ABSA Rewards - Tips and Tricks 2025

1nsane!

1nsane!

Senior Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Messages
951
Reaction score
170
Location
Centurion
Before I moved my accounts to ABSA, I was primarily banked with FNB and I enjoyed the eBucks rewards program. There's just something about jumping through hoops and getting rewarded for it :unsure:

In the beginning the ABSA rewards was underwhelming, but like any good hoop jumping lover, I learned to play the game and it actually became worthwhile.

I read through the Tc's and C's, made a call or two to the helpdesk and chatted to a consultant at a branch and I thought I'd share some of my insights here.

In my opinion, ABSA rewards is wildly underrated, that is if you can make it to tier 5.

When I started out in 2022, I earned between R200 and R600 per month, but with the tips and tricks that I gained from the call center/consultant, I am getting back between R2500 and R3000 per month, with Black Friday 2024 earning me R7500 back in my pocket.

So for those who actually got this far, here's the products I have with them to get me to tier 5 (800 points):
Bank Smarter:
Transactional account with salary deposit - 280 + 100 points
Do 5 digital transactions for a bonus score - 60 points - I perform 5 R1 EFTs to my wife's account (inter account transfers do not count)

Grow your wealth:
Save and invest - 55 points (out of 110) - I have R5k in a savings account to get these points
Set up a recurring payment - 10 points (out of 30) - I have a monthly R250 recurring payment into a saving account

Credit:
Home loan - 85 points
Car loan - 55 point
Personal loan (minimum R5k balance) - 55 points
Overdraft (R2k) - 50 points
CC with debit order (R1k) - 50 points

Insurance:
Life insurance (take the cheapest option) - 15 points
STI - 15 points

Granted, my profile scores quite high due to the short term loan, car loan and home loan, but there are certain investments that would also allocate more points.

Tips and tricks:
Grocery spend (Limits: R3k in store + R1k online)
I pay my monthly utility bill at Pick and Pay as well as my electricity. This maxes out the R3k in store spend, then I still have R1k to spend online at Pick and Pay. For this R4k spend, I get R1200 back (30%). Alternatively you can spend your remaining in store cap at Food Lovers, PnP and Woolies.

Fuel (Limits: R3k)
I only fill up at Sasol. The convenience store spend also contributes towards the spend category. 30% back on tier 5.

Digital lifestyle (Limits: R3k)
I buy vouchers for Google Play store to fund Google 1. Uber vouchers. Xbox vouchers for my Game Pass. Takealot vouchers, etc. 30% back on tier 5.

Health and beauty (Limits: R3k)
This is only applicable to Dischem and as far as I understand, it exclude meds and certain baby products (separate category for it). I buy long life milk here as well as some other home items and USN supplements.

Baby city/Dischem baby (Limits: R3k)
Baby stuff, 30% off.

Travel (Limits: R7k)
I wish I could spend more here, but for those with the means to travel, you can get 30% back on the first R7k spent on the Travelstart site. They have flights and accommodation there.

Bank spend:
This one I don't bother with that much, as it really only applies if you really swipe you card for crazy amounts. One thing to note, as far as I understand, if you reach your spend limit at any of the partners, any subsequent spend there would not contribute towards the bank earn.

Anyways, that's how I got R68k back since May 2021. If all goes to plan, I'll get back about R77k in 2025 alone, just by jumping through some hoops.

PS. My car is almost paid off, to offset the loss of points, I will open a foreign currency account and fund it with R15k, which will then maintain my tier 5 status.

Anyone else with other tips/tricks?
 
I'm on Tier 4 because I don't have the additional loan products but even that is 6.5% to 7%, roughly between R400 - R500 a month.

The vouchers are actually useful. See a nice steam game, buy a code, clocks spend and money back as well as avoiding any international fees.

Its the least "hassle" rewards. There's also the typical movie and other benefits as well not mentioned.
 
Party pooper here, I just want to note that the traditional way to get R 3000 back every month from your bank is also the easiest:

1. Open a savings account
2. Deposit R 500 000
 
Lol subtract all your bank fees (account fee + all the credit (personal, home, car and overdraft loan fees) and then post the real number you get back.
 
I'm over this program, at the moment I'm getting something in the range of R100 per month back. Pretty useless.

When it started I was on tier 5 without doing anything out of the ordinary. I had a home loan, cheque account and credit card.

On tier 5 you get some proper rewards, like 15% cash back on fuel, and 5% back on most purchases. (or at least you used to. not sure now)

Now you need a personal loan, insurance, car loan, investment account etc to reach level 5. All those things I'd either rather not have, or if I have them, I'll get it somewhere other than absa.
 
Puma just joined the list of partners.
30% cash back on tier 5, capped at R3000 spend.

There is a promo running where tier 5 clients get 60% discount (capped at R3k spend) until 30 June 2025.

I confirmed with the helpdesk that this spend is in it's own category.
 
notayoba said:
I'm over this program, at the moment I'm getting something in the range of R100 per month back. Pretty useless.

When it started I was on tier 5 without doing anything out of the ordinary. I had a home loan, cheque account and credit card.

On tier 5 you get some proper rewards, like 15% cash back on fuel, and 5% back on most purchases. (or at least you used to. not sure now)

Now you need a personal loan, insurance, car loan, investment account etc to reach level 5. All those things I'd either rather not have, or if I have them, I'll get it somewhere other than absa.
Click to expand...
Yes, Reward programs from banks is a ponzi scheme.
 
