Salary Packaging Woes, I need your help! - Meal and Entertainment Card

DaDollarz on 28/12/2020 - 22:59
Last edited 29/12/2020 - 15:32

Hi OzB-ers,

So I have a meal and entertainment prepaid credit card to which some of my salary is packaged to make the most of that tax free threshold.

Previously I used it at any fruit and vegetable grocer, butcher, deli, asian supermarkets, cafes, restaurants and uber eats/menulog. As you could imagine, it was pretty easy to spend the money on it.

This year the rules have been tightened. My card gets rejected from all of the above EXCEPT for cafes, restaurants and UBER eats AND a $15 minimum limit has been instated as well.

I wonder if anyone has been in the same situation and if anyone has some tips on how I could spend the money by March 2021 (the end of financial year for salary packaging)? I was hoping for some hacks other than eating out everyday or taking my whole family out for dinner.

Thanks in advanced!!!

General Discussion

Comments

  • This Guy on 28/12/2020 - 23:21

    If it is part of your salary package it is your money.

    I know it is a bad time to look, but if they are screwing with your pay it is time to start looking for a new job before this gets worse. A $15 dollar limit is almost useless outside of the suburbs.

    I wouldn't game that system to do anything outside of the rules as the person who put the new rules there would probably go after your reputation if you made them out to be a fool. A few dollars a day isn't worth a career.

    • stratbargain on 29/12/2020 - 07:35
      +3

      To be clear he gets the money back if not spent. It's just not tax free in that case

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:32
      +1

      Sorry, have fixed the typo. $15 minimum spend.

  • SF3 on 28/12/2020 - 23:34

    how I could spend the money

    How much $ are you talking about?

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:33

      About $600-700

  • harukinights on 28/12/2020 - 23:42

    I reckon you need to look into the $15 thing - that doesnt seem right. I have the same card and thats not on mine.

    i also have no problem getting through it - guess i eat out a bit too much.

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:34

      Sorry, I wrote it late at night and wasn't clear. It is a $15 minimum spend.

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:49

      In normal circumstances I think I could have gotten through it too (even with their recent changes in enforcing the rules). But due to COVID and some unforeseen circumstances that resulted in me taking prolonged personal leave I'm in this situation.

  • MondaySleeper on 28/12/2020 - 23:51

    Are you with NSW Health? I also have the same issue. The card changes around $5-6 as Admin fee monthly as well. From Oct-2019, the min charge of $15 has been implemented.

    You can cancel the card and the money will be returned to your salary but after deducting the Tax which is your normal percentage.

    I am thinking of cancelling the card.

    • salmon123 on 29/12/2020 - 00:07

      I am thinking of cancelling the card.

      The card was never great value. I always found it easier to submit receipts. A few high value receipts, along with some self-catered functions and you could hit the $2500 limit without too many issues.

      • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:35

        Can you explain a bit more about how you do that?

        • salmon123 on 29/12/2020 - 17:01

          My employer offers a meal and entertainment card, like yours, but there's also a form on the intranet to submit receipts and claim the benefit that way.

          The downside with submitted receipts is, there's an admin cost every time you submit the receipts and cataloging all the receipts for the form is time consuming.

          Self-catered functions are also allowed, so you can basically submit a woolies/coles receipt, along with the other receipts.

          • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 17:58

            @salmon123: Thanks for expelling. I guess it's a trade-off if you do choose that is it would be time consuming for the individual!

      • MondaySleeper on 30/12/2020 - 09:22
        +1

        Completly agree that the card is not of great value. esp with the Admin fee of $5 per month. The good thing is that if its > $15, you can use it for take-away which normally is not accepted for manul receipt submit (I think due to covid its now allowed for a short period).

        For Woolies/cloes recipets, I think we need to separate the food/non-food items out, but its a great option to submit under the self-catering.

  • WreckTangle on 29/12/2020 - 00:07
    +1

    Is the $15 a min or a max?

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:49

      Min, sorry I have changed it now.

  • arkie0 on 29/12/2020 - 00:08

    This year the rules have been tightened. My card gets rejected from all of the above EXCEPT for cafes, restaurants and UBER eats AND a $15 limit has been instated as well.

    It's not that the rules have been tightened, it's just now being correctly enforced. If you didn't pick the card option and did the old fashion claim via receipts, you can only claim receipts for main meals at a table (no takeaway), with a minimum of 15$ and must comprise of 2 main meals, can't be 5km within your workplace during work hours.

    I wonder if anyone has been in the same situation and if anyone has some tips on how I could spend the money by March 2021 (the end of financial year for salary packaging)? I was hoping for some hacks other than eating out everyday or taking my whole family out for dinner.

    There are still a few loopholes since the card can't enforce all the rules correctly. You can still get away with going to a bar and putting on over $15 worth of beers.

    • DaDollarz on 29/12/2020 - 15:53

      Thanks - I don't drink but that is a good suggestion for anyone else that is in the same situation as me.

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