Celebrate with PAssion Card…..

I first blogged about the PAssion Card aka “Privileges Abundance” Card on 11 Feb 2010. I have been using the cards on numberous occasions to purchase  movie tickets. The accumulated discounts given are worth the value of the joining fees of PAssion Card.

On 1 April 2010, the privileges of PAssion Card was extended to the Dairy Farm Group outlets like Cold Storage, Giant Hypermarket, Shop and Save, Market Place and Guardian Health Pharmacy and Beauty stores.  That’s good news for members.

Nonetheless, on the same date, PAssion Card is no longer valid to redeem for Link Points at Fairprice chain of supermarkets.  The cessation of validity at Fairprice may cause  inconveniences to people where Dairy Farm Group outlets are not located near their homes. Nonetheless, it is a business strategy and it is a choice that we as consumers will have to make and a matter of adjustment to the new privileges offer at the Dairy Farm group of companies.

On 2 April 2010, I shopped at Giant Hypermarket at Tampines. At the check out counter, the cashier was polite and asked whether I was in possession of the PAssion Card explaining the PAssion Card could now be used to earn “TapforMore”  points.  Unlike the NTUC Link Points where the PAssion Card could be presented to the cashier to swipe at the reader, to earn TapforMore points, the PAssion Card must be first be tapped on the reader to activate my account for earning Tap For More points. Without activating your account, any purchases scanned by the cashier would not earn any TapforMore points.  The activation is simply a self-initiated action by just tapping the PAssion Card at the reader located in front of the cashier’s screen and once the green light goes off, the account is activated.  PAssion Card members are automatically included in this programme wihout having to sign up for programme. That’s save the hassle.

For every $1 spent at participating stores would earn one TapforMore points. Nonetheless, the catch is only eligible purchases would earn points. Eligible purchases exclude online purchase, purchased done at self-checkout counters, statutory services and products, The Choice vouchers, newspapers, magazines, tobacco and infant milk formula products.  

Redemption of TapforMore points is based on 1500 points for $10 which is almost similar to NTUC Link Points except members of NTUC has other privileges when redeeming their Link Points. However, there is no minimum number of TapforMore points required for redemption as micro-redemption to off set purchases is allowed to off set any purchases as long as the balance points in the our account are valid.

Members of PAssion Card must remember that the TapforMore points earned in a calendar year will expire on 31 December of that year. However, members are given an additional 6 months’ grace period to redeem their TapforMore points. Any points not redeemed by the expiry date shall automatically expire. In addition, any points earn would also lapse with the lapse of PAssion Card membership.

With the need to stretch each dollar to the maximum, it makes economic sense to optimise PAssion Card to earn TapforMore points or any discounts offer by participanting merchants. There is only one catch, ie, to bring the PAssion Card during your shopping.

The PAssion Card can only become the best discount card only if there is a strong membership base. A strong membership base would entice more merchants to participate in the scheme and hence more discount offers to benefit us. As of January 2010, there are over 740,000 PAssion Card members and it is still growing. If you are not a member, I encourage you to join the 5 years membership (first 2 yrs of membership) to enjoy the benefits and discounts as follows.    

• Principal Card (for those between 18 to < 60 years old): $12 (U.P: $15)
• Principal Card (for those of ages <18 years & ≥ 60 years old) : $10 (U.P: $12)
• Supplementary Card (applicable to spouse of Principal Card member Only): $10 (U.P: $12)

To encourage more families to join the PA programme, PA has two schemes to encourage participation as follows.

• Spouse of the principal card member can sign up as supplementary card member. Instead of paying $12, they will enjoy a $2 off the membership fees and pay only $10
• Children below 18 can tag as Supplementary members to their parents’ Principal Card at no additional cost. However, these children will have no cards issue to them.

Please log in at  http://www.passioncard.com.sg/ for more details on discounts and offers.

PAssion Card aka “Privileges Abundance Card”

    

PAssion Card ……… The word PAssion is synonymous with emotion, enthusiasm or interest in a person.  When I first received the PAssion card, I thought it was an excellent idea “the passionate People’s Association” therefore the PAssion Card. To be frank, I have not used the wavy PAssion card even for once. My wavy card was sentenced to be incarcerated in a “dungeon” without trial by me, the judge. The card was guilty because of its wavy looks although the master of the card thought the look and feel were great during the consultation stage. Nonetheless, the plausible reason was perhaps I had no use for the card. I don’t need the link points as I have other cards to meet my personal needs.

Recently, I received another PAssion Card. My 1st impression was at long last the look and feel of the 2nd generation PAssion card was pleasing to at least my eyes. Compared to the more restricted and wavy 1st generation PAssion Card, the new card offers more new features, more benefits and a loyalty programme.  

The new PAssion Card is also now a transit card for your MRT, LRT, bus travel and even it can be use as ERP cash card (only for the 2nd generation ERP), a discount cards at more than 900 PAssion Merchant outlets and the numbers of outlets are still growing, earn ez Rewards Points at over 5000 participating outlets, it also earns us loyalty points (from Apr 2010 onwards) at Cold Storage, Shop and Save, Giant Hypermarket,Guardian, Timezone, SMRT, Donut Factory and many more participating outlets.

The new PAssion Card can also be used at the community clubs for discounts on courses and activities and other PA outlets like Water-Venture Outlets and Outward Bound School .  For a list of participating ez-merchants,  login at www.ezrewards.com.sg for details.

Indeed, the new PAssion ez-link Card or if I can coin a new nick name  “Privileges Abundance ssion” Card  (PAssion) has more reasons for us to possess one.  It is convenient and very affordable at $12 membership for 5 years which is $2.40 a year or 3 cups of cuppa at some $0.80 a cup coffee shops. For the upfront investment of $12, you can be assured of drinking more than 3 cups of cuppa a year at coffee shops or save more to have your coffee at your favourite up market coffee joints. Let me share with you my recent experience with the new PAssion ez Card.

Upon receiving the new PAssion ez Card, my wife suggested that I should bring it along to the cinema (Cathay Organisations) at Downtown East. At the ticket counter, my wife showed the ticketing staff  3 cards including PAssion ez Card. The ticketing staff picked the PAssion ez Card and charged $7.20 for a ticket for a weekend movie which costs $10 a ticket. It was a $2.80 discount per ticket. When I entered the theatre hall, I noted in the pre-movie advertisement that a mini size popcorn would given free with 4 purchased tickets.  It was a “steal” to watch one movie with a family of 4. The total cost saving is $11.20 per family. Just watch one movie and the investment is almost recovered……a very high rate on return on investment.

With more new discounts and earning of ez Rewards, my personal experience is that it is worth the effort to apply for the PAssion ez Card and the $12 investment would bring in more savings to stretch each disposal dollar to the maximum. I have not used the former PAssion card even once and if I am convinced of the new “Privileges Abundance” PAssion ez Card and carry the card in my wallet now, I think it is a worthwhile investment for you too. Don’t trust what I have written, experience it yourself.

Unless you get me wrong. I am not advertising for the PAssion ez Card or am paid to write this blog but since there are potential savings to stretch our dollars, I thought it will be good if I share this piece of good news arising from my recent personal experience with the new card.

If you are interested please click this link     www.passioncard.com.sg  to celebrate with Passion.