MegaLink offers shopping convenience

MANILA, Philippines - Doing some panic shopping? Relax, there’s still time for hassle-free holidays with these tips from MegaLink, the country’s pioneer in shared ATM services.

• Plan ahead for big expenses. Take a tip from Santa and check your list twice. The to-do list, guest list, gift list and menu will all have a corresponding budget that you should prepare for.

• Check due dates for bills payment and settle them before the holiday starts. Be a step ahead and pay for bills early. Bills payment for utilities, credit cards, insurance premiums and even tuition fees are accepted at MegaLink ATMs.

• Use MegaLink POS services for cashless shopping. Your MegaLink ATM card can be used for payments in supermarkets, groceries, department stores and other merchant establishments with MegaLink POS terminals. Purchases will automatically be debited from your account. Just look for the MegaLink Logo to identify participating merchant establishments.

• Know the contact details of your bank. MegaLink member banks have ATM monitoring teams or ATM hotlines that are ready to extend customer support. Get your bank’s holiday schedule and contact details. You should also have your card and account number on hand when making inquiries. It is highly recommended that you only ask for assistance from bank personnel on ATM-related inquiries.

• Secure your PIN. It’s been said before but never done enough. Memorize your personal identification number for ATM transactions and keep it safe. Many unauthorized transactions are preventable by securing your PIN.

• Use fund transfer. MegaLink ATMs can enable cardholders to transfer money in real time to accounts in other accredited MegaLink banks. In a MegaLink ATM, choose “Other Services” then “Funds Transfer” and follow the directions on the ATM screen.

Spend a worry-free Christmas season by keeping these holiday tips in mind.   MegaLink members have undertaken activities to ensure that cardholders can transact conveniently at the ATMs. These include ensuring that sufficient cash is loaded at the ATM; having on-call bank personnel to load cash to ATMs; and monitoring and servicing of ATMs during the holidays.