1nsane! said:
Puma just joined the list of partners.
30% cash back on tier 5, capped at R3000 spend.

There is a promo running where tier 5 clients get 60% discount (capped at R3k spend) until 30 June 2025.

I confirmed with the helpdesk that this spend is in it's own category.
Click to expand...
Do you know the breakdown for the lower levels. Can't seem to find it anywhere.
 
The most silly/amusing aspect of the rewards are the monthly challenges. e.g. Spend R50 by swiping your card at a retailer and they give you a R50 voucher for Steers, Nandos , Spur etc. Luckily Steers has a R49.90 burger combo which is worth it , if you are getting it for free :ROFL: I honestly wonder how they make money out of this sometimes.

At best, I view the rewards as a way to get some (or all) of my banking fees back each month.
 
Jeruanamo said:
Joining Absa Rewards is free, so might as well... I'm clocking R2,800 cashback per month.
Click to expand...
I did try it but not any of their products interest me and I have zero debt. I only replace/buy stuff when it is broken or don't serve its purpose anymore. I eat very basic stuff and mostly stuff that doesn't come in boxes or plastic. The only winner is absa wanting people in the consumer box and addicted to spending and debt.

1750230507876.png
 
Last edited:
How would Absa rewards benefit me:

I don't have debt and I have no need for overdraft facilities.
I don't believe if insurances unless it is a requirement (e.g. buying a house).
I only replace and buy tech if my current tech breaks or do not serve my needs.
I don't do contracts.
I don't do expensive banking services.
I shop online or use Amazon.com.
I don't spend much on petrol as I work from home.
My clothes I buy non-branded and locally where possible and only happens once a year or every second year, mostly t-shirts.
Shoes I try to only replace every 5 years.
I don't shop for the latest smartphone every year.
We eat simple and the food don't come in boxes and packages, we generally eat fresh food bought at the weekly market.
Sanitary/shampoo/soap stuff my wife buys online from Faithfull to nature etc.
Wife uses Yaga to buy and trade clothes. She only buys whatever she got from selling.
My car is 10 years old and have no intention of replacing yet until it is dead and hopefully do it cash again.
I only buy from Spar who sources from local traders and fresh products and is walking distance from my house.
 
RedViking said:
I did try it but not any of their products interest me and I have zero debt. I only replace/buy stuff when it is broken or don't serve its purpose anymore. I eat very basic stuff and mostly stuff that doesn't come in boxes or plastic. The only winner is absa wanting people in the consumer box and addicted to spending and debt.

View attachment 1828416
Click to expand...
I did the same estimation also zero debt my end and couldnt do more than t2 - ZERO interest to me
 
Snyper564 said:
I did the same estimation also zero debt my end and couldnt do more than t2 - ZERO interest to me
Click to expand...
Yeah it is engineered for the bank and partners to win, same like with gambling, the house always win.

"There's just something about jumping through hoops and getting rewarded for it"

It is also engineered to be an addiction. Reading through OP one can see how some people live in a debt trap and addicted to spending way above their means.

I don't discourage this thread, but hope young people read this before they are falling in the same trap.

What is frustrating is how absa pushes their debt and products down your throat, fortunately I educated myself from a young age, but it is now so integrated in their App and Online banking it is disgusting. Kind of like exposing 10 year olds to porn everytime they enter the class. It is should be illegal. Just checked my Absa app, have put 28 "offers" on ignore, but they just keep popping up with new ones. If click on my accounts to make payments, there is another offer. My family live on multiple credit cards. My mom I recently had a sit down with and told her to immediately cancel all those "reward" programs as it was costing more than what she saved and she didn't need the products she buys just to get money back. I end up paying for it. I was furious. She is no a position to afford those things but the banks don't care. It is disgusting.
 
RedViking said:
Yeah it is engineered for the bank and partners to win, same like with gambling, the house always win.

"There's just something about jumping through hoops and getting rewarded for it"

It is also engineered to be an addiction. Reading through OP one can see how some people live in a debt trap and addicted to spending way above their means.

I don't discourage this thread, but hope young people read this before they are falling in the same trap.

What is frustrating is how absa pushes their debt and products down your throat, fortunately I educated myself from a young age, but it is now so integrated in their App and Online banking it is disgusting. Kind of like exposing 10 year olds to porn everytime they enter the class. It is should be illegal. Just checked my Absa app, have put 28 "offers" on ignore, but they just keep popping up with new ones. If click on my accounts to make payments, there is another offer. My family live on multiple credit cards. My mom I recently had a sit down with and told her to immediately cancel all those "reward" programs as it was costing more than what she saved and she didn't need the products she buys just to get money back. I end up paying for it. I was furious. She is no a position to afford those things but the banks don't care. It is disgusting.
Click to expand...
I have over the years simplified my rewards to lowest cost card and highest percentage reward with ZERO hoops.

For example.

I use WWCC (1-3%) I get about R1000 back a month and then settle this with Capitec CC getting an additional 1% where I get R400 odd a month back.

Now the above cards cost R60 a month but I jump through ZERO hoops to get about R1400 back a month off R120, that in my mind is acceptable this is also all spend I usually do and no random products or debt...

So thats an additional R15k per year for ZERO extra effort on my part,
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X