eMart credits are a yearly allowance for SAF kit. They are separate from your cash allowance. You cannot withdraw them or turn them into money. You can only spend them at eMart, on personal and expendable items like admin tees, socks, towels, and running shoes.
Most people forget they have them, then rush to use them before they expire. Don't do that. They are basically free gear.
How many credits you get
Credits depend on your service (Army, Air Force, Navy), vocation, and status. They are pro-rated by your enlistment and ORD dates.
Army
| Status | Credits |
|---|---|
| Active combat vocation | 260 per year |
| Active non-combat vocation | 170 per year |
| Permanent PES E NSF | 120 per year |
| NSman | 113 every 2 years (226 every 4 years) |
| SAFVC volunteer | 50 per completed year of service |
Air Force (RSAF)
| Status | Credits |
|---|---|
| Active combat, Group A | 270 per year |
| Active combat, Group B | 310 per year |
| Active non-combat, Group A | 250 per year |
| Active non-combat, Group B | 350 per year |
| Permanent PES E NSF | 130 per year |
| NSman | 115 every 2 years (230 every 4 years) |
| SAFVC volunteer | 50 per completed year of service |
Navy (RSN)
| Status | Credits |
|---|---|
| Group A | 250 per year |
| Group B | 275 per year |
| Group C | 340 per year |
| Group D | 375 per year |
| NSman | 115 every 2 years (230 every 4 years) |
| SAFVC volunteer | 50 per completed year of service |
Check your exact balance and allocation in the OneNS app or portal.
Expiry and rollover
Credits do not last forever.
- Unused credits can be carried forward once, to the next top-up cycle.
- After that, they expire and are gone.
- So spend older credits first.
You need to be an active NSF, Regular, or NSman to use eMart credits. Allocation is pro-rated by your enlistment and ORD dates. Check your balance and expiry in OneNS.
Is it covered by credits?
eMart items are colour-labelled, so you know how you can pay before you reach the counter.
| Label | What it means |
|---|---|
| Red | Credits only |
| White | Credits or cash |
| Yellow | Cash only |
Some items are credits only (Army No. 4 uniforms, for example), some take either, and some are cash only. Check the label before you assume.
Where you can use them
Credits work at:
- In-camp eMarts
- The commercial Lifestylemart outlets (SAFRA Punggol, The Chevrons, CMPB)
- The OneNS online eMart
Credits do not work at:
- Outside army shops like Black Tactical, the Beach Road army market, or G Military. Those are cash only.
- The Lifestylemart store on Lazada. It sells selected SAF items to the public, but only takes normal Lazada payment, not credits.
See the full list of outlets and addresses on the eMarts and army shops page.
What to buy
Best value is anything you would otherwise pay real money for.
Prices change. The figures below are recent public Lifestylemart and Lazada spot-checks, not your exact OneNS credit price, but they show the ballpark.
| Item | Approx price | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Running shoes (New Balance / ASICS) | $42 to $50 | Biggest bang for your credits |
| Admin / round neck tee | $5 to $6 | Light, comfortable, wear it anywhere |
| Black socks | $2 to $3 a pair | Stock up, never buy socks again |
| Microfibre towel | ~$5 | Gym, travel, swimming |
| Torchlight | ~$7 | Better than your phone torch |
| No. 3 black shoes | low | Works for office and formal wear |
| Multitool | low | Bottle opener, screwdriver, cutter |
| Insect repellent | low | Useful well beyond camp |
| Ear plugs | low | Concerts, flights, light sleepers |
| Kiwi polish and brush | low | If you keep wearing leather shoes |
Quick rule: spend on consumables you will keep using (socks, repellent, polish) and on the expensive stuff (shoes, towel). Skip anything you will never touch in civilian life just to burn credits.
How to order
You have three ways.
Walk-in
- Commercial Lifestylemart outlets (SAFRA Punggol, The Chevrons, CMPB): longer hours, weekends included.
- In-camp eMarts: usually Mon to Fri office hours, and you need camp access.
OneNS online eMart
Order in the OneNS app or portal, then pick self-collection or home delivery.
- Delivery or collection takes 3 to 5 working days from your confirmation email.
- Home delivery costs $12.48 per order, payable with credits or a credit card.
Lifestylemart on Lazada
Selected SAF items, open to the public, 24/7. Next-day delivery, excluding weekends and public holidays.
Note: this channel does not accept eMart credits. You pay with normal Lazada payment methods.
Tips
- Check your balance and expiry in OneNS early, not the week before they expire.
- Spend older credits first.
- Prioritise shoes and towels. They cost the most outside.
- Take care of your issued kit so you are not wasting credits replacing lost items. See saving money in NS.
- Hours and stock change, so call ahead before going down to a specific outlet.
More
- eMarts and army shops: every outlet, address, and the cash-only army shops.
- Saving money in NS: budgeting your allowance.
- NSF allowance: how much you actually get paid.
Last verified: June 2026 against MINDEF AskGov and public Lifestylemart/Lazada listings. Credit prices inside OneNS may differ from the spot-checks above. Confirm your allocation, balance, and expiry in the OneNS app or portal.