The Hippest Food Places In Singapore, Serving Under S$30

Hipster, a sub-culture in today’s society, exhibits appreciation for freedom, creativity, and wit. Thus, hipster places exude a youthful vibe that opposes the status quo. A modern spin on things results to the cultural experimentation of dishes. Where exactly are these hip food places located? Well, they are all over Singapore. In hawker centers, inside the malls, and more. With these myriad of choices, here are the best ones that serve dishes under S$30…

1. PERCOLATE

Located in the Bedok area, is a humble cafe opened by a few friends. The place is simple, cozy, and beautifully decorated that is why it brings a relaxing ambiance to its customers. Prices are budget-friendly with an average price of S$10. A 5-oz of white will only cost you S$4.50 while a yummy Smoked Salmon with Wasabi Cream Sandwich will cost you S$9. Good prices offering delectable dishes…who am I to complain?

Location: 136 Bedok North Avenue 3, #01-152B Singapore 460136

2. IMMANUEL FRENCH KITCHEN

Have you ever eaten fine French cuisine in a “Kopitiam” setting? If not then, you have not taste the media acclaimed: Immanuel French Kitchen. A brainchild of Chef Immanuel Tee, this food stall serves restaurant quality dishes using only the finest dining techniques such as espumas and braising. At a an affordable price, Immanuel French Kitchen dishes are priced at S$18 on the average. People have only good things to say with their Duck Confit. While a hip Miso Foi Gras (S$16.50) was made with fusing Japanese cuisine elements.

Location: Blk 119, Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 151119

3. TWO WINGS

The unique thing about Two Wings is that the owner Jeremy Loh used their original family recipe that have been passed down to each succeeding generations since 1970. Their amazing Crispy Wings that are imported from Brazil will cost you S$8.50 for 4 pieces and S$24 for 12. A true must-try considering the inexpensive prices and the glorious crunch of each wing. If you are a health-conscious individual, fear not. They offer Fresh Cut Salad for only S$3 and you can choose between balsamic vinaigrette or honey mustard dressing.

Location: 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 151119

4. FIX

Fix Cafe is a poolside cafe located at the Balestier area. Sounds like a cool place doesn’t it? You are correct! The place is youthful and appealing that even most of the customers are young. A notable modern take on their menu is their naans. Instead of using the traditional wrap, they used naan in making dishes like Chicken Tikka Naanwich (S$11) and Beef & Kimchi Naanwich (S$11). For dessert lovers, you must order the Butterscotch Arabica Choux (S$6) or the Strawberry Pistachio Rose Tart (S$6). Surely, Fix is a place for affordable and delicious pastries, grilled sandwiches, and artisan coffee.

Image Credits: www.facebook.com/FIXsg

Image Credits: www.facebook.com/FIXsg

Location: HomeTeam NS-JOM Clubhouse, 31 Ah Hood Road Singapore 329979

5. STEW KÜCHE

If you think that European dishes are only served in “Atas” restaurants then, you have got one thing wrong. Located in a busy kopitiam is a stall that fuses Swiss-German and Italian cuisine. With their scrumptious feasts prepared in a very experienced way, it is surprising that their prices are under S$30! It is recommeded that you try their special dishes such as the Paprika Beef Goulash (S$15.50) and the wide array of sausages (priced from S$6.90). They also sell a broad selection of craft beers for all the beer lovers out there.

Location: 119 Bukit Merah Lane 1, Singapore 151119

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Save Up to 50% Every Time You Shop at Amazon

Amazon Shopping

Yusho Liu, co-founder of CoinHako.com, dishes out the dirt on how to save money at the world’s largest online retail store.

Let’s get real. Amazon is a wonderland of everything I’ve ever wanted to buy — or didn’t know I needed until they suggested it. With a huge selection of goods being sold at competitive pricing — not to mention, their remarkable 2-day delivery — it was my go-to place for everything during my time in Silicon Valley — except for my sneakers.

So while I was in Silicon Valley attending Boost VC’s accelerator program, I chanced upon this dubious(initially) site that was offering 20% off Amazon — www.purse.io

Purse.io is a San Francisco based startup. Their investors include prominent members in the Bitcoin ecosystem, as well as several well known Silicon Valley funds.

