eBucks This is how I chose whether to upgrade from Gold (Aspire) to Premier or Private Client or Private Wealth (with/without Spouse)

As you know FNB has pretty much killed earning eBucks on the Gold account – they have renamed it “Aspire” and dropped the tier levels from the rewards on the Aspire account.  Which means the rewards/CashBacks/eBucks are limited and the 40% off discounts from their Shop. 

To see how they have changed, go to the eBucks page and check out how to qualify, and how to earn eBucks: https://www.ebucks.com/web/eBucks/earn/fnb-aspire-2021.jsp  As you can see the rewards are very limited:

• Up to R150 back in eBucks at Checkers, Shoprite or USave
• Up to R150 back in eBucks at Clicks
• Up to R150 back in eBucks at Engen
• Up to R150 back in eBucks at InterCape – I mean who goes on an InterCape trip every month?

…and, to get the maximum of R150 back in eBucks, per partner, you would have to spend R3,000 or more at a partner,
and have an active Credit Product or have an investment account with a minimum balance of R150,000.

An additional “boost” is available: R1,500 towards a pair of shoes.  (Really?)

OK, so… moving on – it’s time to either ditch eBucks and go with DiscoveryBank OR move to Premier or Private Clients or Private Wealth – with or without the Spousal option (to earn extra 1,000 tier points, and to earn more eBucks on Spouse’s spend)?

See here for the eBucks page explaining how to qualify, and how to earn eBucks for each of those accounts: https://www.ebucks.com/web/eBucks/earn/fnb-premier-2021.jsp

Having read all of that, and estimated my highest possible monthly spend at FNB, I came up with this calculator taking the account fees into account and other personal criteria – like my Discovery Card miles, linked to my Discovery Life’s “Discovery Card Integrator” which says that if I spend at least Rxx per month then my Life premium is lowered (a bit).

The main decision criteria for me were:

1. How easy/difficult is it for me (and Spouse) to get to tier 5 every month
2. How many eBucks could I reasonably expect to earn by making minor changes to my current spend habits
3. Still use my Discovery Card to earn partner store Discovery Miles (I’m still on the “old” non-VitalityMoney plan): BP, Pick ‘n Pay, Nando’s, Dischem
4. Via DiscoveryInsure: Still use my Discovery Card to earn 50% cashbacks on BP (up to earned DQ points)
5. Still spend the minimum on my Discovery Card to satisfy my Discovery Life’s “Discovery Card Integrator” policy
6. Still use my Woolworths card for 3% cashback at Woolworths plus additional 5% on various items
7. All other non-cashback spend would then move from the above to FNB card to earn eBucks (Clicks, Checkers, Engen, SmartSpend)

To assist me with the decision, I put together this calculator (which is open for feedback, as I’m sure there are many gaping holes and errors) which laid out the figures based on my current spending habits and other decision criteria. 

The aim was to use my predicted FNB spend and compare that with the banking fees and predicted eBucks and SmartSpend rewards, and so help me decide which account to upgrade to – and decide whether it was best to go up to a higher account type (and have to deal with the more difficult tier earning criteria) OR to take the Spousal account option (and pay 50% of the monthly banking fees).

The calculator:

From the “ReadMe” worksheet:

• Worksheet "RewardsCalc_Premier_Jul2021"
• Use worksheet "RewardsCalc_Premier_Jul2021" to see how many tier points you and your spouse can earn
• Fill in your figures in the green cells
• Worksheet "PersonalSpend_SmartSpend_Plan"
• Use worksheet "PersonalSpend_SmartSpend_Plan" to see how your monthly spend can be split across your current cards
• Compare YOUR spend with the SmartSpend eBucks earn levels per FNB account type
• Fill in your figures in the green cells
• Worksheet "AccountCosts+Cashback"
• Use worksheet "AccountCosts+Cashback" to see how your monthly spend will earn eBucks based on the caps per account type,
  and whether getting a Spousal account is worth the banking fees and effort to earn (and maintain monthly) tier miles
• Fill in your figures in the green cells
• Cells marked in yellow are my choices based on decisions made using the above worksheets
• Use the SmartSpend plus Cashback at Checkers, Clicks, Engen to make your decision
  ie: Add figures from worksheets: "PersonalSpend_SmartSpend_Plan" + "AccountCosts+Cashback"

