You know how when your friend challenges you to take another shot of vodka, you go “mai lah, mai lah”? That was exactly how I reacted when a colleague challenged me to survive a day out – including shopping, feasting, and fun – with only a $100.
Pretty sure that I’d be filming the sequel to Mission Impossible, but the competitive spirit in me won’t turn down a challenge, so off I went!
Simple math told me it’d likely be impossible to actually stay under the $100 limit, but then I figured I stood a chance thanks to ShopBack GO’s Super Season.
So… What is ShopBack GO Super Season?
If you thought ShopBack GO was awesome for giving you Cashback every time you dine out, it just got a whole lot more awesome. Super Season is a 3-month-long food feast-ival that includes over a hundred 1-for-1 offers, exclusive deals, and up to 20% Cashback – all in addition to the regular cashback you earn at the 800+ restaurants and retail stores on ShopBack GO. You can earn sweet Loyalty Rewards for hitting the spend goal at partner outlets!
But wait, here’s the best part: – there are NO SUBSCRIPTION FEES!. Yes, you read that right. All those 1-for-1s, deals, and rewards, for zero upfront payment. It’s really simple – download the ShopBack app (if you haven’t by now), link a card to ShopBack GO, and voila! You’re ready and set to enjoy everything.
Armed with this knowledge, I set off to take on my challenge with quiet confidence. Let’s see how my day turned out.
First order of business: Shopping at H&M!
It’s hard enough to resist the temptation to walk into the H&M flagship store as you head towards 313@Somerset. Especially when the heat is burning and you’re in desperate need of chill artificial wind. But what practically pulled me into the store was news that H&M is now also on ShopBack GO! That means you get Cashback on your purchases at all their stores islandwide, which is basically like getting paid to shop! It gets even better if you’re new to ShopBack GO, because you can earn a flat $10 in Bonus Cashback with a purchase at H&M (I’m an existing user and got $5 – still pretty sweet!)
On any other day, I would have easily spent at least $50 at H&M, but since I was put on a rather tight budget, I held back the urge to grab that black leather pinafore ($54.95) that I’ve been eyeing, and bought a pair of denim shorts ($24.95) instead, that I know will last me for years to come.
- Original Price: $24.95
- Price after 2% Cashback and $5 Bonus Cashback: $19.49
- Savings: $5.46
Quick refresher: Guardian
Back in the outdoors, I was craving something cold to beat the sweltering heat. Bubble tea was a really tempting option, but the recent reports about the negative health risks present in each cup of bubble tea made me opt for a cold bottle of water instead. But as with most girls, I carry a bag so small, no actual water bottle can fit inside, so I made a quick stop at Guardian to grab one to go. I also have a bad habit of buying mints every single time I’m out simply because I leave the previous one I bought at home, so that went on the tab as well.
On the plus side, I’m closer to hitting the $80 spend goal at Guardian, and earning an $8 voucher as my Loyalty Reward!
- Original Price: $4.50
- Price after 2% Cashback: $4.40
- Savings: $0.60
Late, lazy lunch: Chir Chir/other Korean food
After a short but successful shopping session, my stomach was growling and I was desperate for some comfort food. Nothing, really nothing says comfort food more than some good ol’ fried chicken, and I was a short walk away from one of the best places in town for it: Chir Chir! They serve up some of the most wicked Korean fried chicken in town, plus you get to enjoy 20% off the whole fried chicken – yes, a whole fried chicken! Plus, you earn an $8 voucher as a Loyalty Reward for your next visit with every $80 spent here, too!
As I was here late on a weekday afternoon, the place was relatively empty and my food was served piping hot in no time, and I absolutely loved every single bite I had. In case you aren’t feeling like fried chicken, there are some other really good Korean food establishments around, such as Nipong Naepong, NY Night Market and Masizzim that will satisfy your Korean food cravings (and earn you Cashback while you’re at it).
* Do note that this offer is valid for one redemption only throughout the whole promotion period and valid for dine-in only.
- Original Price: $33.80 (including service charges and GST)
- Price after Cashback: $27.05 with 20% off selected signatures
- Savings: $6.75
Singing up an appetite: Karaoke time!
I had some time to spare before my dinner appointment with my friends and fired up ShopBack GO to help me find something to do without breaking the bank. I discovered it also listed entertainment venues, so I decided to spend a good 3 hours at K-Star Karaoke honing my singing skills which, according to my friend, is the reason I’m a bathroom singer and not on stage. But with its fancy decor and superb sound system, I think this place is good enough to excite the dreamer in any of us.
- Original Price: $35.10 per pax for 3-hour package for thematic room including service charges and GST
- Price after 5% Cashback: $33.35 per pax
- Savings: $1.70
Soothing the soul: Hot Pot with the crew
After belting out my favourite tunes for 3 straight hours, I was ready for a hot and soupy dinner to soothe my exhausted throat. Hot pot is one of my go-to favourites whenever I’m craving something that warms the heart. Traditionally, hot pot was a luxury, and the Chinese would only have it during the Lunar New Year.
