MoneyDigest - Personal Finance, Lifestyle, Money Saving Tips

4 pet-friendly hotels in Singapore with special staycation packages for your furkids

Think traveling overseas with your furry companions is a hassle?

Look local!

If you’re searching for pet-friendly hotels to enjoy a staycation with your furkids, we have options.

Take a look at these special staycation packages designed specifically for both you and your four-legged friends.

Capella Singapore

What about a relaxing spa-cation at Capella Singapore?

This is where your fur kid can enjoy an Ayurvedic Spa session while you indulge in an intuitive 90-minute massage.

This paw-some package includes accommodation of your choice (subject to availability), daily in-room breakfast for two, and complimentary parking and is valid through to 21 December 2024 (blackout dates apply).

The VIP pet treatment includes an Addiction Pet Foods welcome pack and a cozy bed so your pet feels right at home.

Let your pet enjoy the spa life while you recharge your batteries.

Intercontinental Singapore

Or pamper your precious pooch with Intercontinental Singapore’s lavish Pet Getaway.

Check into a spacious Classic Heritage Wing Room or Heritage Suite with an outdoor porch and be greeted with a welcome basket of pet amenities including plush beds, towels, water bottles, treats, and waste bags.

Your furry friend will enjoy gourmet dog snacks from the exclusive pet-friendly menu and relax on their plush bed while you indulge in the in-room breakfast spread.

This one-night staycation is THE luxury experience for you and your four-legged family member.

So check out of the daily grind and check into a paw-some stay!

Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa

Treat your furry friend to a staycation at the Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa with Furkid Offers.

Your feline friend can enjoy a cozy Pampered Meow Room overlooking the garden with fun cat furniture and a gourmet meal prepared with premium human-grade ingredients.

The deluxe room features a cat climber, rattan pet bed, litter box, scratch box, water fountain, and bowls for a pawfect getaway.

Or as part of the Pampered Paws staycation package, you will receive accommodation for you and your furkid of any size along with a furkid welcome amenity kit featuring treats, wet food, chews, wipes, and more.

Your pet will be pampered from check-in to check-out with quality service and amenities.

Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa

Last but not least, consider spending a day of paws-ative luxury at the Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa with their FurKid Retreat.

Your four-legged friend can play to their heart’s content in the outdoor areas, all while you lounge by Tanjong Beach.

Your stay includes breakfast and dinner for two at Kwee Zeen restaurant, a pet amenity box filled with furry goodies from Silversky, and a pet bed and bowl.

Personalized photography services are available so you can capture precious memories to take home.

From $578++ per night with one furkid, this furry retreat also welcomes additional pets for $120++ per pet, per night.

Indulge in the pet-friendly hospitality offered by these four hotels. These accommodations cater to both you and your furry companions with their amenities, services, and special packages for furkids. We’re sure it’s going to be a tail-wagging experience for your beloved buddies!

Latest WFH internships posted from 18 to 21 March 2024

Looking for an internship to boost your on-the-job practical experience?

We might have just the remote opportunities for you this week.

Take a look!

#1: FiftyFull – Social Media Intern

Website: fiftyfull.com.sg

Allowance / Remuneration: $800 monthly

Job Qualifications

A team player
Not afraid of doing things differently
Willing to take risks
Up to date with recent trends, culture, and the latest ad campaigns
Solid knowledge of how advertising works in general
Good digital and social skills

Key Responsibilities

To play a supporting role to your Senior Account Manager and Social Media Manager.
To collaborate with the different internal team members to create and deliver best-in-class social media and content-driven campaigns for clients. (you’re not just limited to social campaigns, with us, you will learn from a myriad of different client accounts spanning across different channels)
To liaise with clients to get the approval of campaigns and content, understand their changing needs, and adapt the approach to social media management for them accordingly
To strategize and plan content
To create, schedule, and distribute the content – with boosted posts and paid media
To manage the community and monitor online conversations
To deep-dive into social media analytics to gather actionable insights and generate monthly reports
Stay up-to-date on industry changes to ensure clients are always ahead of the curve on digital and social
Live and breathe Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Linkedin, and any emerging social channels

How to apply?

View the job post in full here and write to Genevieve via this link.

