Save on Commuting Costs with OwnGiftcard

Exciting news from our development team! We’ve expanded the Smartum OwnGiftcard’s uses to now include a commuting benefit. It means you can now purchase OwnGiftcard using your commute benefits.

Up until now, OwnGiftcard could be used for massage benefits and fitness and cultural activities. Now, we’ve broadened its possibilities to give you even more flexibility to use it in ways that best fit your needs.

With OwnGiftcard, you’ll also extend your benefits’ validity period by three months. The new validity period is counted from the day your orginal benefit would expire.

Read more from this blog: Extend the validity of your benefits with Smartum OwnGiftcard

Manage daily expenses with the Commuting Benefit

As the cost of living rises and ticket prices increase nationwide, employers face a challenge: How can they encourage remote-working employees to come into the office when commuting not only costs time but also a significant amount of money?

In the Helsinki area, for example, public transit ticket prices will increase by 8% starting January 1, 2025. Other public transportation providers are also increasingly using dynamic pricing models.

Dynamic pricing means that the fare is higher for more popular routes and closer to the travel date.

Use the Commuting Benefit for personal trips

An employer can cover thousands of euros in commuting costs for employees tax-free, with an annual tax-free limit of up to €3,400.

You can also use the commuting benefit for personal trips. 

Employee benefits provide more than just financial value—they’re also advantageous for employees as they come without payroll taxes. For employees, these benefits add extra value since they’re a tax-free form of reward, within the limits set by the tax authority.

Read more from our Help Center: Help Center: Commute benefit

How do I purchase OwnGiftcard?

The easiest way is through the “Accounts” section in the SmartumPay app. Just make sure you are using the latest app version of SmartumPay so that you can access the newest features. Alternatively, if you’ve received an email from us, you can follow the link there.

Once you have purchased the OwnGiftcard, you can see its details on the SmartumPay app. Pay purchases the same way you do it by using your benefits.

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How to purchase OwnGiftcard

You can purchase the OwnGiftcard through the SmartumPay app. Click the button below or just follow these three simple steps:

1. Make sure your app is updated to the latest version, as purchasing the gift card works best with the newest app version.
2.  The app will offer you the option to purchase an OwnGiftcard in the Accounts view four month before your benefits are about to expire. Note! The option to purchase an OwnGiftcard is provided separately for each benefit that is about to expire, so you don’t need to worry about accidentally purchasing an OwnGiftcard with a benefit that still has time left to use.
3. Select the amount, the type of gift card, and slide the Pay slider. That’s it!

With Smartum Saldo benefits, you can purchase OwnGiftcard 1 month before your benefit expires.