But hot pot has seen a significant surge in popularity in recent years, with establishments sprouting all across the island. At Beauty In The Pot, my dinner destination of choice, you get the best of both worlds as the hot pot is just as delicious as it is nourishing. The Collagen soup here is seriously good, and any ingredients you dip in it instantly become a delightful treat.
The bill totalled to around $110 for a table of 4, and thanks to the 9% First Visit Bonus Cashback from ShopBack GO, we got to save $9.90 on our meal, which meant we paid just about $25/person, which is pretty great for a hearty hot pot meal!
- Original Price: ~$30.00 per pax
- Price after Cashback: ~$25.00 per pax
- Savings: approx. $2.50 – $5.00 per pax
Total Spent without cashback: $128.95
Total Spent after cashback: $128.95 – $19.50 = $109.40
Alright alright, I know I overspent my budget but only by the smallest margin. Trying to enjoy a full day at Orchard Road with just $100 is quite a feat, to begin with, and I’m truly impressed by the savings I’ve managed to bag. I saved approximately $22.00 – enough to have another good meal. So have I changed my point of view now? Yes, it is definitely possible to spend a day in Orchard for under a $100 – just make sure you’re carrying your mints and a water bottle before you go!
* All prices stated are accurate at the time of writing and are subject to change without prior notice.
- Super Season will run from 1 October 2019 – 31 December 2019
- Each 1-for-1 deal will be redeemable only once per ShopBack account throughout the duration of this period
- Special vouchers and other bonuses may have varying eligibility periods
Pssst! We have exclusive bonus rewards for UOB cardmembers!
To reward you for being a UOB cardmember and for staying with us till the end of the article, here’s what you get to enjoy:
- Exclusive $60 Bonus Cashback during Super Season ($20 each month in October, November and December)
- To earn the $20 bonus for November, UOB cardmembers will need to eat at 6 different ShopBack GO partner restaurants during the month, and spend a minimum of $10 using their UOB card. Cashback will be earned for each transaction as per normal.
- Extra $3 Bonus if the first card ever linked to ShopBack GO is a UOB card.
- To qualify for this bonus, you cannot have previously linked any other card to ShopBack GO, and your UOB card must be linked to your ShopBack account throughout the Super Season (Oct-Dec) period.
Here are some other 1-for-1 deals you don’t wanna miss!
- 1-for-1 on a la carte dishes (U.P. ~$18.90) at The Salted Plum
- 1-for-1 large Flat White (U.P. ~$6.30) at Spinelli (free upgrade to soy milk)
- 1-for-1 Grass Fed Australian Wagyu Steak (U.P. ~$35.90) at Nook & Cranny Cafe
- 1-for-1 on all Pastas (U.P. ~$20) at Canopy
- 1-for-1 Haus Pasta (U.P. ~$19) at Pasta Supremo
- 1-for-1 Half Cutlet Meal with Drink (U.P. ~$6.60) at Ah Tan Wings
- 1-for-1 Savoury Mains (U.P. ~$24) at Earlybird Cafe
- 1-for-1 any BBQ Set (U.P. ~$12.90) at Nsquared Barbeque
- 1-for-1 on Mains (U.P. ~$38.90) at The Black Sheep Cafe
- 1-for-1 Lombata Steak (U.P. ~$68) at Meat Me
- 1-for-1 Regular Hot Coffee (U.P. ~$5) at Sarnies
- 1-for-1 Set Lunch of Lunch Main (U.P. ~$25) at Brotzeit
- 1-for-1 Ottoman/Kebab Signature/Mains (U.P. ~$27.50) at Derwish
- 1-for-1 House Cocktails (U.P. ~$24) at IB HQ Singapore
- 1-for-1 Signature Cocktails (U.P. ~$22) at Jekyll & Hyde
Exclusive deals you gotta try!
- Free half dozen house oysters (U.P. ~$30) with any purchase at Greenwood Fish Market
- $9.90 for a 9-inch Classico pizza (U.P. ~$19) at Peperoni Pizzeria
- Choice of any burger + any Thirst Quencher at $15 (U.P. ~$27) at HANS IM GLUCK
- 20% off min. spend $30 at Teppei Syokudo and Tokyo Chopped Salad
- 15% off Whiskey menu (Balvenie, Glenfiddich Project XX) (U.P. ~$385) at Wine Universe
Loyalty Rewards:
Reach the cumulative spend goal and earn great rewards for your next visit
- Texas Chicken: Free piece of Original/Spicy Chicken (U.P. ~$3.50) for every $20 spent
- The Market Grill: Complimentary regular-sized burger (U.P. ~$22) for every $200 spent
- NY Night Market, Chir Chir, Kogane Yama, Nipong Naepong, Masizzim, Hanok by Masizzim: Cash voucher worth $8 for every $80 spent
- YOLO: Free signature bowl (U.P. ~$10) for every $50 spent
- Bar on Chulia: Free bucket of Asahi (5 beers, U.P. ~$44) for every $200 spent.
The post I was challenged to stretch $100 as far as I could at Orchard Road – here’s how I did it. appeared first on ShopBack Singapore Blog.