According to the recent survey by Freelancers Union, 44% of the participants (freelancers) reported problems with getting paid. Some are even tracking their clients for owning more than S$13,000 (US$10,000). Yes! Getting paid is one of the most frustrating and stressful aspects of being a freelancer.
In a world of fixed expenses and variable income, the stress of a freelancer comes when they have to deal with stubborn clients. While frustration arises when the client piles up more work when you still have not gotten paid yet.
Although this dilemma can be overwhelming at times, find fulfillment with this clever plan to get what you de$erve:
GET PAID FIRST
For your first client, shall you charge a flat rate or shall you give a discount? No matter what you choose to do, do not start working until you get upfront. This is the best case scenario!
As cash flow is the core of most freelancers, you do not want your finances to crash just because of the debt of your clients. Ask them to pay at least two weeks in advance before you commence your work to avoid chasing for your clients.
REQUIRE A DOWN-PAYMENT
If your client cannot pay upfront due to valuable reasons, consider requiring a down-payment to send a message that you mean serious business. As a newbie in the field, it is understandable to feel uncomfortable as you do not want to make demands that could ruin the new relationship you have with your client. I felt the same way in the first few months. However, like any professional services firm, you must require a down-payment to ensure that your client is capable of paying you.
SET A SCHEDULE FOR PAYMENTS
It is better to stick with a billing schedule to keep track of everything. Whether you would like to send the invoice every month or bi-weekly, you must bill on time. To put things in perspective, you may treat your client’s payment as something you can deduct to your credit. For example, deduct the “total bi-weekly due amount” to the credit pool upon making an invoice for it. This way, you are giving more importance to time and money management.
SEND A FRIENDLY REMINDER
For late payments, act immediately by sending a friendly reminder to your client. Give him and her the benefit of the doubt by assuming that the lack of payment is due to a mistake, medical reason, or an oversight. That is all it takes to get paid – sometimes.
PUT EVERYTHING IN WRITING
To prevent the unwanted “late payment scenario”, you need to have a contract that defines when you will get paid and includes a clause for when you do not get paid on time. In your contract, you must guarantee that…
a. the client does not own anything they have not paid for,
b. the client will be charged with an interest for overdue invoices, and
c. the court shall give you the right to get your money back.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
This binding contract protects you in case legal matters arise.
Three months ago, social workers observed that there were more senior citizens who had been cheated or financially abused by their own children. There were some cases where the children would manage their parents’ money and end up taking their savings for themselves. While others trick their parents into selling their homes and leave them homeless. This is the sad truth that we have to swallow!
However, if you belong to the fraction of people who love their parents and want to take care of them from the goodness of your heart, consider these 5 Ways To Manage Your Elderly Parents’ Money:
1. DISCUSS ABOUT THEIR NEEDS AND GOALS
You have one task – to organize your elderly parents’ financial life. Know what issues or topics to discuss that will aid this task. Due to the declines in someone’s body as they age, topping the list is healthcare. You must introduce the advantages of life insurance, medical insurance, or long-term care coverage policies. Also, talk about estate and other assets. Having a last will and testament ready is a crucial thing. Then, talk about what they want to accomplish with their money.
Emphasize on the benefits of the talk and speak with love. Delaying the talk will only be more expensive because as health declines, premium prices increase.
2. DO YOUR RESEARCH
After seeing eye to eye on the important topics, you must prepare the documents needed. These documents are the bank statements, credit card bills, tax records, investment accounts, insurance policies, and so on. Review their current financial situation with these documents. Then put these in one safe place such as a relatively small safe deposit box at home. Grant access only to the people who are really trusted (e.g., the lawyer or immediate family members).
3. IMPLEMENT A MONTHLY PROCESS
Each month you must ensure that their bills are paid, their income are accessible, and their living comfortably.
To pay recurring bills automatically, some banks enable automatic transfer of payments. Use this system to pay for credit card bills, loans, and rent. To make their income from investments accessible, help them set up direct deposits. Lastly, to help them live comfortably, you must review their financial activities each month.
4. PROTECT THEM FROM SCAMS
From fake contractors to reverse mortgage scams, con artists of today had come up with more sophisticated ways to fool elderly people to get money or to sign away equity on their homes. Aside from this, handphone scams are on the rise. Common handphone scams occur when an unknown number contacts you and tells you to collect your prize or to pay for your kidnapped relative.
This is why it is vital to keep your parents updated with the newest scams. Visit Scams Singapore – a blog dedicated to identify and relay information about the existing frauds.
5. GIVE THEM ALLOWANCE
Protected by the law, senior citizens who are unable to sustain their lifestyle can apply to the court in order for their children to provide a monthly allowance. With the Maintenance of Parents Act, you have a responsibility to support your elderly parents. Instead of providing them with a certain percentage of your pay, it is good that you discussed their spending needs and goals first.
