Hawker food is part of Singapore’s heritage, and is the place to go to for a spread of local delights without the price tag.
From your favourite Chicken Rice to Wanton Mee and Mee Rebus, wouldn’t it be good to find out the stall that sell the cheapest local fare in Singapore?
The Ministry of Trade of Industry (MTI) has launched a Hawker Guide early last month where you can search for the cheapest hawker dish in Singapore island-wide.
It is user-friendly and you can simply select the hawker dish from their list of budget hawker food.
In this example, Chicken Rice has been selected.
You can then search their database according to their location:
The search results will show the cheapest chicken rice in ascending order.
This is a pretty handy guide that is worth sharing with your friends, or for any visitors that are coming to Singapore! Now at least you know where to get the cheapest Nasi Lemak in Singapore.
According to Investopedia, insurance is a binding contract or policy in which an individual receives reimbursement or financial protection against losses.
When purchasing for an insurance policy in Singapore, look for the best-priced deal that is suitable for you because prices can vary from one company to the next. Furthermore, the policies these companies offer are different. So, beyond the price, it is important to consider other factors as well.
1. FIND THE APPROPRIATE TYPE OF INSURANCE
Determine the situation you are in then, decide what type of insurance is appropriate for you. For instance, you are flying to the other side of the world for 30 days and you are worried that you might fall sick there. Do you get a medical insurance or a travel insurance? Well, if you must know, most travel insurances cover emergency medical bills during your trip too. This is why it is important to make sure you know what you want and you know what the insurance policies entails.
The easiest way to know if you qualify for the insurance policy is to check the age limits placed. If you do not then, you should ask the insurance company if there are flexible steps you could take if you do not meet the age criteria.
Age criteria determine the price and size of the premiums as well as the validity of your claims. Therefore, you must see to it that the policy terms can work for you and your dependents in the long run.
3. STUDY THE POLICY’S EXCLUSIONS AND INCLUSIONS
Before purchasing the insurance product, you need to study what the policy covers and what it does not. For instance, if you are going to buy a life insurance for your family, ask about the beneficiaries. Can you include your children and your spouse but not your parents? Again, flexibility of the policy is a factor to consider here.
4. SAVE MORE WITH ADDITIONAL BENEFITS
You can save more money if there are additional benefits attached to the insurance policy. For instance, MSIG Insurance Singapore is offering an additional 10% discount if you purchased a Travel Insurance as a group of 6-10 persons while you will get up to 15% off as a group of 11-20 persons (Terms & Conditions apply). Isn’t that amazing?
5. EXAMINE THE WAITING OR DEFERMENT PERIOD
Waiting period is the period of time before you can receive the insurance compensations after you made your claims. For example, if your motorcycle is crashed during the lengthy waiting period, you will have to find other methods of transport until it is replaced.
While, deferment period is the period of time you cannot make a claim because the insurance company has yet to make payments. For example, you fall ill in the midst deferment period then, you will have to fork the payment yourself.
Image Credits: Alan Cleaver via Flickr
These situations highlight the essence of examining whether you are comfortable with the waiting or deferment period set by the insurance company.
Given the legion of car models available in Singapore, settling on a final purchase decision is no easy feat. Indeed, it is both time-consuming and cumbersome to test-drive the myriad of cars to make an informed choice.
However, relying on time-honoured brands, word of mouth and (preferably independently produced) statistics could effectively pose as practical shortcuts to the lengthy decision-making process.
Additionally, the flowchart below serves to aid you in identifying the specific car attributes that fit your personal wants. Nonetheless, it is imperative to understand and assess yourself such that your behavioural, social and physical wants can be adequately supported by your financial ability.
Let us face it! Your addiction to cosmetics is not doing any good to your wallet. The good news is that there are affordable hacks and cheaper alternatives out there! You just need to have the patience to find them. All in the name of beauty, here is the Make-up Addict’s Guide To Saving Money In Singapore…
1. BE FAMILIAR WITH THE BRANDS
According to an experienced make-up artist in Singapore named Nat K., the awesome and affordable beauty brands in the city are:
a. COLLECTION
With a huge public demand in United Kingdom, Collection finally made its way to Singapore. Beauty gurus on YouTube have adored their Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer that covers blemishes and flaws for up to 16 hours. So, a little application of this creamy tube can go a long way. It comes in four colors namely: light, fair, medium, and dark. It retails for S$14.90.
Aside from this, Nat recommends for you try their assorted glitter liners, as they are the best she had found. Their product prices range from S$8.90 to S$21.90.
b. CATRICE
Another brand hailing from Europe is Catrice. Catrice boats with a huge following in Switzerland and Germany. This is probably because for cheaper brands, their formulations are great as well as their packaging. The packing is sleek and minimalist. Their product prices range from S$4-13.
c. ESSENCE
A brand owned by the same European company as Catrice, essence is raved hugely in United States and Australia. This is probably the most affordable of all the brands in the list with its prices ranging from S$2.50-7.90. But, do not let the price fool you about its quality. The quality is shockingly good.
