Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
In the Philippines, seasonal sales are a time-honored tradition that savvy shoppers look forward to year-round. Traditionally, the biggest seasonal sales have been the end-of-year Christmas sales and back-to-school discounts around mid-year. However, monthly “double-digit” sales like 9/9, 10/10, and so on have recently become important seasonal events as well, appealing to the wais Filipino shopper’s penchant for bargains.
Even as Filipinos become more prosperous and gain more access to personal credit, seasonal sales remain much-beloved opportunities to maximize savings, especially when using credit cards. In fact, credit cards can vastly simplify navigating these seasonal sales and might even be key to saving more than you could with just cash alone. Try these credit card hacks out at the next sale event:
- Use Credit Cards with Cashback Rewards
The first step to maximizing seasonal sales is to use a credit card with a solid cashback and reward point system. Your order values are probably going to be quite significant during these times and picking the best rewards credit card will serve to maximize your savings significantly. For the best experience, choose a card that qualifies you for cashback on a wide variety of purchases to save cash all year round.
- Time Your Purchases to Coincide with Seasonal Sales
Most retailers in the Philippines schedule their biggest discounts around the “-ber months” (September to December) because the consumer market usually develops a big bump in spending power through foreign remittances and year-end bonuses. Many brands also capitalize on the smaller though still significant mid-year bump in consumer demand. If you can anticipate your shopping needs about a quarter or so in advance, it’s often worth waiting for these events to purchase big-ticket items. Be sure to sign up for notifications from your credit card provider so you know which stores and items offer deals for cardholders.
- Watch for Exclusive Credit Card Deals and Flash Sales
Signing up for notifications is an important hack since credit card companies often collaborate with e-commerce platforms and retailers to provide exclusive discounts or boosted cashback rewards during sales events. “Flash sales”, in particular, probably won’t be announced more than a day in advance so it helps to activate notifications on your phone so you can score big during these limited-time promotions.
- Add Items to Your Cart Before a Sale Begins
A simple yet underused seasonal spending hack is adding items to your cart before the official sales start. This is particularly effective during predictable double-digital date sales. This way, when the sale goes live, you can immediately check out the items without risking them going out of stock. Using your credit card to pre-shop may also give you early bird discounts or bonus reward points that you wouldn’t get by paying with cash.
- Buy Daily Essentials in Bulk During Sales
It’s not just big-ticket items that you should get during sales. If you have a credit card, buying in bulk during seasonal promotions is a no-brainer for everyday essentials such as groceries or personal care products. Using your credit card for wholesale purchases during sales lets you benefit from price discounts and also makes it easier to hit the minimum spend needed for additional cashback or rewards. Of course, buying in bulk means you don’t have to go to the grocery store as often, which then saves you time as well as the associated cost of transportation and snacks.
- Track and Use Your Rewards Wisely
Not keeping track of earned rewards is basically leaving money on the table. Many Filipino consumers let their points or miles expire because they forget to redeem them or aren’t completely sure about how the redemption process works.
During seasonal sales, cardholders should make it a habit to check their accumulated points and see if it makes sense to redeem any rewards. Use the app that manages your card activity or get in touch with your card provider so you can have a better idea if you should redeem your rewards now or wait until you’ve earned more points.
- Use a Credit Card with Travel Perks During the Holidays
Lastly, you should look beyond consumer retail and consider using your credit card’s perks for experiences like travel. Airlines and travel services often offer discounts and other perks leading up to the holidays that are exclusive to holders of certain credit cards.
For an even better travel experience, make sure your card is powered by Visa or Mastercard. This will give you a convenient way of paying for things at your destination and help you continue earning points on your purchases.
Shop Smarter, Not Harder with Better Credit Cards
The next time a seasonal sale rolls around, be sure to use these hacks to shop smart and make the most of every peso. Before you do, shop around for a credit card that suits your particular spending habits and make the switch before the next major sale event.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