Link to HTT's Calculator: 2021_06_13_eBucks_Calculator_Gold_Aspire_Premier_Private-Blog.xls  (File->Download and enter your data into green cells - on your local, downloaded copy)

From the above, I decided it was best for me to:

1. Upgrade ASAP from Gold to Premier (Bundled option: to get free credit card, plus set up an auto payment to earn 1,000 tier points per month)
2. Open a Spousal Premier account
3. Move all my non-Woolworths spend from my Woolworths credit card to my FNB Fusion Premier card
4. Get Spouse a FNB Connect SIM before end June – to benefit from the monthly free 1GB data allocation
5. Buy some streaming and online platform services: eg: GoogleOne for more space on my GMail accounts, NetFlix, Spotify, XBox;
6. FNB Pay: Change to use Virtual cards to earn double tier points (main and spouse)
7. Remember to do 6 financial transactions per month on FNB app(main and spouse)
8. Set up SmartBudget on three categories, and check them every month (main and spouse)
9. Spousal: Check credit status
10. Set up monthly transfer of R1,250 to Savings (main and spouse)
11. Maintain savings balance >= R13,500
12. Spouse: Monthly payment of >=R1,000 into FNB Tax Free Shares
13. Spouse: move salary into new Premier account

Your comments and corrections are welcome in the comments below.

Some useful resources:

eBucks online calculator: https://www.ebucks.com/web/calculator/rewardsCalculatorAction.do

MyBroadband forum: Tips to boost your eBucks July 2021 to 30 June 2022

FNB pricing guides from 1 July 2021: FNB Pricing Guides

Dec2011: Here's how to get you and 11 friends into Cape Point or Boulders for R7 each - no jokes, no catches... just bring along your SA ID book, proof of residence, 2 ID photos and R80

Here’s an update to my article on “Here's how to get you and 11 friends into Cape Point for R5 each”.  Inflation has moved the price of the “My Green Card” up to R80, but it’s still an awesome deal.  Read further to see how you can get a family of 4 on to Table Mountain for R308 on your birthday.
Here’s the URL: http://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mountain/tourism/wildcard.php#green 

Where can I buy the TMNP Activity Permit?
- Shop A1, Westlake Square, Cnr Westlake Drive & Steenberg Road, Westlake (Mondays to Fridays from 08:00-16:00)
- Buffelsfontein Visitor Centre, Cape of Good Hope Section of TMNP (Mondays to Sundays from 08:00-16:00).
- Boulders, Kleintuin Road, Sea Forth, Simonstown (Mondays to Sundays from 08:00-17:00)
- Tokai Forest, Tokai Road, Tokai (Mondays to Fridays 08:00-16:00 closed between 13:00-14:00)
See here for an updated list of sales offices:  Sales offices:
http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/table_mountain/tourism/access-cards-permits.php#sales

Remember to take along: your SA ID book, printed proof of residence, 2 ID photos and R90.



So, if you want to take your family of 4 (2 adults, and 2 kids under 18) up Table Mountain then instead of paying R580, you can buy the “My Green Card” for R80 and it will cost an additional R464. 
Note: “My Green Card” reduced tickets can only be bought at the ticket office (not online): So, the ticket office price would have been R580 - that’s a saving of 20% (=R116).  If you buy tickets online, then it would have cost you R520.

To save more… go up on your birthday for free: then the family trip for 4 will cost only R388 (incl. the R80 for the Green Card) [R308+R80].  That’s a saving of R192 if you had paid at the ticket office and R132 if you had paid online.
Download calculator: http://www.mediafire.com/file/86426ccb1paob6e/TableMountain.xls


Birthday special: Celebrate your birthday on the top of Table Mountain, taking the cable car up and back (=return ticket) free of charge courtesy of Table Mountain Cableway.  Remember to take your South African Identity Document with you on the day and present it at the ticket office before departure.  Valid for adult (18 years+) return trips only.
Should the Cableway be closed due to adverse weather conditions on the day of your birthday, you will still have to collect your ticket on that day. This Birthday Special ticket issued on a closed day is valid for 7 days from the date of your birthday.

