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Saving money in Bahrain: cards, pay later and supermarket offers

Country guideBahrainLast checked

The short answer

You can save in Bahrain by using the right card, comparing supermarket flyers and checking pay later terms before you split a payment. The standard VAT rate is 10%. This page links to our detailed guides.

Quick facts

Currency
Bahraini dinar (BHD) (source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Bahrain other taxes)
VAT
10% standard rate (source: PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Bahrain other taxes)
Pay later app covered
Tamara (source: Tamara Kuwait (list of countries))

What to know about prices and VAT

PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries says Bahrain implemented VAT on 1 January 2019 and that the current standard rate is 10%. Certain goods and services can be zero-rated or exempt, and the rules differ by item.

At 10%, VAT is a visible part of what you pay. Check the receipt to see the VAT line, and note that a shop's discount may be taken before or after VAT.

Cards and cashback

Most savings in Bahrain come from using the right card for the right shop. Many cards give a higher cashback rate or points on groceries, fuel, dining or online shopping, and some have a minimum monthly spend before the higher rate applies. Others cap the cashback you can earn in a month.

The details change often, so read your card's current terms from your bank. Look for four things: the categories that earn more, the minimum monthly spend, the monthly cap in BHD, and what the card excludes, such as rent, fees or utility bills. If you hold two or three cards, write down which one is best for which kind of shop.

Our Visa offers and Mastercard offers guides explain how to find card offers and how to read their small print. An offer usually has an end date and a list of shops that qualify, so check both before you pay.

Think about timing too. Some cards count spending from the statement date, not the calendar month, so a purchase at the end of the month may land in the next cycle. Keep a note of your statement date and of how much you have spent so far in BHD, so you know whether you are near a minimum or a cap before a big purchase.

Do not spend more just to earn a reward. Cashback of a few percent is only worth it on money you would have spent anyway. Pay the card balance in full each month, because interest on an unpaid balance can cost more than the cashback earns.

Memberships, loyalty cards and discounts

Besides bank cards, shops in Bahrain run their own loyalty cards, and some employers, clubs or banks offer discount schemes. Each one has its own rules about who can join, which shops take part and how long points last. Always check the current terms from the scheme itself. Memberships that are only for people in the UAE, such as Fazaa, Esaad or Homat Al Watan, do not apply in Bahrain.

If you carry several cards, the easy mistake is forgetting one at the till. Keep the digital version on your phone where the scheme allows it. Fawz keeps your membership cards on your phone, and only sends them to us if you choose.

At the till, ask which discount applies. Sometimes a loyalty discount and a card offer can be combined, and sometimes only one counts. The cashier or the shop's terms will tell you.

Supermarket offers and flyers

Groceries are the shop most people visit every week, so small differences add up. Supermarkets in Bahrain publish flyers with weekly deals, and the same item can have a different price at each chain. A flyer price is only valid for the dates printed on it, and often only while stock lasts.

Our guide to supermarket flyers in Bahrain explains how the weekly deals work, and our Lulu and Carrefour guides explain how to read their offers and loyalty schemes. Compare unit prices, such as the price per kilo or per litre, rather than the headline price on a pack. A larger pack is not always cheaper per unit.

Loyalty cards at supermarkets can add small extras, such as points or member prices. Ask at the till what a card gives you, and check how long points stay valid. Prices in the flyer may already include the discount, so do not count it twice. A simple habit helps. Before the weekly shop, check the flyers for the three or four items you buy most, then pay with the card that earns the most on groceries.

Pay later with Tamara

Tamara's Kuwait page lists Bahrain among the countries it operates in. The same page says its stores are currently available across Saudi Arabia and the UAE, so we could not confirm which shops accept Tamara in Bahrain. Look for it at checkout, and read the plan and terms before you pay.

Tamara's websites say no late fees, though repeated delays can lead to account suspension and an effect on credit. Our Tamara guide has the details. Pay later spreads the cost. It does not lower the price.

A simple saving routine

  • Know which card earns the most for groceries, fuel and dining.
  • Check your monthly spend against any minimum your card needs.
  • Check supermarket flyers before the weekly shop.
  • Compare unit prices, not pack prices.
  • Ask at the till which discount applies.
  • Plan big purchases ahead, so you can check offers and spend caps first.
  • Check the total on the receipt before you leave the till.

How Fawz helps

Fawz is not released yet, and you can join the waiting list. When it is out, it suggests which of your cards or memberships to use at the till, tracks minimum monthly spend and caps so you hit the higher cashback rate, and compares supermarket flyer prices so you see where an item is cheapest.

Fawz also plans big purchases across your cards. It never stores card numbers or bank logins and never reads SMS.

Join the waiting list

Questions people ask

What is the VAT rate in Bahrain?

10%, according to PwC's Worldwide Tax Summaries. VAT was implemented on 1 January 2019.

Is Tamara available in Bahrain?

Tamara's Kuwait page lists Bahrain among its countries, but we could not confirm which shops accept it. Look for it at checkout.

Is Tabby available in Bahrain?

We could not confirm this from an official Tabby page, so we do not cover it.

How can I save on groceries in Bahrain?

Compare weekly flyers for your regular items, check unit prices, and use the card that earns most on groceries. See our Bahrain supermarket flyers guide.

Where do I find Visa and Mastercard offers?

Our Visa offers and Mastercard offers guides explain how to find them. Confirm the current terms in your bank's app.

Do pay later apps save money?

No. They split the payment, but the price stays the same.

Sources

  1. PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: Bahrain other taxestaxsummaries.pwc.com
  2. Tamara Kuwait (list of countries)tamara.co

Last checked . Terms change, so check the current terms before you rely on an offer.

All guides for Bahrain

  • Discount membership cards across the GCC

    Discount and benefit cards across the GCC: Fazaa, Esaad, Homat Al Watan and Sanad in the UAE, and where we could not confirm a public equivalent elsewhere.

    MembershipUAEQatarSaudi ArabiaKuwaitBahrainOman

  • Cheapest groceries in Bahrain with weekly flyers

    How to find the cheapest groceries in Bahrain with weekly flyers: LuLu, HyperMax, Al Jazira, Nesto, Ramez and others, unit prices in BHD and practical tips.

    SupermarketBahrain

  • LuLu Hypermarket in the GCC

    LuLu offers across the GCC: how the free Happiness rewards programme works, where to find the weekly flyers, how the LuLu app works and simple ways to save.

    SupermarketUAEQatarSaudi ArabiaKuwaitBahrainOman

  • Mastercard Priceless Specials offers in the Gulf

    How Mastercard Priceless Specials works for cardholders in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, plus Priceless in Qatar: cards, redeeming, limits.

    CardUAEQatarSaudi ArabiaBahrainOmanKuwait

  • Minimum spend and cashback caps, explained

    What minimum spend and cashback caps mean on a credit card, a worked AED example, and why using the right card at the right shop changes what you earn.

    CardUAEQatarSaudi ArabiaKuwaitBahrainOman

  • Tamara in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain

    How Tamara split payments work in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain: what Tamara says about late fees, who can use it, where, and tips.

    Pay laterUAESaudi ArabiaKuwaitBahrain

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