Uber Taxi App

From this post, you will find out more about Uber's benefits and exactly how it works!

Many would have heard about Uber Taxi Application (Singapore) by now. Maybe like most people you are still unsure about how it works or it sounds too good to be true to you.

Like most people and drivers, i was not sure and was sceptical about it for awhile till i found out more about it just 2 days back.

Downloading the app from the app store was the first step, but the app sat quietly on my phone for almost a month simply because it required a credit card details for logging in. Like many caution users, we do not give out credit card details easily without finding out where the information is going and what are they used for.

So here's what i found out and hopefully it helps you to understand this Uber better and why you should use Uber and how it works!

Uber is a company started in the US, with a strong arm, google. That is a reason why they have live google map function that held an upper hand compared to other taxi apps. This app can be used in 57 different countries! It has very good functions that benefits both passengers and taxi drivers!

Problems with current taxi situation for either passengers or taxi drivers:

Problem #1 

(Happening to passengers): Have you ever called Taxi hotline and was put on hold to listen to music for 10 minutes and it says "Sorry there's no cab in your area now. Please try again later" and hang up on you? Especially when you are in a rush and there seems to be to no avail no matter which cab company you are calling?

Solution from Uber #1 

In 2 simple steps...

- Set pickup location according to the drop pin and make sure the address on the PICK UP LOCATION) is correct. You can already see the location of all the Uber taxis near you!

- Wait for the timing to load and you can see exactly how long the nearest cab will take to reach you!

Problem #2
(Happening to passengers): Have you ever called a taxi, couldn't find the taxi because it went to a wrong spot or pickup location?

(Happening to Taxi drivers): Received a call, got there but could not locate passenger due to lack of contact info or exact info of pick up location?

Solution from Uber #2
(To passengers): Be sure you can reach the pickup point within the timing shown and tap on the (>) on the black bar and it will lead you to the following. Tap on the Request Taxi and wait for your Taxi Driver's car plate info and watch the taxi come towards the pickup point LIVE. In the event if the driver goes to the carpark or is waiting at a wrong spot, you can tap on the (^) on the right hand side of the taxi info and tap on the tap that says "Contact Driver"!

(To Taxi drivers): You can now have access to "Contact passenger" to verify or confirm pickup location in the even if you are unsure or could not find the passenger.

Problem #3
(Happening to Taxi drivers): Faced with 'no show' incidents where passenger did not show up and just cancel call after you have arrived because they got on another taxi?

Solution from Uber #3
(To Taxi drivers): I'm not sure about this yet, but i heard that passengers who call and only cancel the Taxi last minute will be charged $7, which is good because people do not call Taxi for fun just because the Taxi queue they are in seems a little long and that they can cancel anytime. Less people will hog the Taxi hotlines. And in such event, Taxi drivers get paid $5 so that their trip over is not wasted. This app is for serious users only! ;)

Other benefits of Uber!

Get a FREE $10 Credit when you sign up via https://get.uber.com/invite/xiuzhenl or key in "xiuzhenl" under your promo code when you sign up! it will be automatically credited in your Uber credit, calculated and deducted from your overall Taxi charge.

No hidden or extra charges! You will receive a entire trip summary in your email with the starting location and time to the ending point and time. The whole journey, including the route the driver took will be recorded. Charges are charged directly to your card with no cash payment needed and fare breakdown are displayed clearly as shown!

You get to rate your trip and even leave a comment at the end of your trip, for both the Taxi driver and the passenger! This helps to ensure both parties are doing their best to provide a pleasant ride for each other!

Very good promotions all the time! Like ALL DAY FREE TAXI (just yesterday on Thursday, 23rd Oct) and 25% off ALL Taxi rides till 31st oct (still on-going now)!

As you have seen from my trip summary above, my Taxi charge was $22.10. There's a on-going 25% discount, which is a $5.52 off my total charge, plus my FREE $10 credit. That makes my entire Taxi fare only $6.58!

So far, i have taken Uber taxi 4 times since 2 days back and every ride was a bliss from beginning to end! No more listening to music for a never ending duration... Taxi drivers are friendly and pleasant! The whole journey and experience is easy and comfortable! You will know it when you tru=y it for yourself!

Paypal save?

Save? or Safe? Was that a typo? I'll explain why.

With the constant increase of online shopping and payment across the nations with different currencies, paypal has emerged as one of the most trusted way of making payment!

Just a few years back, people are so scare to do transactions online or to give people their credit card number as credit card frauds was a norm. However, with the growing e-commence network, credit card companies have stepped up in their security. Paypal came forth as a very secure payment mode and gain the trust of many!

Recently i wrote a post on 'Ebay Frauds?' with my personal encounter with fraud activities on Ebay. Even though prevention is better than cure, sometimes a cure is still needed. I wrote about how to prevent being fraud by fraudsters who are out to cheat us of our trust in what they have posted.

In this case, Paypal served as my 2nd row of defense. For some reason, i could not raise the issue to Ebay as the item is not under the Ebay buyer protection, even though it is different from what was described under listing. Thank God i made payment with Paypal and i could still raise the issue to paypal!