See here for webcams on Table Mountain: http://tablemountain.net/visitor_info/weather_and_webcam

Note: Children under 4 travel for free.

Updated on 12Dec2011: I have just got my Green Card and the cost has gone up to R85 (still a gr8 deal)

Updated on 20Sept2013: I see the URL has changed and the price is now R90:
http://www.sanparks.co.za/parks/table_mountain/tourism/access-cards-permits.php

Here's how to get you and 11 friends into Cape Point for R5 each - no jokes, no catches... just bring along your SA ID book and R60

The R60 card offers 12 entries for one year into TMNP’s (Table Mountain National Park) pay points:
• Cape Point (The Cape of Good Hope)
• Boulders Penguin Colony
• Tokai
• Silvermine
• Oudekraal
• Plus FREE use of the braai and picnic areas at: Newlands, and Perdekloof picnic sites
• Gardening rewards - get 5% CashBack at popular nurseries
• Discounted entry to other places of interest in Cape Town.

This card is called “The Cape Town Wild Card” or “TMNP Cluster Limited Entry”.

Thanks to Aden Thomas’s show on Cape Talk http://www.capetalk.co.za this am!

And there’s more good news – each time you spend at participating Infinity partners (eg: Stodels, Kolnicks), you get cash back onto your card.

So take yourself and your SA ID and proof of Cape Town residence to one of the offices listed here and purchase one of those cards asap and become a tourist in your own province!

https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_info


Some small print to be aware of:
• The “Cape Town Wild Card” provides access for up to six people at a time – with a maximum of four adults.
• At all times, one of the adults has to be a Card Owner.
• A Cardholder can only buy a Cape Town Wild card (12 entries) once a year.
• Simply fill out the registration form showing your SA ID and proof of Cape Town residence.
• All Rewards earned are valid for nine (9) months after the month in which such Rewards were earned

See here for the full details and more info: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_about

(Prices correct as on 17March2009)
The Cape Town Wild Card (12 limited entries per year): R60 That’s R5 per entry!!!


See here to confirm Cape Town's Wild Card’s pricing:
https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_pricing

See here for FAQs (and answers): https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_faqs

The Wild Card is a world-class smart card loyalty programme that makes tourism to national parks, nature reserves and resorts in South Africa more accessible, easier, safer and infinitely more rewarding than ever before.

It is a joint initiative by South African National Parks, Cape Nature Conservation, and Msinsi Resorts and powered by INFINITY – South Africa's leading loyalty and Smart Card Management Company.



Other Wild Cards:
Apply and pay online here: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=ShowApplyOnline {Credit Cards accepted}

Cape Cluster: Individual: R215; Couple: R350; Family: R470;

Access to: Addo, Agulhas, Assegaaibosch, Algeria Camp Site, Bird Island, Bontebok, Boulders, Cape Point, Camdeboo, De Hoop, De Mond, Goukamma, Grootvadersbosch, Groot Winterhoek, Hottentots Holland, Jonkershoek, Karoo, Knysna, Kogelberg, Keurbooms River, Limiteberg/Tweede Tol, Marloth, Mountain Zebra, Robberg, Salmonsdam, Tankwa Karoo, Tsitsikamma, Tokai, Walker Bay, West Coast, Wilderness.


All Clusters: Individual: R235; Couple: R400; Family: R510;


See here for more info on the various clusters available: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=Page&pageName=ct_card_clusters


Are you over 70?
Members who are 70 or older automatically qualify for lifetime membership when purchasing an individual All Cluster Wild Card at R235.
Apply here: https://www.wildinafrica.com/endless/Wild?menuAction=ShowApplyLifeTime
*only available to RSA and SADC residents.

Update on 18Jan2010:
Cost of the wildcard has gone up to R75, but still well worth it!  A single adult’s entrance into Cape Point costs R75.  Children under 12 cost R10 – so pay the R10 per child and save your 12 entries for adults.
This offer is not limited to a family – so a husband and wife can each get their 12 entry wildcard once every 12 months.  Thanks to a lady at the Century City information centre for this information.
Don’t forget to take your ID or driver’s license when entering the parks.

