Vitality Money clients can get up to 50% off on their fuel spend

[Daniel Puchert]

Using Discovery Bank's rewards to get big discounts

Discovery Bank customers using the bank's rewards programme can get up to 50% off on their fuel spend and 75% off on international flights.

MyBroadband analysed Vitality Money's features to see what customers must do to maximise the rewards they receive from it.

 

[Danie_V]

Thing is it can never just be about what you get out, but has to be balanced with what it costs you along with what benefits.

After 20 years with Discovery Health I cancelled my medical aid at end of 2023. The reason was I could get an additional R9,000 annual savings for R2,000pm less. So all those miles and benefits of being a Gold Vitality member was just an attempt for me to try claw back the expensive costs. Now I'm saving that money up front and can use it for anything. Same reason I moved away from Discovery Insure. My car's 37L fuel tank that gets filled once a month got no benefits from Discovery.

I'm now cancelling my Discovery Credit Card too as the R155pm it costs me, is only just being cancelled out with the miles I earned. So I see miles, yes, but it's costing me the same as the miles I earn = around nett zero benefit. My other bank does not charge me for my credit card, and I get 2% back in rewards.

All I'm saying is, don't be blinded by the miles and rewards. For any bank, see exactly what it costs you, what actual service do you get, and what do you earn back in rewards. If it's not a nett win for you, then look around for better, as moving banks has no investment value that you actually lose.

Yes, I used to get a "free" iPhone out of my Discovery Miles, but the joke was I was paying so much extra in premiums that I had in fact paid for that phone already. Now I have around R24,000 extra per year by just being with another medical aid (that helps pay for an iPhone too).

 

[lord-of-war]

I wonder if those discounts on flights are true in practice.

 

[lord-of-war]

Thing is it can never just be about what you get out, but has to be balanced with what it costs you along with what benefits.

After 20 years with Discovery Health I cancelled my medical aid at end of 2023. The reason was I could get an additional R9,000 annual savings for R2,000pm less. So all those miles and benefits of being a Gold Vitality member was just an attempt for me to try claw back the expensive costs. Now I'm saving that money up front and can use it for anything. Same reason I moved away from Discovery Insure. My car's 37L fuel tank that gets filled once a month got no benefits from Discovery.

I'm now cancelling my Discovery Credit Card too as the R155pm it costs me, is only just being cancelled out with the miles I earned. So I see miles, yes, but it's costing me the same as the miles I earn = around nett zero benefit. My other bank does not charge me for my credit card, and I get 2% back in rewards.

All I'm saying is, don't be blinded by the miles and rewards. For any bank, see exactly what it costs you, what actual service do you get, and what do you earn back in rewards. If it's not a nett win for you, then look around for better, as moving banks has no investment value that you actually lose.

Yes, I used to get a "free" iPhone out of my Discovery Miles, but the joke was I was paying so much extra in premiums that I had in fact paid for that phone already. Now I have around R24,000 extra per year by just being with another medical aid (that helps pay for an iPhone too).

Would be interesting to hear which medical aid you switch to?

 

[Danie_V]

I wonder if those discounts on flights are true in practice.

Oh yes, they are true, but on more expensive flights. Same reason I'm letting my BA miles die. I found that by searching for flights on Kayak I can get flights way cheaper than using my BA miles on BA flights.

 

[Danie_V]

Would be interesting to hear which medical aid you switch to?

I moved to Bonitas BonSave. Do have to say one downside with them is really difficult admin / follow ups / getting replies. But there cover is better for what I need. A medical aid does need careful comparison based on a specific family's needs. There is also a waiting period of about 3 months if you are not on a corporate plan. You also have to be sure to try get services from on-network hospitals and service providers (all mine were on though). I do also like the free 6-monthly teeth cleaning and descaling which Discovery always deducted from my savings.