What are the steps to take?
1) Go to Paypal - Resolution Centre
2) Opening the case in Paypal with the paypal transaction number that can be found under your paypal transaction history list
3) Contact seller through this Paypal case, that will be recorded and monitored by Paypal
4) In the event seller do not reply or you could not come to term with seller, you may 'escalate to claim'. Note that when you take this step, the case is no longer in your hands or the hands of the seller. The money will be freeze with Paypal and it goes to no one until Paypal reviews the case and determine who will get the money
5) Paypal will contact you via emails for actions needed or information needed on your part. In my case, Paypal required for a letter to verify that i have discarded or destroyed the item. I guess the request was quite drastic, instead of request for a return, because the item was an imitation or fake of a branded
6) If you did not receive the email within 2 weeks after escalating the claim, do not hesitate to drop them an email to check the status of the case. In my case, my email had issues receiving system generated emails from them and i waited for a month before doing so. You do not have to wait that long to email them to check
7) Do as Paypal requires you to, and send them the information needed
8) Wait patiently for Paypal to review the case and they will get back to you shortly!

Paypal saves!

Are you a member?

Membership card is one of the common item in our wallets nowadays. They give us shopping and dining privileges to various places and discounts. 

Maybe just like me, you carry a cardholder that holds up to 20 cards apart from your long wallet!

Are these cards really useful? Should we or should we not, have to carry them everywhere we go to ensure that they are within our reach in the event when we need them!

Lets see what are some of the cards i have. Credit cards of 5 different banks, credit cards to specific stores and membership card for different shops and places
It feels like, i do need all of them right?
but membership cards can sometimes go out of hand as the number of shops and places we go just keeps increasing!

First of all questions:
Do these cards really help you to save more? Personally, YES!
There many shops that may sell the same item, and i will only go to the one that i have a membership card with or have credit card promotions.

So what can i do to cut down on some of the cards i have to carry around?
#1: Look through your credit cards and pick out the one that gives you the most rewards, in terms of discounts and also rewards points. Keep to one main card.

Many people overlook the reward points and simply allow them to expire. But do you know that they can add up to quite an amount? I have already redeemed up to USD$300 worth of vouchers from my credit card points.

#2: Credit cards to specific stores should be carried around because they often gives better rebates and discounts compared to membership cards

#3: Take out those membership cards that allow you to redeem with your personal identity card or mobile number, which many of them do nowadays.

#4: Remove those membership cards of stores that you have not visited for more than a year. The chances of you visiting them again is quite slim and very often you don't even remembered that you have the membership card until purchase is already done!

I'm beginning to appreciate places where membership is linked up with our identification card or mobile number because it makes shopping easier and i do not have to always remember to bring out my whole loads of cards when i go out for some shopping.

Caught Online Again?

Trying your best to stay out of the malls over the weekends? But yet, unknowingly got caught online by some online shopping sites and sales or advertisements sent to your email? With the updating of online security, people are now less worried, instead beginning to feel really safe to purchase things online.

Online shopping can be very tempting and addictive! Especially auction sites or sites where items are selling really fast! As the clock is ticking... your hearts are pounding... items are selling... it end up causing you to make decisions without really thinking through them. Unlike shopping where you can hold on to an item you spotted and walk around the shop till you finally decides to buy it, online shopping can cause impulsive purchases of things you do not need or are not even you size! At the click of your fingers, money are leaving your pocket faster then when you actually shop in the malls!

There is no way to 'stop' yourself from online shopping all together. But if you really want to stop it all, you can try canceling your credit cards, banning all online transactions or even pay engines like paypal accounts. However, if you know you cannot do the above then the next best thing is to prevent impulsive purchase or buying things that does not even suit you or your size!

Here are 7 tips to online shopping with WISDOM!!
1) Stay away
From auction sites, if you really have to, do not view items that are 'ending soon' first. This will prevent the first gate of impulsive buying just because the item is 'ending soon'. There maybe better deals out there for consideration, then just jumping into the purchase of that item. Also, stay away from 'bidding' for an item above its cost or what you are willing to pay for just because someone else is increasing the 'bid'.

2) Take your time
Make sure you take your time to look around before deciding. One way is to add items to 'wish list' or 'shopping bag', WITHOUT making the payment immediately. Continue shopping till you are sure that there is nothing else better than all those you have selected.

3) Know your size
Especially when it comes to shopping for clothes or shoes, know your sizes very well before your purchase. Just like in the malls, you never know whether it fits till you try them and they often look different from how it looks on the rack. Be sure that the item will fit you and ensure that the materials and fabric of the item stated is the same as how it looks. Items can look very different on photos due to lightings and color calibrating of the individual computers.

4) Count the cost
Look through all the items you have chosen to remove those you don't really think you need or like. Calculate the total expenses and check if the amount is within your shopping budget for the month.

5) Shipping cost discounts or free shipping
Make sure you check out the shipping cost before making payment. You need to know if you will be entitled to free shipping or other promotions available. However, DO NOT fall into the trick of purchasing like '$20' more just so that you can save '$10' off the shipping price! Buy only what you need and what you can afford! If shipping cost is too high, then you might want to reconsider if the item is worth the price you are paying altogether.

6) Inconvenient yourself
Lastly, just before you make the payment, make yourself walk a distance to take your credit card so that while walking the distance or getting away from the computer a little, can give you time to make sure that is really what you want!

7) Keep records
After making the payment, you should now keep a record of the things you have purchased, color and sizes, so that you can be sure that what you receive is what you have paid for. At the same time, this record will also serve as a reminder to the budget you have spent and have left for shopping the rest of the month!

This is just the beginning half of the month, so spend and shop wisely!