Join the FatWallet cashback scheme and get cashback eg: 20% on your SkypeOut purchases

In a previous blog posting, I referred to getting cash back when purchasing SkypeOut credits. Judging from the low hit-count, I'm pretty sure many of you missed the other benefits and discounts offered by FatWallet.

To get your 20% SkypeOut discount: register on FatWallet.co.za (it's free, no catches!) using this link: Register on FatWallet (join today and earn R10) then purchase your SkypeOut credit using this link: Purchase SkypeOut credit

FatWallet has many more stores (currently 46) that offer varying discounts - some fixed, some vary depending on the size of your purchase.

Whenever you plan to do online shopping, shop through Fatwallet’s links so that you can receive cashback on all your purchases.

See here for an sortable list of stores and their discounts (correct as on 05 June 2008): FatWalletStores05June2008.xls

If you join their affiliate program, then you can earn from others joining and spending too!: For each person that creates a new FatWallet account via your special referral link, you and your friend will get R10 once your friend has earned R100 or more in cashback.

	Store	Discount
	AutoPedigree	1.13%
	BA Holidays	4.80%
	Beds-On-Line	6%
	BondShark	0.80%
	Brother Tours	5.60%
	Celldorado	R 18.40
	Cellucity	R 40
	CNA	7.20%
	Credit Health	R 20
	CyberCapeTown	3-5%
	DealADay	4%
	Dial Direct	6.67%
	Digital Planet	4%
	Disney Book Club	R 36
	Eastern Gifts	8%
	E-Bookings-SA	2-6%
	ETShirts	24%
	Europcar	12%
	Find A Florist	5.60%
	Freshmeet	40%
	GetAhead	18.80%
	GiftDay	5.60%
	Invela Bridging Finance	4%
	Jamster	R 16
	Loot	4%
	MAGSatHOME	8%
	McCarthy Call-a-Car	R 160
	Mobularity	R 1.50
	Mortgage SA	0.34%
	MTN RentAMobile	12%
	Musica	8%
	Netflorist	8%
	PC Mall	4%
	SA Camera	2.80%
	Secubond	0.40%
	Shlup.com Ringtones	R 1.60
	Skype	20%
	Software Store	4.80%
	The Lifestyle Cafe	8%
	TravelInsure	9.60%
	Travelstart	R 64
	Truworths	R 24
	Virgin Money	R 80
	WebEngine	10%
	WebExposure	R 120
	YakYak VOIP	5.60%

Beware when editing Skype messages to Linux users…

The Linux version of Skype has not yet caught up with the Windows version (3.5) - the feature that allows you to edit your chat messages has not been implemented in the Linux version yet.

I use Skype as a tool to keep the work team in touch with what's going on. From 'whose birthday it is', to urgent client issues that need to be sorted out… recently, confusion reigned and we found out the hard way that we need to be extra careful when information is given using a Windows version of Skype and the message is then edited - these edits do not get through to the Linux users…. So, to be safe, rather re-type the message correctly - don't edit the message and fix the typo.

But, for those people who are using the Windows version and want to use this 'message editing' feature to fix your typo, here's what you need to do:

From Skype support: Can I edit what I have written in a chat?

Yes. With Skype 3.5 for Windows and above it is possible to edit or delete your most recent entry in a chat.

Right click on the message, and select ‘Edit Message’ to modify what you have written or ‘Remove Message’ to delete the entry.

Note, all members of the chat must be using for Skype 3.5 for Windows or above.

For other useful Skype chat control commands, see my previous blog: Skype chat: taking control of the group chat session

And to save money using Skype see here: http://handytechtips.blogspot.com/2008/04/skypeout-save-money-on-long-distance.html

And remember, you can get 20% discount on SkypeOut calls. See here for more info: To get your 20% discount: register on fatwallet.co.za using this link: Register on FatWallet
then purchase your SkypeOut credit using this link: Purchase SkypeOut credit

If you are not interested in getting the 20% discount then go to Skype directly here: Purchase SkypeOut credit