In between a job and full-time adulting responsibilities, life can get incredibly busy.
After each week of the daily grind, I now relish the thought of just chilling out with my boyfriend and loved ones on the weekend, because for some odd reason, the older I get, the faster the weekend seems to fly by.
In line with this theme of spending more time with those who matter to me, I decided to plan a relaxing date for my boyfriend and I, on a weekend in September.
Instead of our usual routine, I decided to splurge on some surprises along the way, including activities and gifts I knew he needed and would enjoy, but would not normally spend on himself.
This was exactly the recharge we needed for the subsequent work week, and I’d 100 per cent do it again.
Here’s how I did it, cardless and cashless, using the EZ-Link Wallet via the EZ-Link app.
Activating the EZ-Link Wallet
Activating the EZ-Link Wallet was intuitive enough, for someone who has not used a digital wallet before.
I simply tapped on the banner on the EZ-Link App homepage to activate my Pay by Wallet function and get my virtual Mastercard.
A screenshot of the EZ-Link homepage. Via the EZ-Link website.
I then topped up my wallet with my desired amount by adding a payment method.
Via the EZ-Link app.
I’ll admit I was initially apprehensive at the thought of not bringing out any physical cards, nor any cash for the day, and simply relying on the app.
However, be it for online shopping, or for tapping (to pay via Google pay), I soon realised it was not only possible to pay for everything with just my phone and the app, but that I could do so with ease.
A whole new world.
1pm – Having food delivered for lunch
As fate would have it, our day of relaxation began with a heavy downpour, which meant us sleeping in.
By the time my boyfriend and I got up, it was about 12pm.
I decided to order in some lunch for us as we were feeling lazy.
We got our food via Foodline.SG, one of Singapore’s biggest catering platforms, and eventually settled on zi char.
As a featured merchant on EZ-Link, Foodline.sg is currently offering S$20 off all food items with a minimum spend of S$250, with the promo code EZFL20 at checkout.
Knowing that my boyfriend’s standard zi char order typically involves some kind of omelette as well as some veggies, I decided to get us some sambal potato leaves and onion omelette (his favourite), as well as a meat dish to share.
Basically, his ideal zi char combination. Screenshot via Foodline.sg
Because there was a Mastercard payment option available for the merchant, I was able to easily pay with the EZ-Link app.
It was quite convenient, as all I had to do was access the virtual Mastercard located within the Pay by Wallet function, and key in my credit card details.
All without taking out my wallet, and using a simple two-step process:
1) Click into “Pay by Wallet”, an extension of the EZ-Link Wallet that generates the virtual Mastercard.
Screenshot of the EZ-Link Wallet page. Via EZ-Link app
2) Access card details. Here’s what the virtual Mastercard looks like.
Screenshot via EZ-Link app.
From left to right: Honey Milk Chicken Cubes, Sambal Potato Leaves, Onion Omelette. Photo by Lean Jinghui.
The simple but hearty meal was more than enough to fill our stomachs as we updated each other about our week, laughed at dumb YouTube videos, and how we’d somehow arranged the food on our individual plates as mirror images of the other.
Shiok. Photo by Lean Jinghui
The kind of shits and giggles you can only get into when you’re with someone you’re completely comfortable with, sans stress from day-to-day responsibilities.
3pm – Surprise Tea Gift Set
Knowing my boyfriend’s love for tea, I’d also pre-ordered a customised tea package for him a few days before our date.
It was something I figured he could later use to pamper himself even after our date, be it as a morning perk-me-up, or an afternoon reprieve from work.
I got my gift set from The Tea Story, a local brand that specialises in organic and loose-leaf teas.
The Par-Tea gift set features various tea options, such as Chocolate Fantasy, Fruity Sangria, Spiced Appletini, and Serenitea. Via The Tea Story website
Like for the food delivery, it was really easy and fuss-free to use the virtual Mastercard from EZ-Link’s Pay By Wallet, for my online purchase.
