIM Cards in China. While it is definitely possible to pick one up at the airport (information seems to be rather limited on the internet) or in the city, it may save you a little hassle by settling this in Singapore before you go. Here are three alternatives to buying a SIM Card in China!

Jul 17, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Travel Guide, China, Beijing, VPN Mark Chua Comment

Jul 10, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, PayNow, OCBC, Bank Mark Chua Comment

PayNow Launches in Singapore to Facilitate Money Transfers with just Mobile Number or NRIC

Jul 10, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, PayNow, OCBC, Bank Mark Chua Comment

Transferring money between friends and families (or even businesses) has just gotten easier with the introduction of a new PayNow service which is now live across all seven participating banks - Citibank, DBS Bank, HSBC, Maybank, OCBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank and UOB Bank. All you need is the person's mobile number or NRIC number in order to make the transfer (limited to SGD transactions only).

Jul 10, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, PayNow, OCBC, Bank Mark Chua Comment

Jun 21, 2017 Guide Mileslife, Miles, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

Mileslife Officially Launches in Singapore with 4X More Miles (up to 20 Miles per Dollar) - Sign-up Now!

Jun 21, 2017 Guide Mileslife, Miles, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

The wait is finally over - Mileslife is now officially launched in Singapore to offer the opportunity to earn more miles on dining, lifestyle and travel spend. To celebrate this momentous occasion, it is offering 4X more miles (up to 20 miles per S$1) on all eligible transactions made on Mileslife. Remember these miles are accorded on top of whatever you earn from your credit cards so there is definitely a huge potential to rake up those miles for free flights on First Class and Business Class!

Jun 21, 2017 Guide Mileslife, Miles, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

Jun 14, 2017 Guide Uber, uberPOOL, ShopBack, Cashback, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

How to Save Money on Uber Rides - Get S$3 off UberPOOL Rides via ShopBack!

Jun 14, 2017 Guide Uber, uberPOOL, ShopBack, Cashback, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

Uber has changed the way we get around on a day to day basis. While the train is the primary mode of transport for most Singaporeans, there are instances and occasions where a car ride makes a lot more sense because you are rushing for time or simply want a more comfortable journey. If you do use Uber on a very regular basis like me, there are a few things that you can do to save money on these rides - many of which do not require you to do much and simply take an additional second or two to save you money in the long run!

Jun 14, 2017 Guide Uber, uberPOOL, ShopBack, Cashback, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

Jun 8, 2017 Guide Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide, Mileslife, Chope, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Stacking Chope, Mileslife and the right Credit Card for Maximum Miles and Cashback on Dining

Jun 8, 2017 Guide Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide, Mileslife, Chope, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Using the right credit card that will earn you a lot of miles which you can then redeem for free flights is infinitely satisfying. While the HSBC Advance Platinum Visa Credit Card no longer offers 4 miles per dollar (it now offers up to 3.5% cashback) on local dining spend, there are various ways you can still earn a decent amount of miles when you use the right card and double-dip (or even triple-dip) with a number of other promotions! One easy way to do so in Singapore is to combine the use of Chope, Mileslife and the right credit card.

Jun 8, 2017 Guide Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide, Mileslife, Chope, Miles Mark Chua Comment

Jun 7, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, DBS, ANZ Mark Chua Comment

Transitioning Your ANZ Credit Cards to DBS - What You Need to Know!

Jun 7, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, DBS, ANZ Mark Chua Comment

While we all know that the ANZ Travel Card has died a horrible death and that your accrued Travel$ will be converted into DBS Points, it has come to my attention recently that DBS has in fact provided a really good website detailing the upcoming changes and more importantly, what will happen to your existing points and credit card products.

Jun 7, 2017 Guide Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, DBS, ANZ Mark Chua Comment

Jun 7, 2017 Guide OCBC VOYAGE Card, OCBC, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

OCBC Enhances Travel and Lifestyle Benefits for OCBC VOYAGE Card

Jun 7, 2017 Guide OCBC VOYAGE Card, OCBC, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

As we mourned the death of various credit cards in the industry lately, I was surprised to find that the OCBC VOYAGE Card (which I covered in-depth HERE) has just been unveiled improved and enhanced travel and lifestyle benefits for cardholders. While I have previously mentioned that cardholders are already able to access a personal concierge service with the credit card, OCBC has just introduced a brand new medical triage service, enhanced travel perks, greater insurance coverage and new merchant partnerships that cardholders can take advantage of immediately.

Jun 7, 2017 Guide OCBC VOYAGE Card, OCBC, Credit Card Guide, Credit Card, Shutterwhale Guide Mark Chua Comment

Jun 5, 2017 Guide HSBC Advance, HSBC, Cashback, Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment

HSBC Advance Credit Card - up to 3.5% Cashback on all purchases!

Jun 5, 2017 Guide HSBC Advance, HSBC, Cashback, Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment

As we bid farewell to Singapore's best credit card for miles earlier this month, the brand new HSBC Advance Credit Card while nowhere near as impressive as its predecessor, offers up to 3.5% cashback on all eligible purchases. With the proliferation of unlimited cashback cards in the market, this could be a strong contender in the cashback card market if you typically charge a fairly consistent range of expenses to your credit card each month.

Jun 5, 2017 Guide HSBC Advance, HSBC, Cashback, Shutterwhale Guide, Credit Card Mark Chua Comment