Since, one of my all-time favorite beauty products is mascara, I shall recommend the I <3 Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara. The mascara’s wand is bigger than others but you will find it easier to maneuver. The staying power is good in both warm and cold weather. The Essence I <3 Extreme Crazy Volume Mascara gives your lashes length, thickness, and darkness to increase its volume. Best of all? It retails for only S$5.50!
d. NYX
NYX has a wide array of affordable beauty products but I am personally in love with their lipsticks and lip-gloss. Whether it is matte, soft matte, or creamy, and their products are smooth and well pigmented. I have almost all of their butter glosses and I have to tell you…they smell nice! Nat shares that there blushes are both gorgeous and varied. Their product prices range from S$9-20.
2. KNOW WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM
You guessed it! The cheaper brands are available at your local pharmacies such as Guardian and Watsons. However, NYX is available at Sephora and Watsons stores. Aside from these places, some online sellers (e.g, in Carousell) and flea markets carry these brands. To save you time and money, you just have to do your research before heading to town.
3. LENGTHEN YOUR PRODUCT’S LIFE SPAN
Maximize the longevity of your beauty product by:
a. Use every last drop of your BB or CC cream by cutting the plastic bottle into half and squeezing out the leftovers.
b. Store your oil-based products such as foundations and lipsticks in the fridge to make it last longer. This is because products with oil eventually go rancid in time.
c. I am a lipstick addict and seeing a broken lipstick, break my heart too. Not anymore! Fix smashed or broken lippies by heating them up quickly with a hairdryer or a match (full instructions – here).
4. TRY THESE ALTERNATIVES
Another way to save as a make-up addict is to find budget-friendly options for the lavish products she or he desires. For instance, if you want to get fuller and longer looking lashes, you may simply put baby powder on your mascara.
Also, you can make your own lip-gloss by mixing eyeshadow pigments with petroleum jelly. Lastly, you can find the pretty alternatives for the MAC lipsticks you have been eyeing on:
No matter what your position in life now, you need to understand that your earlier choices affect (i.e., make or break) your financial situation a few years down the road. This is why it is important to consider the 5 Essential Steps To Aid Your Financial Security At 30s…
1. KNOW THE IMPORTANCE OF PLANNING
Study has shown that those who plan for their future retire with more wealth than those who do not. Being goal oriented is one of the characteristics of a successful person. Aside from setting up goals, you must develop a realistic plan to achieve them.
Writing down 2 short-term and 2 long-term goals is the first step to financial freedom.
2. VALUE FINANCIAL LITERACY
Money management and investing are lifelong ventures. There can be a lot happening during that time such as inflation or unemployment. You must make objective decisions that are beneficial for your financial goals while considering these momentary hurdles. It only makes sense that the more knowledgeable and experienced you are in money matters, the fewer mistakes you will commit.
Read and understand materials about self-empowerment, investment, and money management. Here are some books to get you started with:
“The Intelligent Investor” by Benjamin Graham
“Why Stocks Go Up and Down” by William Pike
“Turning Pro” by Steven Pressfield
“Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits” by Philip Fisher
3. BEFRIEND TIME MANAGEMENT
I understand that some jobs require you to do overtime – most of the time. But striking a balance between your work and personal time is important to prevent stress and occupational burnout. Furthermore, you need to enjoy yourself while you are young. When are you planning to go for “sky diving” anyway? When your vision and muscles are optimum at your 20s or on your 75th birthday?
Befriend time by managing your sleeping hours and cutting down unnecessary activities that shorten your sleeping time like playing Smartphone apps. Also, you must remember balance your present spending with your future ones too. For instance, if your goal is to save money for your house then, do you really have to splurge on designer bags now? You cannot spend today as if it was your last.
4. BORROW MONEY WISELY
A witty strategy to start before you hit your 30s is to practice spending the money you already have by avoiding the use of credit cards. And in case you need to borrow money, keep in mind that you shall never borrow to finance a lifestyle you cannot afford! The constant borrowing to attain the “Luxurious Kardashian Lifestyle” will only pile up your credit, increase the cost of living, and save no money for investing.
Ideally, borrowing money must be used for investment purposes only wherein the gain outweighs the loan expenses such as investing for your education or for a house.
5. REFLECT ON YOUR CPF MONEY
Nearing your 30s without unforeseen emergencies would mean that you have a substantial amount of money in your CPF account. On average, your CPF account should reach approximately 5 digits (e.g., S$20,000). That said, you must reflect on productive ways you can use your CPF money namely: retirement fund, housing fund, investments, education, and insurances.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)
Certainly, the CPF account increases your financial assets.
