5 things Singaporeans can use their $100 ActiveSG credits on

Singaporeans complain the government doesn't give them enough welfare, but when they do get free money to participate in the ActiveSG or SkillsFuture intiatives, nobody bothers to find out how to use it.

In case you haven't heard, all Singapore citizens and PRs who have signed up for a free ActiveSG membership get $100 worth of ActiveSG credits. Apparently Singaporeans are getting too fat, sedentary and diabetic, and this is the government's way of pushing people to get moving.

Sounds like a pretty good deal, but not a single person I know has actually bothered to use their ActiveSG credits, and 90 per cent have no idea how to use it or that it even exists. Here are 5 things you can do with yours.

1. GAIN ADMISSION TO PUBLIC SWIMMING POOLS

It's time to stop complaining about not being able to afford a condo complete with swimming pool. Your ActiveSG credits get you free admission to Singapore public pools. At $1 to $2 per entry, you can go every week and still not use up your credits within a year. If you swim a lot, purchase a MyActiveSWIM pass instead of single entry tickets to get a bulk discount.

MyActiveSWIM pass gives you unlimited access to all ActiveSG swimming complexes islandwide. Looking at the prices, it's probably only worth it if you go to the pool more than 10 times a month.

2. WORK OUT AT THE GYM FOR FREE

It's time to cancel that expensive gym membership. Your ActiveSG credits give you free entry to ClubFITT gyms, which cost $2.50 per entry for adults and $1.50 for students and seniors. If you're fairly disciplined and go to the gym several times a week in the morning, you can use your ActiveSG credits to buy a ActiveGYM membership.

ActiveGYM membership (peak) gives you access to facilities islandwide daily at all opening hours, whereas off-peak access gives you access from Monday to Friday before 4pm.

3. BOOK COURTS FOR RACQUET SPORTS

I'm pretty much hopeless at anything that requires eye-hand coordination, but even I am fairly proficient at badminton, as are 99 per cent of Singaporeans. Your credits can be used to book facilities all over Singapore. There are badminton courts at school halls in most neighbourhoods, tennis courts at ten tennis centres, squash courts at five squash centres and table tennis courts at twelve sports halls.

The ActiveSG portal makes it easy to find and book facilities. Using your ActiveSG credits, you can book a badminton court in Bishan for $7.40 per hour.

4. BOOK PLAYING GROUNDS FOR TEAM SPORTS

If the idea of twenty people running after one ball makes you want to start running after the ball yourself rather than hide out in the air conditioned area away all the commotion, you're probably the kind of person who actually likes team sports. You can book fields, pitches and courts for football, volleyball, futsal, basketball, netball and hockey if you're part of a team that wants to pulverise another team for free.

The futsal court at MOE Evans Outdoor Facilities costs $11.60 per hour at peak period for Singaporeans and PRs, which you can pay out of your ActiveSG credits.

5. GET A 30 PER CENT DISCOUNT ON SPORTS PROGRAMMES

For the less sports-inclined amongst us, attempting a new sport alone is a recipe for broken bones. Much safer to take an exercise class in the presence of a teacher who can call an ambulance should you make a near-fatal mistake while attempting a new yoga pose.

ActiveSG actually runs a bunch of programmes which include zumba and KpopX fitness so you can unleash your inner auntie and ah lian respectively as well as bizarre-sounding exercise programmes like CardioMIX and PILOXING.

Then there are inline skating workshops for people who are afraid to fall, kickboxing for people with repressed aggression, archery for Legolas/Katniss wannabes and workshops in less outlandish sports like tennis, badminton and volleyball. These courses aren't free, but you can use your ActiveSG credits to offset up to 30 per cent of the price.

ActiveSG members also get complimentary trial classes at certain programmes.

Currently, ActiveSG is running March Holiday programmes packed full with free trials to a wide variety of sports, such as Futsal, Aikido, Yoga, and Zumba.

WHO CAN GET ACTIVESG CREDITS?

All Singaporeans and Singapore Permanent Residents (PRs) get $100 worth of complimentary credits. You must be at least 12 years old to apply for ActiveSG, and children below 12 have supplementary membership tagged to the accounts of parents and guardians.

The complimentary ActiveSG $100 will expire on 31 December of the following year after you sign up. For instance, if you were issued ActiveSG dollars on 6 June 2016, it will expire on 31 December 2017.

However, you just need to make one transaction to have it extended another year.

Don't worry, you can still use the facilities at standard rates if you do not have ActiveSG credits.

HOW DO YOU USE YOUR ACTIVESG CREDIT?

No, a government representative is not going to show up at your home and hand you the $100 ActiveSG credits in cash, glorious cash.

First, you need to download the ActiveSG mobile app to your smartphone and register as a member or sign in if you've already done so. Then you'll be able to view your credit balance, browse available facilities and programmes and make bookings on the app.

How do you plan to use your ActiveSG credit? Tell us in the comments!

This article was first published in MoneySmart.SG.