Noreen Shazreen, Author at Goody Feed

With the Christmas and New Year celebrations behind us, which upcoming holiday are you looking forward to? Chinese New Year (CNY) is undoubtedly on the minds of many Singapore residents as it approaches next month. With the tradition of giving ang baos (red envelopes) and gifts to relatives, friends, and colleagues, you might be thinking about ways to make the most of your budget during this festive season. This is where your vouchers can come in handy, helping you during this time of the year. People who choose to use their Community Development Council (CDC) vouchers at select supermarkets can make their money go further. Starting from 3 January 2024, at least four of the eight participating supermarket chains will offer return vouchers or other attractive deals for those who use a minimum amount of CDC vouchers for each transaction. Supermarkets Are Giving Out Return Vouchers or Freebies If You Use Your CDC Vouchers Yes, you heard it right. You can get return vouchers after using your CDC vouchers for your spending. For instance, the FairPrice Group (FPG) has introduced a promotion offering $8 in return vouchers for every $80 worth of CDC supermarket vouchers used in a single transaction at their outlets. This offer is available until 17 January 2024. So, whether you’re planning your grocery shopping for your upcoming healthier New Year meal prep or wanting to make dinner for the Chinese New Year, this is a good time to use your CDC vouchers. Meanwhile, customers at U Stars stores who spend $60 on their vouchers between 3 January 2024 and 17 January 2024 will receive a $7 return voucher, while those who spend $120 on vouchers will be entitled to a $15 return voucher. DFI Retail Group has announced that customers who spend $100 worth of vouchers at Cold Storage, CS Fresh, and Jason's Deli from 3 January 2024 to 7 January 2024 will receive $5 in cash vouchers. Additionally, individuals who use $100 worth of vouchers at Giant between 3 January 2024 and 7 January 2024 will have the opportunity to claim a 2.5kg bag of rice, essentially providing them with a month’s worth of carbohydrates free of charge. Additional Rebates or Discounts from Participating Supermarket Chains During the 2024 CDC vouchers launch on 3 January 2024, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced that several participating supermarket chains would be offering additional rebates or discounts to help customers alleviate their daily expenses. FairPrice initiated its return voucher program in January 2023, aligning it with that year's CDC vouchers. At that time, customers received a $6 return voucher for every $55 spent using vouchers. In 2023, FairPrice Group (FPG) disclosed that around $200 million was returned to consumers through discounts, rebates, and donations to the community, partly through the return voucher initiative. In a separate development, FairPrice also pledged to absorb the one percentage point goods and services tax (GST) increase for 500 essential items for the first half of 2024. FPG, consisting of FairPrice, Kopitiam, NTUC Foodfare, and NTUC Link, also extended its discount schemes for Pioneer Generation and Merdeka Generation members as well as Community Health Assist Scheme Blue cardholders until 31 December 2024. Other supermarket chains, such as Giant, Sheng Siong, and U Stars, have also announced their commitment to absorbing the one percentage point GST increase on essential goods for a limited period. Terms and Conditions Apply for Each Promotion Customers interested in benefiting from CDC voucher-related offers should take note of the specific terms and conditions for each promotion. For example, FairPrice's $8 return vouchers are available while stocks last and can be used the day after issuance until 29 February 2024. Cold Storage's cash vouchers and Giant's free rice offer are limited to the first 50 customers per store daily and subject to stock availability. Cold Storage's cash vouchers can be redeemed until 8 January 2024, while U Stars' return vouchers are valid until 31 January 2024. About the 2024 CDC Vouchers Scheme The 2024 CDC Vouchers Scheme allocates $500 in vouchers to every Singaporean household. Half of the amount is usable at supermarkets, while the other half can be used at participating hawkers and heartland merchants. This program is part of the government's continued commitment to support Singaporeans in managing the increasing cost of living. It will benefit 1.27 million Singaporean households and carry a total cost of $635 million. The eight supermarket chains that accept CDC vouchers, including Ang Mo Supermarket, Cold Storage, FairPrice, Giant, Hao Mart, Prime, Sheng Siong, and U Stars, collectively operate 415 outlets throughout Singapore. You can redeem your CDC vouchers here.