Spring time!

Well technically there is no Spring in Singapore. February is gone, we are left with 10 months for 2014.

Chinese New Year is over, and so is my birthday month.

I am pretty amazed at how much I actually spent, just because it was my birthday month (February) and there were various discounts on my VIP or member cards.

Damages - just because I like to see what I have spent on. It is also a form of marketing analysis to see what works. So I tell myself :p

February 2014 Birthday Month Discount/Promotion
$110 - 20% off at Japanese Sun with Moon Dining (average cost per person over 3 visits)
$9.90 - $10 voucher at Kikki.K (bought a pen)
$15.20 - top from Dorothy Perkins (20% off)
$84.80 - dress from Wallis (20% off)
$60.00 - Melissa sandals from Tangs (20% off)
$20.00 - shower gels from Sephora (birthday gift + double points)
$42.00 - gifts for others from Crabtree & Evelyn (30% off)
$26.85 - eyedrop + saline from Watsons (5x bonus points)
$40.50 - Laura Mercier product from Tangs (10% off)
$50.50 - shower gel + gift from Philosophy at Tangs (30% off)
$60.00 - Biotherm products at Tangs (free samples and coupon for special price on products)
Free - skincare samples from L'Occitane at Tangs
Free - tinted moisturizer from Laura Mercier at Tangs
$18 - dinner at Island Cafe at Tangs (20% off)
$19 - massage at The Ultimate (NTUC Income)
20% off at Strip

Total spent: around $557.

I must admit Tangs gives better birthday treats this year compared to previously where I hardly use it. And I believe this is the first time they give discount on beauty products and Island Cafe.

Other cards which I have but did not utilize the birthday benefits:
- Salvatore Ferragamo
- Andersen's ice cream
- G2000
- Fox
- Charles & Keith
- H2O+
- Starhub
- rest of NTUC Income partners
- Sony?

Andersen's Ice Cream changed its benefit - instead of a free double scoop ice cream and your friends get 20% off, it is now a buy 1 and get 1 free tub of ice cream. Logistic wise, it is not friendly as you cannot possibly carry the tubs of ice cream all around town. You will want something you can consume immediately.

Companies which partnered other companies for the discounts are a pain to redeem those benefits as the companies want to make copies of your ID as proof of your birthday month. Hello?! Identity theft, anyone? Plus, why bother having such promotion when you do not trust your front line staff to do the verification.

Places I will usually go to whenever my birthday rolls around will be Japanese Sun with Moon Dining as it is fuss free. Just show your ID and the discount will be given. The discount can also be used on top of any promotional priced food items.

I still go to Crabtree to pick up anything which I did not get in November when it has the VIP preview promotion.

The brands under Wing Tai (F3 & Elite cards) are more of a "I'll get something if I happen to see it". 20% is not a very attractive discount.

Hmmm...I just realized there are no birthday benefits for Mango or Club 21 cardmembers. Or maybe I just never really notice it.