Traditional Thai-styled steamboat or Mookata, has been gaining popularity in Singapore over the years. Besides being able to enjoy your grill meats on a charcoal domed skillet, you can cook your vegetables, noodles and fishballs simultaneously with the broth in the hotpot.
Imagine having the pork lard and other flavours from your food dripping into your soup, and the homemade Thai chilli sauce where you can dip your barbecued meat in — there’s no better way to fill your stomach with a group of friends or a dinner with your family members!
Customers can usually order ala-carte dishes or a combo platter which can serve 2 to 3 pax. Unfortunately, Singaporeans simply don’t like the idea of limiting ourselves when it comes to good food.
We have round up 5 restaurants in Singapore that serve cheap and good mookata buffet where you can enjoy without breaking the bank.
1. Aroy Mak Mookata
Eat-all-you-can Mookata Buffet
‘Aroy Mak’ stands for ‘very delicious’ in Thai. Founded in 2013, Aroy Mak Mookata has gained a loyal followings over the years. Known for its eat-all-you-can Mookata buffet, it is the place to go to if you are near the Macpherson area.
Their Mookata buffet is priced at $17.80 nett (U.P $25.80) and there are over 40 dishes for you to choose from. The owner also boasts about its secret recipe marinade from Chiang Rai for their BBQ meats. They also have a premium category in their menu where you can choose from items such as fresh oysters, bamboo clam, nz mussels, air flown salmon and more. Did i also mention Wagyu Beef and Slipper Lobster?
The restaurant is also air-conditioned for your dining comfort. You can also enjoy a free Thai milk tea when you share their Facebook page.
Buffet Price: $17.80 nett on weekdays / $20.80 for Fri-Sun, including eve of and on PH
Venue: 510 Macpherson Road
Operating hours: 5pm - 12.45am daily
Reservation: 8161 9780, 9382 1038
2. Soi 51 Mookata
Voted top 10 Mookata restaurants in 美食大PK by UFM100.3, Soi 51 Mookata boasts an extensive menu of over 60 dishes. Their meat items are marinated with different spices such as black pepper, spicy and garlic. Seafood includes item such as scallop, bamboo clam, flower crabs. You should also try their raved after homemade chilli sauce which are so good that you can buy them in bottles at $5 each.
Huge spread at Soi 51 Mookata
When we shared about their reopening at Guillemard Road last year, it has garnered over 7K shares. This time round, the owner has informed that they will be opening their 2nd outlet at Yishun and they will be offering their Mookata buffet at promotional price of $20 (U.P $22) for only one month, from 1 – 30 Apr. Pay with a Kopitiam Card and enjoy a further discount of 10% off — priced at $18!
Mookata is one of the pioneer of traditional Thai BBQ and has been around since 2011. They opened their first outlet along East Coast Road, and has slowly expanded to 3 outlets in Singapore — with the other 2 outlets in ORTO and Bugis Junction.
Besides having an extensive menu in their restaurants, their condiments were homemade to 3 different level of spiciness — from the mild to the most spicy.
When they recently announced that they are offering buffets for these 2 new outlets, they had good response. What drew our attention was the $18.90++ buffet at Bugis Junction. Where can you dine in an air-conditioned outlet located in a shopping mall at such affordable price? The catch is the offer is only from 11:30am to 4pm, from Monday to Friday. Not too bad if you are looking for a place to lunch or have an early dinner.
You can even enjoy an additional 5% off your total bill when you snap, tag, and share your Mookata facebook post.
Huay Kwang Thai Kitchen has 2 outlets in Singapore: one at Thomson that opens from 5.30pm to 2am and another one at Jalan Besar from 6pm to 6am. The restaurant uses a charcoal stove which brings out the flavour as compared to electric pots.
They have recently introduced a “Value Mak Mak” Ala Carte Buffet which is priced at only $19.90/pax on weekdays, and it comes with free flow house drinks when you like and share their page. You can view the menu here.
If you are looking for a no frills dining, Oinkata might be what you are looking for. The shop’s interior is more of a minimalist with dark furnishings but that said, they don’t compromise on the quality of their food and services. Located along Prinsep St (opposite Playnation), Oinkata has pretty good reviews from its customers.
They have recently launched a new promotion for their self-service all-you-can-eat-buffet. Priced at around $18.20 nett if you come in a group of 4 (or $19 nett if 2 pax) Their buffet comes with free flow ice cream and syrup drinks. You can top up $3 to enjoy premium items such as Mock Abalone and Baby Oysters as well as enjoying free flow Thai Milk Tea.
For those who are coming after 2.30am from Monday to Saturday can enjoy their buffet at only $16 nett.
