Singapore Expats

Card for Online Purchases?

Discuss the different banking options, rates, offers and perks.
Post Reply
amarettoSour
Regular
Regular
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:55 pm

Card for Online Purchases?

Post by amarettoSour » Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:18 pm

Hey guys,

I do a little bit of online purchases and have been getting by with PayPal, but sometimes I come across merchants who takes VISA/Mastercard only and it's getting annoying not being able to pay.

Back in the states we used to be able to use debit cards to pay online if we choose to, but that doesn't seem to be the case here. I don't meet the foreigner income requirement so citibank won't let me get a credit card (even though I have some amount of money saved with them).

So my question is, is there any alternative way to buy things online? does prepaid credit card exist here? is there any card that doesn't require foreigners to make more than $60,000 (even low limit is ok, i'll only use them online)?

Thanks!

observer
Regular
Regular
Posts: 121
Joined: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:00 pm

Post by observer » Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:18 pm

Maybank and DBS both offer prepaid cards. In fact, if you go to the Mastercard website, they list Maybank as the place to get one.

http://info.maybank2u.com.sg/personal/cards/prepaid/
http://www.dbs.com/sg/personal/cards/pr ... fault.aspx
http://www.mastercard.com/sea/personal/ ... epaid.html
It's common sense - if you try to come in before I go out, I can't go out. And you can't come in! Lose-lose!

amarettoSour
Regular
Regular
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:55 pm

Post by amarettoSour » Sun, 26 Sep 2010 11:38 pm

yeah, i saw those but i think the Maybank ones are ATM cards? the DBS one looks promising though, I'll check it out! thanks!

User avatar
ksl
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5989
Joined: Mon, 19 Jul 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Singapore
Contact:

Post by ksl » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 3:12 am

amarettoSour wrote:yeah, i saw those but i think the Maybank ones are ATM cards? the DBS one looks promising though, I'll check it out! thanks!
You only need to earn 30k I believe for some of the cards.

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40500
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 6:53 am

ksl wrote:
amarettoSour wrote:yeah, i saw those but i think the Maybank ones are ATM cards? the DBS one looks promising though, I'll check it out! thanks!
You only need to earn 30k I believe for some of the cards.
For foreigner?
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

x9200
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 10073
Joined: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 4:06 pm
Location: Singapore

Post by x9200 » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 8:46 am

http://www.qotion.com/product/creditcar ... ual+Income

Unverified and with no personal experience, just googled this one out.

User avatar
nakatago
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 8364
Joined: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23 pm
Location: Thunderbolts* HQ

Post by nakatago » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 8:57 am

FYI, POSB lets you get the orange debit card (mastercard) which they recommend you use for online purchases. Pretty straightforward; will come with a savings account and annual will be waived if you use it for some number of purchases within a year. The GO card, which is an ATM card that can be used as mastercard, however, also works for online purchases.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

amarettoSour
Regular
Regular
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:55 pm

Post by amarettoSour » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 9:44 am

Thanks for the info nakatago! I already have DBS account so I think it might be easier to get the POSB cards. The DBS prepaid cards works too but have initial fee on them which is kinda ridiculous since its not like its a real credit card that comes with good benefit :/

User avatar
vbelle
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 4:45 pm
Location: singapore

Post by vbelle » Mon, 27 Sep 2010 1:34 pm

i didnt know you can get POSB card with DBS account?

My DBS debit card-can be used for online trans...etc..just like credit card, except that the limit is your savings amount..only took me 5 minutes extra at the counter (not including half hour Q-ing before that)
no charge..
amarettoSour wrote:Thanks for the info nakatago! I already have DBS account so I think it might be easier to get the POSB cards. The DBS prepaid cards works too but have initial fee on them which is kinda ridiculous since its not like its a real credit card that comes with good benefit :/

amarettoSour
Regular
Regular
Posts: 106
Joined: Wed, 21 Oct 2009 11:55 pm

Post by amarettoSour » Tue, 28 Sep 2010 8:34 am

wow i didn't know that!! thanks vbelle... and everyone in this thread for being so helpful! :D

(and i was saying it might be easier to go with POSB since POSB and DBS is pretty much the same bank now if i'm not wrong)

User avatar
vbelle
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 257
Joined: Thu, 23 Apr 2009 4:45 pm
Location: singapore

Post by vbelle » Wed, 29 Sep 2010 5:45 pm

yeah...but still...POSB card for POSB account i believe..
and the DBS debit card has this 0.3% (which is very little) rebate on your online transaction..now it sounds like im advertising them...

User avatar
nakatago
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 8364
Joined: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23 pm
Location: Thunderbolts* HQ

Post by nakatago » Wed, 29 Sep 2010 5:59 pm

The easiest way to find out is to ask them, I guess.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

User avatar
Splatted
Reporter
Reporter
Posts: 919
Joined: Sun, 11 Jul 2004 2:59 am

Post by Splatted » Thu, 30 Sep 2010 12:30 am

the post offices here (in Melbourne, where I'm visiting at the moment) sell disposable visa/mastercards, with say $50 , $100 credit on them.

You can even 'recharge' them if you want...

There's bound to be a local version of these cards in Singapore

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Credit Card & Banking in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests