Credit Card Minimum Spends + How to Save BIG on Coffee

💳 Card Hack of the Week

For credit card spend, whether it be miles or cashback, may require “minimum spend” amounts per month to qualify for the bonus miles rate or cashback.

While that’s not the norm in miles, it tends to be more the criteria for cashback cards. Either way, if you do need to hit a minimum spend amount, you want to be reaching the spend on things you’d anyway have spent on on a day-to-day basis.

So, what’s that? Essentially, the easiest way to hit minimum spends is to purchase gift vouchers at supermarkets; FairPrice, Sheng Siong, and Cold Storage are perfect for this. Nearly everyone will be spending on supermarkets month to month.

What’s more, these vouchers are valid for at least a year (if not longer) and can be utilised by anyone, meaning the person using them doesn’t have to have your physical credit card present.

This method of hitting minimum spends can also work for online vouchers at Amazon, Shopee or Lazada.

🎯 Personal Finance Quick Action

Those of us who drink a daily coffee out should recognise that the price of our morning “rich life” outlay is getting more pricey. That’s because the price of coffee beans has surged.

Indeed in 2024, the price of coffee rose by 40% and Arabica Coffee Futures – which measures the price of pricier Arabica beans – has surged by 70% from November 2024 to early March.

The main reason has been lower production from coffee-growing countries like Brazil and Colombia, while climate change also poses a longer-term problem for supply.

One action we can take today to help save on that? Invest in a solid espresso machine and grinder to make our own daily flat white or iced latte. Higher-end machines can cost close to S$1,000 but you can also get reasonable ones from S$500 upwards.

With the cost of milk on average setting you back S$35 and a 1kg bag of quality coffee beans being close to S$60, you’ll be spending less than S$100 a month making your own espresso-based coffee. Compare that to the average S$7 to S$8 cups you have to pay and it’s a no-brainer.

You’ll be able to recoup the initial cost of a S$1,000 machine in less than 10 months with the savings you make – if we assume a daily S$7 iced latte sets you back S$210 per month. I personally got a machine nearly two years ago and haven’t regretted it at all.

What’s more, you can buy great coffee beans in bulk and also try different types. Save money long term and get quality coffee. What’s not to like?

📈 Market Money Moves

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index has notched up a gain of 22% so far in 2025. That’s come while the S&P 500 Index has fallen 3.9% year-to-date. 

With positive sentiment back for China technology stocks – following the DeepSeek’s AI revelation – the divergence between the Hong Kong and US indices has become the most extreme since the Dotcom Bubble burst in 2000.

Tim’s Take: With US stock markets going through the wringer, it’s “happy days” for China-focused investors in Hong Kong. The gulf in investor sentiment is obvious as Hong Kong’s “Big Tech” stocks are back in vogue, with the market reassured that the Chinese government isn’t going to take a regulatory sledgehammer to them any time soon.

Meanwhile, US stocks are getting battered by President Trump’s insistence at imposing tariffs on trading allies and rivals alike – heightening worries that inflation will jump again and restrain the US Federal Reserve from cutting interest rates. All at a time when the US economy is slowing.

To sum up, it comes down to one word; uncertainty. Markets hate it. When China’s market was in the doldrums, it was on the back of uncertainty surrounding the Chinese government and its approach to Big Tech as well as slowing economic growth. Now, in the US, it’s the turn of President Trump to instill constant uncertainty into the market; will he or won’t he impose more tariffs that eventually plunge the US economy into recession?

Regardless, at the end of the day, stock markets everywhere go through ups and downs and the latest drama shouldn’t cause us to panic and alter our long-term investment plans.   

Shares of property developer City Developments Ltd (SGX: C09) surged by more than 4% after Chairman Kwek Beng Leng dropped the recent lawsuit against his son, and CDL CEO, Sherman Kwek.

This was a lawsuit that saw infighting among senior management but the latest stamen from Chairman Kwek said that the board had managed to “put aside their differences”.

Tim’s Take: The drama of the CDL saga drags on. It’s almost like a real-life Succession in Asia but without the witty dialogue or sibling rivalry. However, the parallels between the hit HBO show and the CDL drama are eerie; incompetent “nepo baby” leaders, a dying business model in an old economy sector, and corporate governance that makes a mockery of serving shareholders’ interests.

It's just the latest example of a “value trap” in Asian markets. I find family-owned property developers no different in Asia; whether they’re in Singapore, Hong Kong, or Thailand, don’t be fooled – they’re owned by vested interests and serve their own ambitions, not yours.

They typically hold on to way too much capital, never share profits with shareholders, and then embark on vanity projects which normally torch shareholder capital – the ultimate “adding insult to injury” move.

For investors thinking of getting into CDL stock, just be aware of its long-term share price performance. Since hitting an all-time high in May 2007, it’s down 45%.

👋 How I Can Help

Introducing Miles Consulting from Tim Talks Money

I’m excited to announce the launch of my Miles Consulting service! Through this service, you’ll get:

• ✨ Exclusive 60-minute one-on-one consultation

• 📊 Comprehensive credit card spend audit

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• 💳 Maximise sign-up bonuses

• 🚫 Avoid the pitfalls

• ✈️ Expert Singapore Airlines insights

• 💡 Optimise for couples/families