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Nowadays, everywhere from vegetable vendors to malls, we just take out our phones and do UPI. And the fun comes when after payment a notification of a ‘scratch card’ or ‘reward’ appears on the mobile screen. We feel happy that “Come on, we saved some money!” But are you really saving? Nowadays, most apps give you ‘Coins’ or points instead of giving you cash directly. And this is where the whole game happens. If you want to be a smart user, then you have to understand the mathematics behind cashback. 1. Identify the ‘real value’ of coins (The Coin Math) Often apps claim that you will get 2% reward. You think that if you spend Rs 100, you will get back Rs 2. But what do you get? ‘200Coins’. Now here’s the catch. In some apps, 1 coin means 1 rupee, which is great. But in many apps, the price of 1 coin is only 40 paise or even less. That is, you will feel that you have thousands of coins in your wallet, but when you go to spend them, their value will turn out to be like cumin in the camel’s mouth. Therefore, before making any big payment, definitely check what is the coin rate of that app. If you want to save money immediately, then choose those apps which give ‘instant cashback’ and not future promises. 2. Where do you earn more by spending? Not every expenditure gives the same benefit. Experts say that if you pay wisely, you can get good savings throughout the year: Bumper benefit: If you are booking a flight, buying a movie ticket, ordering food online or buying clothes and shoes, then apps open their treasury. These things (Lifestyle Categories) get the highest rewards and huge discounts. A little less, but important: Companies give less cashback on things like electricity bill, water bill or mobile recharge because these are ‘essential expenses’. You’ll fill them anyway. Still, do compare because sometimes you get good commission on bill payment. Secret of online shopping: You must have seen that shopkeepers give more discount on prepaid (UPI) payment in online shopping. The reason for this is that their risk and expenses increase in ‘cash on delivery’. So if you want a discount, then choose prepaid payment option. 3. Don’t forget security in greed: Sometimes we make huge mistakes in the pursuit of freebies. Do not click on any unknown link while trying to claim the reward. Golden Rule: Remember, you never have to enter your UPI PIN to receive cashback or money. The PIN is only for giving money, not for taking it. Keep only trusted apps in your phone and keep them updated. So the next time an app tempts you with ‘5000 coins’, first take out the calculator and calculate that How much real cash is he getting?