“Everything but Salaries is Going Up”… How to Save on Groceries, Telecom Bills, and Maintenance Fees [Real-World Money Tips]

With persistently high inflation, more consumers are meticulously reviewing credit card benefits. They are seeking to maximize discounts or accumulate points not only for frequent expenses like grocery shopping but also for monthly fixed costs such as telecommunications fees and utility bills. Card companies are introducing products that help reduce living expenses and allow customers to choose benefits tailored to their individual spending patterns.

According to the credit card industry on September 2, a survey conducted by the credit card platform CardGorilla with approximately 4,000 users found that 54.2% of respondents said they primarily shop for groceries online, choosing platforms such as Naver, Coupang, and Kurly. Large supermarkets followed at 19.9%, and convenience stores at 7.9%. This is the opposite of the 2023 survey, in which large supermarkets ranked ahead of online stores. Also, in the first half of this year, the most frequently searched benefits by consumers were for telecommunications, shopping, education and childcare, supermarkets and convenience stores, and fuel, in that order. This trend shows that consumers are increasingly seeking tangible benefits in everyday spending, from online shopping to utility bills.

The competition among credit card companies for shopping-related benefits is particularly intense. As online grocery shopping becomes the norm, the importance of online shopping benefits when choosing a card has grown. In response, card issuers are launching products that either cover both online and offline shopping or focus benefits on specific channels. For example, Woori Card’s “Card of the Original 2 Shopper” provides a 10% discount not only for online shopping at Coupang, Naver Plus Store, and Kurly, but also for offline shopping at large supermarkets, department stores, and outlets. There is an additional 5% discount on online shopping during weekdays and offline shopping on weekends. Subscriptions to Coupang Wow, Naver Plus Membership, and Kurly Members are also covered by these discounts.

If you frequently use a specific shopping mall, you might consider a co-branded card. The “Naver Hyundai Card Edition3” gives 5% back in Naver Pay points for purchases made on Naver Plus Store, and through a promotion until July 2027, users can accrue up to 10%. Naver Plus Membership users can get additional membership points on top of these earnings. A Naver Pay spokesperson explained, “We designed the program so that combined membership and card point accruals lead to even greater perceived benefits.”

If you often shop at Olive Young, the “Olive Young Hyundai Card Plus” could also be an option. It accumulates 20% of spending at Olive Young as Olive Points, which can be used like cash both online and at offline locations. Additionally, it offers 5% point accrual benefits for online shopping, coffee shops, and food delivery apps. However, with PLCCs (Private Label Credit Cards) like these, the more you use a specific platform, the greater the benefit, but if your spending is spread out at other places, you may not fully take advantage of the benefits.

There are also products aimed at consumers who prefer shopping at traditional markets or local stores rather than online. Saemaeul Geumgo’s “Market Love ON” check card offers a 15% discount at traditional markets, ONNURI Gift Certificate merchants, local small stores, and eco-friendly food shops. It provides a 5% discount at large supermarkets, regular supermarkets, and coffee shops. The actual amount you can receive as a discount ranges from 6,000 won to 20,000 won per month, depending on your spending in the previous month.

If you want to reduce regular monthly expenses, it’s worth looking into utility bill benefits. Utility bill discounts generally apply to electricity bills, city gas bills, and apartment maintenance fees. Depending on the billing method, if your apartment maintenance fee includes both electricity and gas charges, you should choose a card that provides discounts on maintenance fees. If you live in a house or multiplex and pay the bills separately, you’ll need a card that explicitly offers discounts on electricity and gas. For example, the Shinhan Card “Mr. Life” provides a 10% discount on city gas and electricity bills. The Hyundai Card “Alphabet Card R” offers discounts across city gas, electricity, and apartment maintenance.

If you find meeting monthly spending requirements burdensome, it is also important to check whether paying utility bills counts toward your monthly requirements. If a card includes apartment maintenance fees or electricity and gas bills in the previous month’s spending calculation, you can meet requirements with your fixed monthly costs and still receive discount benefits.

An increasing number of cards let consumers choose their own benefits. The Hana Card “Moving Card” allows users to select one of five modes each month: All-Day, Online, Play, Life, or Global. For example, you might typically use a mode covering everything from transportation to shopping, but if your spending on subscription services increases, you can switch to the Online mode; if you’re planning to travel abroad, you can select a mode focused on overseas payments.

Easy payment systems and subscriptions are also becoming new areas for card discounts. The “Kakao Bank Chacboot Shinhan Card” gives a 10% discount when using Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, or Shinhan SOL Pay for payments. In addition, subscriptions to ChatGPT and Claude are eligible for a 10% discount, while Naver Plus and Coupang Wow memberships are covered for up to a 50% discount.

An official from the credit card industry stated, “A high discount rate does not necessarily guarantee greater benefits for all users. It’s important to consider your typical spending, last month’s usage, and the monthly discount cap. As criteria for qualifying purchases and exclusions—like utility bills or gift certificate purchases—differ among cards, you should first confirm your monthly spending patterns before selecting a card.” The official added, “As inflation rises, every monthly living expense, such as telecom bills, maintenance fees, and groceries, feels like a burden. While it may be difficult to save a large amount at once, consistently earning discounts or points on required spending can lead to a tangible amount of savings over a year.”

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