Travel

I Didn’t Think Much About Cashback Until Everything Started Getting So Expensive

This content is brought to you by UOB.Recently, I started noticing something strange with my spending. I wasn’t buying more than usual, but somehow my monthly expenses kept getting higher. One day, after coming home from grocery shopping, I noticed the price of items I buy all the time had gone up. Comparing the price tags with what I remembered paying just months ago, I realised my overall grocery bill was now almost 10% higher. That’s when it really hit me that everything felt more expensive.And it’s not just with groceries. Ride-hailing fares, food deliveries, and even the cost of small everyday items have slowly become more noticeable. As someone who always looks for promo codes before booking a ride, I tend to notice even the smallest price changes. I guess with everything that is happening around the world lately, like rising oil prices, my daily budget has started to feel the impact too.So recently, I decided to change the way I spend. I started becoming more cautious with my expenses:Switched some of my usual grocery brands to cheaper alternatives.Brought lunch from home to work more often.​I tried harder to not touch the money going into my savings account every month because I’m still saving up for my dream holiday to Japan.I also have a couple of credit cards that offer rewards, but honestly, I can’t see the visible savings instantly as it takes time for points to accumulate before I can exchange them for rewards. In fact, most of these rewards can only be earned when you make big purchases and hit the required minimum spend amount, which goes against my saving goals in this climate.Recently, I have stopped using these cards given that I have been going for cheaper alternatives, making it even harder to reach the minimum spend tiers required for such reward cards.A friend shared about his cashback cards hackThen one day, a friend came back from his holiday overseas and brought me some snacks from Thailand. While I was sitting there eating my homemade lunch, I started complaining about how expensive everything has become lately. I was also lowkey curious about how he managed to travel while dealing with the same rising costs. That was when he told me he had stopped chasing reward points a long time ago.Instead, he preferred using cashback cards because they felt simpler and more practical for everyday spending. He said that he has been using the UOB Absolute Cashback Card for essentials like groceries, transport, medical, insurance and daily expenses because it gives cashback without making him feel like he needs to spend more just to unlock benefits. He also mentioned that he got a free luggage by signing up for the card, so that saved him some money.He added that while he utilises the UOB Absolute Cashback Credit Card for everyday spend locally, he uses the UOB EVOL Credit Card for travel.According to him, it’s useful to tap on the UOB EVOL Credit Card while travelling abroad because of the 0% FX fees and up to 1% cashback on overseas spend with no min. spend or cap, which makes this one of the best cashback cards for travel. It also made me think deeper about how much those small costs can quietly add up during a trip.And honestly, that conversation changed the way I look at rewards. I used to think “saving” meant finding ways to collect more points. But lately, I think I care more about making my everyday spending feel lighter instead. That’s why cashback finally started making sense to me.Claw back some savings through cashback for local and overseas spendsFor young working adults, beginners, and budget-conscious users trying to manage rising everyday expenses, cashback can feel like a more practical way to get value from the things you’re already spending on.The UOB Absolute Cashback Credit Card keeps things simple with 1.7% limitless cashback, no minimum spend, and no spend exclusions, making it useful for everyday essentials like groceries, transport, dining, and more. Cardmembers can also earn up 0.3% cashback even for local transactions commonly excluded from earning rewards, such as healthcare, utilities, education, and charities.For those who travel often, the UOB EVOL Credit Card is the best cashback card for travel* as it offers up to 1% cashback on FX spend (till 31 Dec 2026) and 0% FX fees worldwide with no min. spend and no cap!Eligible new-to-UOB Credit Card members who apply for UOB Absolute Cashback Card by 30th Jun 2026 may also receive a complimentary Samsonite EVOA Z Spinner 25” luggage (worth S$600). T&Cs apply.Explore and find out more about UOB Credit Cards for cashback here. Sign up for yours today.*“Best Cashback Card for Travel” is on the basis that this card gives the highest amount of cashback a cardmember can enjoy on their overseas FX card spend with no min spend and cap, in comparison to other major banks' cashback cards, which also offer no FX fees and a similar cashback qualification criteria, across Singapore, as of 26 Mar 2026.This article is part of TSS Confessions, a weekly column where we delve into personal finance topics.​