According to Investopedia, a startup is a company that it is in its first stage of operations. The founders of a startup often attempt to make money by developing product or service that they deem to be in demand. Startups are all about finding a market and a business model that works.
And since you are a newbie in the field, here are 5 essential financial tips that you must keep in mind:
1. GET A CLEAR IDEA OF THE TOTAL COSTS
The costs of the business depend on its scale. Say you and your spouse are the founders of an online company in a basic office setting. You would need to pay these expenses (approximately):
Office Rent = S$500/month
Tables, Chairs, and Office Supplies = S$400
Internet Access = S$150/ Month
Salary = S$2,500 /Month
Company Registration = S$100
As a startup, you must think of ways to minimize your cost by comparing prices and doing in-depth research.
2. VALUE EXPERIENCES
Degree and certificate qualifications seen on your C.V. are important but so does your experience. Experiencing both failure and success in the field determines whether you are suited for the market and whether you are passionate about what you do. Especially in the Silicon Valley or Tech World, experience matters massively. Bringing seasoned managers and talent is not only critical to your success but is also worth every cent.
3. ONLY HIRE PEOPLE WHEN YOU NEED THEM
As a startup, you are testing every aspect of your business including the amount of labor necessary. Do really a marketing team or can you handle the marketing aspect by yourself? Instead of hiring professionals to do the job for you, you can commit several hours in developing skills.
And when you decide to hire help, good sources of quality yet low-cost labor are university or polytechnic interns. If you are willing to supervise and devote your time to training, both of you can benefit from the experience. Think about it! You are giving a worthwhile experience and good recommendation for the intern while the business is receiving low-cost (and sometimes free) services.
You can also consider outsourcing your accounting matters to a cloud accounting firm such as Cloud CFO that provide cloud accounting services in Singapore for your company at a fraction of the cost.
4. MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR TAXES
You are bound to pay your taxes even as a small startup. Otherwise, you will have to face penalties and additional interest from the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS). Also, you shall organize the allocation of money to pay taxes on time to avoid the extra fee of late payment.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (CC0 Public Domain)
5. GET PAID FIRST
One of the dilemmas you will encounter as a first-time founder is getting your clients to pay for the job. Shall you charge a flat rate or shall you give a discount? No matter what you decide to do, do not start working until you get paid first.
As cash flow is the core of startups, you do not want your company to crash just because of the debt of your clients. To avoid chasing your clients, ask them to pay at least two weeks in advance before you commence your work.
The focal point of the financial and commercial centers in Singapore is called the Central Business District (CBD). To name a few, CBD includes Raffles Place, River Valley, Orchard, and Outram. Some of the most prestigious organizations both local and international have their offices compressed in this area.
Since most of the people here are hard-working employees, it is ideal to take a rejuvenating break every once in a while. If you agree, consider these nearby affordable places:
RULE OF THUMB
Close to the business offices is a neat and modern spa called Rule of Thumb. Do you want to see the spa for yourself? Click here for a panoramic view of the interior.
Price range for 60 minutes Shiatsu, Deep Tissue, Relaxation, Back, or Body Scrub is S$55-S$60. While add-on services such as cupping, ear candling, and magic light therapy are only S$15. Stuck at work? Worry not. It is opened until 4 am every day!
Located at 41 Beach Road, Manicurious may just be a woman’s paradise. It is a unique store that combines a nail salon with a cafe corner and a retail section offering shoes, accessories, and handbags. The interior of the store is relaxing, vintage, and neat. You will surely feel cozy in their armchairs while you choose from an array of polish colors. Their reasonable service prices (e.g., express manicure or nail shaping) start at S$6-18 while add-ons (e.g., hand scrub or quick dry) prices start at S$3-8.
What’s more? They have 10% off nail services from Monday to Thursday at 11 am-4 pm (T&C apply).
Image Credits: facebook.com/manicurious
Location: 41 Beach Road, Singapore 189680
TRADITIONAL JAVANESE MASSAGE HUT
As the name implies, Traditional Javanese Massage Hut offers an ancient system of oil massage by predominantly using strokes with strong thumb pressure to ease joint and muscle fatigue and soreness. There are five types that costs S$65 for 60 minutes. These are Hut 67 (signature service that is highly recommended), Smooth and Soothe, Back Breaker, Tired Feet, and Stress Buster.
Location: 415 River Valley Road, Singapore 248314
PHYSIQUE
Reach your body’s finest state with the services provided by Physique. Aside from the Cryotherapy they are known for, they also offer “power nap services”
Physique offers the one of a kind cold therapy called Cryotherapy. But they also offer power nap services. Upon paying S$28 for 30 minutes, you will be placed on a recliner and given free access on leisure items such as iPad and magazines. Enjoy a nap within your “own” space by calling 6532 0777 for an appointment.
Anna Agoncillo
MoneyDigest