As seen in the screenshot, Purse.io allows holders of Bitcoin to exchange Amazon credits with gift card owners through Purse’s escrow platform. I followed up with some due diligence to check the legitimacy of their platform and decided to give this a shot. I ordered a bottle of fish oil. Sure enough, I received my omega 3 caps and saved about a buck doing so.

Fast forward 3 months and I’m back in sunny Singapore settling down, where I’m busy getting operations started for my own startup — CoinHako. We make Bitcoin easy and accessible.

“Not having 2-day shipping stinks. I know. But maybe learning to save significantly on your Amazon purchases when in Singapore will make it stink less.”

1. Pick your items and place them in your wishlist

I’m sure you’ve been itching to get that latest book on pandas playing chess with gremlins right — because Amazon is Amazin.

2. Sign up for an account at Purse.io

It doesn’t take you more than 30 seconds for this step.

3. Import your Amazon Wishlist into Purse.io

Click on “Spend BTC” and import your wishlist by pasting the URL directly into the field. Click “Import” and a pop up box will appear as shown below. Follow the steps and click “Done”

4. Pick your discount and note down the total amount of Bitcoin (mBTC) required to make the purchase.

It seems like Purse has tiered the discounts based on total spending. This simply means that the more you order via Purse, the more discounts you get.. (UP TO 50%) This should be largely beneficial to people who conduct Mass Orders.

Remember to note down the amount of milli-Bitcoin you will have to purchase. In this case, 503 mBTC = 0.503 BTC

Do note that my receiving address is in Dayton, OH, which is my freight forwarder’s office. The major players in Singapore are Borderlinx, Vpost, Comgateway, 65daigou etc.

5. Create an account at your freight forwarder.

This will give you a local US address to ship to. If you are not too certain on how to use these services, there are instructions on their website.

6. Buy sufficient Bitcoin and place your order.

If you have a Singaporean bank account, head over to CoinHako.com and purchase just enough bitcoins for the purchase. I personally recommend buying a little more in case the price fluctuates. If you do not know how to purchase Bitcoin, please head over here.

Once the coins are in your wallet, send the coins out to YOUR designated wallet address.

My designated wallet address. Purse.io recommends 8% market buffer

7. Wait for transaction to be completed.

It will typically take about 30minutes for the transaction to be confirmed by the network. Once that is done, just wait till it arrives at your transit facility.

Now that you have completed your transaction for 0.503 BTC….

Let’s see how much money Purse & Bitcoin can save YOU.

 Assuming that freight charges leaving Borderlinx is constant, I did some math for regular checkout (via Mastercard), and Purse.io

1. Cost via Mastercard

Based on Amazon’s rates, the total for both items:

USD163 = SGD231.03

2. Cost via Bitcoin @ 20% discount

0.503 BTC @ CoinHako’s rates:

~SGD180

Smart Nation Shopping, this is.

Imagine saving up to $200 for a $1000 purchase.

 (Article contributed by Yusho Liu, founder of CoinHako)

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How And Why You Should Start An Online Business Now

Have you been wanting to start your own business but your intended capital would not suffice? Or maybe the thought of leaving your children at home prevents you? Well, that shipped has sailed when people from the Silicon Valley introduced the “Online Business”. Online business (OB) allow you to sell your product or service at the convenience of your own home and your own time.

Here are the other reasons why you should open your own OB now:

1. SPEND LOW COSTS ON THE START-UP

Once you settled the costs of the products or services that you are planning to sell, you can start opening an OB for S$15.48 or free! The S$15.48 only applies if you want your own website domain name. For example instead of having “myshopname.blogspot.com” you can have “myshopname.com” to appear more professional. Go Daddy sells the website’s domain name at S$15.48 for the first year.

2. WORK ON THE PROJECTS YOU LOVE

Not only do you get to explore your interests and hobbies when thinking of a business idea, you also get to work on something you are really passionate about. This will motivate you to improve your business even more.