On the payment page. The virtual Mastercard can be used at any merchant with a Mastercard payment option. Via The Tea Story website
As the amount I spent on the gift was directly deducted from my EZ-Link wallet, I was also able to easily track my expenses thus far from within the EZ-Link app.
Screenshot of what I spent on the date thus far. Via the EZ-Link app.
It was the perfect way to end off a relaxing afternoon: that is, to chill with good tea and great company.
I got the Chocolate Fantasy, Serenitea, and Fruity Sangria flavours for my boyfriend. Photo by Lean Jinghui
You know you’ve adulted when you “cheers” with tea and not wine. Photo by Lean Jinghui.
My boyfriend, in particular, absolutely loved it, and has carefully kept all the tea sachets in his special tea stash for future use.
Quali-tea time.
Our favourite tea sachet. It had an unexpectedly intense chocolate flavour. Photo by Lean Jinghui.
5pm – Massage
For the “big ticket item” of the day, I decided to splurge on a massage for the both of us, so we shuffled our sedentary butts over to Beauty World Thai Massage right after.
This was something my boyfriend had always said he needed, but was reluctant to spend on as massages are quite expensive in Singapore.
Photo by Lean Jinghui
At S$54 per pax for a one hour-long, full-body Thai Massage, the massage parlour really gave us bang for our buck.
Payment was made via scanning the SGQR code with my EZ-Link wallet.
Beauty World Thai Massage is listed as one of the merchants where EZ-Link Wallet can be used. You can find the full list here. Photo by Lean Jinghui.
The fact that my boyfriend even fell asleep during his massage also attests to its quality of service.
Thumbs up from him.
Photo by Lean Jinghui
8pm – Waffles and ice cream
To end off our date, my boyfriend suggested we head to a nearby cafe for dessert.
So we could end things on a sweet note, literally.
Not wanting me to pay for everything, he also insisted on paying for our dessert.
This was a gesture that I really appreciated, and which made the treat even sweeter.
The virtual Mastercard in the EZ-Link wallet can be added through the EZ-Link app to Google Pay, so one can simply tap and pay at any merchant that accepts Mastercard. This tap and pay function is available for Android users only. Photo by Lean Jinghui
As we dug into the waffles and ice cream, I asked my boyfriend if he would go on another similar date experience cardless and cashless, and he said: “Why not?”
Photo by Lean Jinghui
It was nothing too fancy, but the date had been created specifically for us, and that was what mattered to him the most.
With the EZ-Link Wallet opened up to all merchants accepting payment by Mastercard, it had also been relatively easy to pay for the whole date without having to pull out our wallets the entire day.
We’d even managed to shop at a good variety of stores – from a tea shop, to an online food delivery service, and a massage parlour.
EZ indeed.
10 per cent cashback
Two days after our date, I received another pleasant surprise.
Some rebates had been automatically credited to my EZ-Link Wallet following some of my transactions days prior.
Photo by Lean Jinghui
For our zi char lunch, I received a cashback of S$3.82, as the lunch had cost about S$38.
The 10 per cent cashback is part of an ongoing campaign by EZ-Link, to encourage more users to use its “Pay by Wallet” function.
This means that from now till Dec. 31, 2022, you can enjoy a 10 per cent cashback on any transaction made (capped at S$15 throughout the qualifying period), as long as you spend a minimum of S$30.
Do note that the cashback only applies to transactions made via the virtual Mastercard – i.e. the Pay by Wallet function, and will not apply to payments made via the SGQR code.
Some exceptions to the 10 per cent cashback campaign also apply, and the full list of excluded transaction types can be found here.
For bargain hunters, EZ-Link is offering other year-long privileges for merchants such as Agoda, Booking.com, Far East Flora, and Klook.
All you have to do is activate the Pay by Wallet function on the EZ-Link app.
Find out more details here.
Top images by Lean Jinghui
This sponsored article by EZ-Link made the writer enjoy the convenience of digital wallets.