Earning Miles on Citibank Rewards

Citibank Rewards credit card offers 1 point for every ₱30 spent. The point gets tripled if you spend it on department stores, shopping boutiques, restaurants and Cebu Pacific tickets.

Citibank has one of the most (if not the most) extensive network of airline partners in the Philippines. You can convert your points to Etihad Guest, Emirates Skywards, Air France Flying Blue, EVA Air Infinity MileageLand, Jet Airways Jetprivilege, Qantas Frequent Flier, Malaysia Airlines Enrich, British Airways Executive Club, Philippine Airlines Mabuhay Miles (not available as of this writing), Qatar Airways Privilege Club,Turkish Airlines Miles&Miles, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, and Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus.

The conversion rate is 5 points = 1 mile. On normal spending, ₱150  will give you 1 mile. On transactions where you earn 3x rewards, ₱50 = 1 mile. A bit high if you ask me.

GCash Bills Payment Fees Update

Merchant	Fee	Test Month
Easytrip	15.00	July 2020
Globe Postpaid	FREE	March 2020
Maynilad	FREE	March 2020
Meralco	FREE	March 2020
PLDT	7.00	October 2018
PrimeWater	5.00	March  2020

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If you don't have GCash yet, get ₱50 GCash to buy load, pay bills, and many more. Just use my referral code DWGP8Y when you register.

Download the app: iOS / Android.  For more information on GCash, click here.

GCash Bills Payment Fees

Update:

I'm compiling my own list.

Merchant	Fee	Test Month
Easytrip	15.00	July 2020
Globe Postpaid	FREE	March 2020
Maynilad	FREE	March 2020
Meralco	FREE	March 2020
PLDT	7.00	October 2018
PrimeWater	5.00	March  2020

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Origina post:

I cannot find anywhere the fees GCash charges whenever you pay bills. I know they partnered with Bayad Center but there are no published rates from their sites.

GCash mentions it though in the payment page that you will be charged a convenience fee. How much? You gotta click next first.

I tried PLDT and was charged 7 pesos for it. I don't know if it's fixed or by percentage. Other bills payment are free. Like this one:

If paying PLDT bills, PayMaya is better. There's no convenience fee.

How much did you pay extra for you bills payment with GCash? Please comment below. I'll update this entry when I find a list from Globe.

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If you don't have GCash yet, get ₱50 GCash to buy load, pay bills, and many more. Just use my referral code DWGP8Y when you register.

Download the app: iOS / Android

For more information on GCash, click here.

BDO to PayMaya

Update 2020:

There's now an easier and more instant way of transferring funds from BDO to PayMaya—via InstaPay.

From PayMaya's website:

1. Log in through BDO Personal Banking or Mobile Banking.
2. Choose Send Money >> To Another Local Bank
3. From the drop down, choose PayMaya
4. Fill in the details
5. Enter the One Time Pin (OTP) sent to your phone or generated by your BDO Mobile App's OTP Generator
6. Confirm details

You will be notified via SMS that transaction is successful.

*There is a Php50 charge for every successful BDO to PayMaya add funds transaction via InstaPay. (Free until August 31, 2020).
*Minimum add funds amount is Php100
*Maximum add funds amount is P10,000 per transaction.

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Original 2018 post:

It's so easy to cash in to PayMaya via BDO. I just followed these steps from PayMaya's website:

1. Log in to your BDO Online Account and Select “Pay Bills”.
2. Choose source account and select “PayMaya” under “Company/Biller.”
3. Fill up the payment details, including the desired amount (min. P500, max. of P5,000 per day), your mobile number in PayMaya (format: 639XXXXXXXXX) and name.



Photo from PayMaya

4. Receive the confirmation message from BDO on your screen.
5. Wait for the confirmation message from PayMaya via SMS once the money has been credited to your account.

I also tried using BDO mobile app:

1. Log in to your BDO Mobile Account. Select “Pay Bills”.
2. Choose “PayMaya” under “Company/Biller.”
3. Enter the desired amount (min. P500, max. of P5,000 per day), your name and mobile number in PayMaya (format: 639XXXXXXXXX).

   
   

   
   Photo from PayMaya

4. Receive the confirmation message from BDO on your screen.
5. Wait for the confirmation message from PayMaya via SMS once the money has been credited to your account.

One of the differences I've experienced between the web and app bills payment is, subscriber number comes first before the subscriber number. I know it's minor but it disrupts my flow.

Waiting is the most annoying part. For the last two (2) transactions I did, the average was 1 hour 40 minutes for the money to be credited to PayMaya.

Prestigious Credit Cards in the Philippines

I saw someone using a metal credit card a few days ago. It was my first time seeing one and got intrigued by it. I searched the internet and found out the guy is using a credit card from United Overseas Bank (UOB), a bank from Singapore.

Metal cards are the next tier of elite cards. Can we still call credit cards 'plastic'?

I checked online if there are metal cards in the Philippines but I couldn't find one. Don't fret though. There are other other cards that can be as exclusive as this for now. We will get our own metal cards soon I hope.

By exclusivity:

1. BDO World Elite™ MasterCard® - by invitation only

2. The Platinum Card® - by invitation only

3. HSBC Premier MasterCard® - must be an HSBC premier customer

By annual fee:

1.  Citi^® Prestige - 12,000

 

2.  The American Express® Gold Card - USD150 (around PHP7,500)

3.  Metrobank World MasterCard® - 6,000

Runners-up :

• The American Express® Platinum Credit Card - 5,000
• BPI Ayala Malls Amore Visa Platinum - 5,000
• BPI SkyMiles® Platnium MasterCard® - 5,000
• Citi® Platinum Visa - 5,000
• Citi^® PremierMiles Visa - 5,000
• HSBC Platinum Visa - 5,000
• Standard Chartered Priority Banking Visa Infinite - 5,000
• Cathay Pacific American Express® Elite Credit Card  - 5,000 
• American Express® Platinum Credit Card - 5,000
• BDO Diamond UnionPay - 5,000
• Metrobank Travel Platinum Visa - 5,000

BDO and PayPal Withdrawal

I withdrew my PayPal money last Sunday and after 2 business days, I got the money! Linking was very easy too. Great job Paypal and Banco de Oro.

Before using my existing BDO account with my PayPal, I tried applying for Unionbank's EON account to curb on withdrawal fees made by the local banks.

But I opted not to have a Uniobank EON account because:
1. The application process was too much of a bother.
2. The staff in their Pasong Tamo (La Fuerza Bldg.) branch was not accomodating.
3. There are no branches near my house and my office. Imagine having to go to their Pasong Tamo branch and only have an encounter with the bitch in #2?

I'll be using BDO when withdrawing from PayPal for now but someday, I might apply for a Unionbank EON account.

HSBC and PayPal Withdrawal

Last month I withdrew 11,000 pesos from my PayPal account to my HSBC credit card. PayPal's fee is 250 pesos so I expected to receive 10,750. After 4 days, I got the money as expected but my points were 1,075 less (10 pesos = 1 point).

I called their contact center and clarified the issue and after 2 weeks, they told me that that's their business rule. If it's a credit and not a payment, points will be deducted.

Free Tall Starbucks Beverage from HSBC

Saw this from my Statement of Account:

Starbucks Tastes better when it's on us!

For a minimum single-receipt of P2,000 on your HSBC credit card, get any Tall Starbucks Beverage of your choice plus a free add-on, on us!

Promo period is from April 1 to June 30, 2010. Redemption Period is from April 15 to August 30, 2010.

T&Cs apply. Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 1026. Series of 2010.

Finally HSBC has jumped on the bandwagon!