3 min read
I recently got insanely jealous when I got a peek at my coworker Jon Fulluck’s wallet — his platform wallet, that is.
Using our employee benefits platform to get employee discounts at hundreds of retailers, he’s saved nearly $2,000, and can withdraw a sizeable sum of nearly $700. Instantly.
It got me thinking, what would I do with that $700, and how can I be a little thriftier and discounts-savvy, like my buddy Jon?
Impressive.
So I hopped onto boom! Discounts for US, our name for the Reward Gateway SmartSpending™ platform and started tracking potential savings for my future plans. Here are a few things that ran through my mind:
Did I have any date nights coming up?
Work keeps my husband and I busy, and it can be tough to prioritise a weekend date night with most of our funds going to a mortgage and other people’s weddings and baby showers. But saving a little cash helps ease that financial burden and makes it more possible. The other day, I used the employee discount for the cinemas to buy two tickets so the next superhero movie my husband wants to go see, we’ve got these on hand, I've saved enough to get our snacks for free (I like my popcorn with extra butter, please!). If that's not enough, we eat at any of the restaurants on my Frequent Values™ Dining app searching for nearby places using the 'Near Me' feature and saving money on the go.
What about those baby showers and weddings?
I’m headed toward 30, and with the weddings (nearly) behind me, on has come the endless baby shower invitations. Fact: Babies need a lot of things. Another fact: It’s not cheap. I have a problem in that I absolutely love spoiling my friends, and more so that I love spoiling their soon-to-be little ones. I tend go a bit overboard, so any buck I can save is worth it. Target, Kmart and Big W stocks tons of baby items and toys offer 5% savings on gift cards, which can always be a default if I’m in a rush and need a gift, STAT.
Man, I need a vacation
Recently, I’ve decided to take a page from my peers at RG and resolve to travel more, and travel often. It’s slow going, but the best part of it is scoping out deals and putting that extra money to important things, like that extra gelato or seven in Italy. Some of my favourite travel vendors like Booking.com and Expedia are on our platform, so I always go there first to see what kind of cash back or discount is available. On a pricey trip to Europe or a beach getaway in the Caribbean, that extra money is all the more reason for me to hit “Book!” on that flight.
My mum deserves flowers
My mum deserves flowersAs I mentioned, I love spoiling people. And as the one that gave birth to me, and has dealt with countless “what am I doing with my life” freak outs, my mum deserves all the presents I can shower her with. One of the most frequent cash back items I go for are our deals at Edible Blooms or Interflora. The delivery charge is always what gets me, and right now I can save 10-13% on a bouquet for Mum. Mother’s day, birthday, “thanks-for-making-me-three-frozen-dinners” day … the list goes on. Just like a nice note brightens my day, why not brighten hers with some blossoms?
I know this won’t come overnight, and I have to be diligent (just like my coworker Jon) when to comes to knowing what’s on our platform from those cinema benefits for employees, travel vouchers and the speciality gifts. But by working at saving each and every last penny, in time — and with my shopping habits! — I bet I can give him a run for his money.
Plus, this gives me the excuse I was looking for to go buy that extra pair of shoes for my weekend getaway. Thank you, SmartSpending™, for that win-win...