#2: Lily & Co – Event Planning Intern

Website: lilyandcosg.com

Allowance / Remuneration: $800 – 4,000 monthly

Job Qualifications

Not specified.

Key Responsibilities

Provide planning support – monitoring and responding to couples and vendor queries over email & other communication channels
Planning and scheduling of the discussion calls with couples & planners
Brainstorm, manage, and develop program schedules and briefs for wedding vendors
Write to vendors for quotations and partnerships
Participate in brainstorming sessions/discussions within the team on how to improve the planning process and client Acquisition
Assist in actual day coordination, setup, and teardown of an event together with planners & stylists

How to apply?

View the job post in full here and write to Joanna via this link.

#3: Jan AI Pte Ltd – Business Development & Partnerships

Website: jan.ai

Allowance / Remuneration: $800 – 1,500 monthly

Job Qualifications

Experience in the technology sector in business development, strategy, sales, partnership or marketing roles
A customer service mindset with good problem-solving skills
Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills
Proficiency in other Asian languages is a plus.
It is a plus if the candidate has experience in enterprise technology or artificial intelligence.

Key Responsibilities

Customer engagement, building and nurturing strong relationships with customers, and updating the product team with the ideal customer personas to ensure we are building for the right customer
Work with the product team on product strategy, synthesizing and communicating feedback from customers to the product team to ensure continuous product enhancements
Build the partnerships pipeline via outreach to ecosystem partners (e.g. model authors and hardware providers), developing partnership angles to work with ecosystem partners, identifying and creating new qualified opportunities from inbound leads, and generating outbound prospects
Build the distribution pipeline via outreach to potential distributors (e.g. system integrators) and researching potential distribution channels

How to apply?

View the job post in full here and apply for this position by submitting your CV at https://janai.bamboohr.com/careers/45.

#4: Pokka Pte Ltd – Marketing Intern

Website: pokka.co

Allowance / Remuneration: $800 – 1,000 monthly

Job Qualifications

Undergraduates majoring in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related discipline
Able to commit full-time for a period of minimum 3 months or more
A strong passion for the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry, as well as the beverage industry
Possess strong analytical skills, good interpersonal, communication and writing skills
Has an eye for details and aesthetics
Strong organizational and multi-tasking skills, with an ability to prioritize time-sensitive tasks
A motivated team player who is creative, meticulous, resourceful, and can work independently
Proficient in the English language, Mandarin will be a plus (to liaise with Mandarin-speaking associates)

Key Responsibilities

Marketing Communications

Jointly develop brand campaigns, marketing activities, and trade promotions for the assigned categories
Liaise, align and coordinate with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure the smooth execution of campaigns
Provide support for campaigns and new product launches and follow-through with high accuracy
Prepare, monitor, and present accurate and timely campaign progress and post-mortem report and analysis to measure campaign effectiveness, and derive key learning for business growth and decision-making
Monitor competitors’ activities and current market trends
Preparation of sales reports and business reviews for both internal and external stakeholders
Perform any other tasks and projects assigned

Market Intelligence

Gather and monitor market and consumer trends and competitive information
Conduct on-ground market visits to trade channels to understand consumers’ buying behaviors and upcoming product trends

How to apply?

View the job post in full here and send your resume to [email protected].

#5: Futurx Creatives Consultancy Pte Ltd – Content Marketing Intern

Website: futurxcreatives.com

Allowance / Remuneration: $800 – 1,500 monthly

Job Qualifications

Excellent time & project management skills
Understanding of social media platforms (IG, TikTok & XiaoHongShu)
Working on a Mac operating system (Preferred)
Adobe Suite; Illustrator, Photoshop (Preferred)
Capcut (Required)
Canva (Required)

Key Responsibilities

Stay up to date with social media trends
Comfortable in front of the camera
Collaborate with clients and colleagues to develop effective content ideas for client socials
Design engaging social media graphics and presentations
Schedule and curate client content for social media
Develop compelling copywriting for marketing materials, ensuring consistency in messaging and brand voice
Manage multiple projects simultaneously, adhering to deadlines and maintaining exceptional attention to detail

How to apply?

View the job post in full here and submit your resume and portfolio via email to [email protected].

Editor’s note: These internships are selected based on the “remote” tag, but some positions are hybrid ones and you may need to report physically to the office. For more deets, do contact the employer directly.

Jeju proposes an “eco-tourism tax” to curb environmental damage from tourism

Planning a trip to South Korea and hoping to hop by Jeju Island for a night or two?

We’ve got bad news for you.

Well, not exactly bad news yet since it has not been implemented but plans are underway.

So Jeju, which we all know is a well-known resort area in Korea, is looking to charge visitors a fee to help protect the environment.

They’re calling it an “eco-tourism tax”.

Last week, the local government on Jeju Island released a report about charging visitors more to help ‘take care’ of the environment.

How much will be charged?

It suggested charging about 1,500 KRW (1.51 SGD) per night for hotel rooms.

But that’s not all.

There are also plans to charge around 5,000 KRW (5.03 SGD) per day to rent a car/vehicle, and 5% of the cost for bus tours.

These amounts are based on a study from a few years ago about charging visitors on the island in the name of an “eco-tourism tax”.

The money collected would be used to help with problems like pollution and sewage.

It would also protect natural areas from the over 10 million people who visit each year.

Will the tax apply only to Jeju?

Image Credits: unsplash.com

The report said Jeju would be the first place in Korea to do this.

Many popular places in Europe already charge these environmental fees and the report by the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) thinks Jeju should seriously consider doing the same thing.

The fees are allowed under a Korean law about environmental protection, which states that people who benefit from nature should help pay for it.

Jeju is known for its natural areas and volcanoes listed by UNESCO but the report also pointed out that while tourism is big for Jeju, it causes pollution problems.

In addition, the island doesn’t make much money even though so many people visit.

In the future, other places such as Gangwon Province and Ulleung Island may start charging environmental fees too…

Someday.

What other countries are doing

Many countries in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific have started charging “green fees” in recent years to control overtourism and pollution.

Jeju has tried passing these fees before since 2012 but stakeholders have opposed it, citing nuances of an “island entrance fee”.

Now, both major political candidates support the idea.

The local governor also wants it.

But some worry it may discourage people from visiting if it costs more, even its own residents from other cities.

In fact, the number of Korean visitors was down last year while more traveled abroad.

The local government will discuss the report more later this month and plan to introduce the fees if a new national law allows it after Korea’s general elections in April.

Top Places for Affordable Plants in Singapore

In the vibrant cityscape of Singapore, where high-rise buildings and skyscrapers dominate, a touch of greenery brings life and joy to every space.

Amidst the urban hustle, integrating landscapes into our personal sanctuaries offers a breath of fresh air and a splash of nature’s beauty at pocket-friendly prices.

KOKEBALL

Kokeball’s playful planters are sure to brighten up any dull corner. Inspired by the Japanese art of kokedama, each creation exudes charm and uniqueness.

Image Credits: facebook.com/kokeball

Whether you opt for the adorable Swiss cheese Kokeball (S$30) or dive into a hands-on kokedama workshop (S$75 for 2 hours), these green companions promise to uplift your spirits and your space.

Website: kokeball.com

CHLOROFEEL

Explore a world of botanical wonders at Chlorofeel, where household favorites and rare species await discovery. From the vibrant Syngonium Peach Pink (S$15) to essential organic fertilizers (S$12), this store caters to every green enthusiast’s needs. They also offer a selection of cool keychains, various plant enamel pins, and vinyl stickers starting from S$6.90.

Keep an eye out for their flash sales, offering exotic tropical plants and succulents at irresistible prices.

Website: thechlorofeelshop.com

THE NURSERY GARDEN

Founded by two brothers fueled by a passion for gardening, The Nursery Singapore offers a curated collection of stylish plants to transform your home, including the Euphorbia Tirucalli ‘Pencil Cactus’ in a Pastel Terrazzo Pot (S$38) and the Serissa Foetida ‘Snowrose’ in a Bille Ceramic Pot (S$35).

From lush potted plants to Instagram-worthy planters, each piece radiates elegance and vitality. Whether you’re drawn to olive trees or jewel orchids, this store is a haven for plant lovers.

Location: 326 King George’s Avenue, Singapore 208567
Website:thenursery.sg

FAR EAST FLORA

As Singapore’s renowned nursery, Far East Flora invites you to explore their extensive online selection of indoor plants. Take your time to research specific plant care needs and peruse their diverse range of attractive pots. Catering to both style and practicality, this nursery also offers a variety of herbs for your indoor garden.

No matter if you’re interested in a sunflower plant for S$10 or Adiantum Fragrans in Pot for S$19.90, there’s something for every green enthusiast. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit their flagship store at Thomson, where endless rows of plants await your exploration.

Location: Multiple locations including Thomson and Queensway
Website: fareastfloragarden.com

TUMBLEWEED PLANTS

Step into Tumbleweed Plants, an indie store bursting with green treasures. From classic favorites like monstera deliciosa to exotic finds like the money tree, each plant is accompanied by artisanal pots that double as works of art. These artisanal pots are equally enchanting, such as the Peperomia Piccolo Banda (S$15) with its colorful, catlike pot, and the Lucky Bamboo Plant (S$10) in its charming brown moon pot. Explore their range of tools, bug busters, and plant nutrition products, ensuring your green companions thrive. With pet-friendly options available, everyone can revel in the beauty of nature.

Website: tumbleweedplants.com

Image Credits: facebook.com/tumbleweedplantssg

In the heart of Singapore’s bustling metropolis, these affordable plant stores offer more than just greenery—they provide havens of tranquility and beauty. Whether you’re a seasoned plant enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of gardening, these establishments welcome you with open arms, ready to help you cultivate your own slice of nature’s paradise!

Sources: 1 & 2

4 mini rice cookers under $64 because you need to cut down on your daily rice intake

Want a compact appliance for your meal prep routine?

If you want to scale down your rice intake, we’ve curated a list of mini rice cookers priced under $64.

These pint-sized powerhouses can make perfectly cooked rice a delight rather than a chore.

IONA 0.3L Rice Cooker

Promo Price: $38.60 (was $42.90)

First on our list, we have the IONA’s mini 0.3L rice cooker.

This cooker proves small things can deliver delicious results.

Its compact size and portable design allow you to cook 1.5-2 cups of rice, but it can also whip up cakes, soup, pasta, and omelets with the right recipes.

Just set the easy-to-use cook switch or use the keep warm function, and IONA’s non-stick pan and neon indicator light will do the rest.

The plastic body stays cool to the touch while the safety clip lock and removable inner lid make for mess-free cleaning.

SONA 0.63L Rice & Porridge Cooker

Promo Price: $49.90 (was $79.90)

Or for under $50, you can also consider this handy little cooker to make cooking rice and porridge a breeze.

With its non-stick inner pot made from durable Daikin coating, 100% results are assured every time.

Useful features such as the anti-overflow technology prevent spills and messes.

The detachable inner lid pops off for simple washing, while the auto keep-warm function and indicator lights take the guesswork out of your cooking.

Compact yet mighty, this cooker frees up countertop space when not in use.

Simply add your rice grains, water, and a dash of flavor if you’d like, and let this little appliance do the rest.

TEFAL Mechanical Mini Rice Cooker

Promo Price: $59.90 (was $69.90)

Next, we have this mini rice cooker from Tefal.

It may be small, but its 2-cup capacity is just right for whipping up enough rice for the day, and the simple one-button control lets you cook delicious fresh rice with no fuss.

The non-stick cooking pot and removable inner lid make for easy cleanup, while the design takes up minimal counter space.

Simply add rice and water, press the button, and let Tefal’s tech do the work.

TOYOMI 0.3L Micro-Com Mini Rice Cooker

Price: $63.90

Last but not least, with just a touch of a button, TOYOMI’s mini rice cooker gets to work, cooking up rice and congee using its preset functions and auto temperature control.

The non-stick inner pot and detachable inner lid make cleanup easy, while the 3D temperature sensor prevents overflows and ensures consistent results time after time.

Great for solo diners or couples, this mini rice maker delivers rice and congee just the way you want it.

So ditch the dabao and let your inner chef get to work.

Want portion-controlled, well-cooked rice within reach? Well, easy! By purchasing one of the abovementioned mini rice cookers, you can take a step towards a healthier, more manageable daily rice intake. Start a new chapter in your health and cooking journey today.