3. GET BROADER NETWORK OF POTENTIAL CLIENTS

Since you are setting up a business in the Internet where anyone from anywhere can have an access, you gain a wider scope of clients. This will allow you to transact and ship worldwide.

Sold by the idea of an OB? Here is how you can start yours:

1. DO RESEARCH

Know what is available on the market today. See something that interests you? Incorporate that and add something unique. This will be your niche. Also, research on marketing ideas and budget plans by asking your family, colleagues, friends, or even Google.

2. DEVISE YOUR BUSINESS TYPE AND GOALS

Choose the business you would like to start by tapping into your interests, time availability, and accessible funds. Set goals not just for the business but also for your budget plans.

3. FINALIZE YOUR PRODUCTS OR SERVICES

There are a few products that you can sell at a low cost such as essence oils, Ebooks, and stationary. Given that you have sufficient knowledge of Web Designing, you can sell your services online and charge per project.

4. START OPENING YOUR STORE

If you want to set up an online store without spending a dollar, try selling your products and services on either tictail.com or carousell.com. Tictail.com, established in 2012, allows its users to run a nice online store in minutes. Carousell.com, on the otehr hand, allows its users to sell through its mobile App. Both are definitely free and easy to use! Say you are in need of new materials, you may save money by buying bargain items at these websites too.

5. PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS

To promote your business, you will need to have visibility in various social media websites such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. The good news is that it is totally free to open your accounts in these websites. Also, you can set up a newsletter or a mailing list so people can receive regular updates when promotions or new items are coming up.

Image Credits: springwools via Flickr

Image Credits: springwools via Flickr

As you can see, it is surprisingly cheap to set up your own online business! But, keeping it may take hard work. So, it is important to find a business that follows what your heart desires. 🙂

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Retire In The World’s Cheapest And Most Beautiful Countries

In 2013, Live and Invest Overseas and International Living examined the best countries worldwide where you can retire for S$1,760/month or less.

Live and Invest Overseas is a trusted online publication dedicated to giving information on retiring, living, and investing overseas. With a similar goal, International Living, established in 1979, had surveyed experts and contributors to get the cost of living information of countries around the world. These are the latest large-scale data available to date:

1. NICARAGUA, CENTRAL AMERICA

Nicaragua, a multiethnic country of approximately 6 million people, is one of the most beautiful countries in America as it boasts its Pacific coastline, Caribbean beaches, and freshwater lakes. You can live for about S$1,350 a month inclusive of utility bills (no air-conditioning), groceries, entertainment, rent, maid (3 times a week), and health insurance. Not a bad way to retire!

2. PHILIPPINES, ASIA

Philippines, a picturesque country consisting of 7,107 islands, ensures that you can enjoy a low-cost island life once you retire. For about S$1,410 a month, you can avail services such as electricity, water, gas, cable TV, Internet, grocery shopping, rent, and entertainment costs. Relax in the beach and reminisce the old times while sipping a fresh coconut juice that will cost you lest than a dollar!

Image Credits: Brian Evans via Flickr

Image Credits: Brian Evans via Flickr

3. MALAYSIA, ASIA

How about retiring close to home? In Malaysia, you can retire for a cost of approximately S$1,450 a month. This is inclusive of utility bills, handphone bills, Internet services, maid (4 hours/week), transportation, health insurance, and entertainment. Keep your healthy physique by buying a bagful of fruits that will cost you only S$5.

Image Credits: Tatiana Vdb via Flickr

Image Credits: Tatiana Vdb via Flickr

4. ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA

Aside from English, if you are fluent in Spanish then, you may consider living in Ecuador. With mostly Spanish-speaking citizens, Ecuador known for its rich ecosystem that hosts many species of plants and animals. For approximately S$1,760 a month, you can indulge on utilities, grocery shopping, health insurance, maid (2 times a week), Internet services, cable TV, handphone services, entertainment, and transportation. The top choice of most American retirees is the wonderful city of  Cuenca due to its glorious weather and affordable real estate.

Image Credits: andresmbernal via Flickr

Image Credits: andresmbernal via Flickr

Age gracefully by retiring in a comfortable place where you are at peace with your finances! The world is your oyster. 🙂

Sources: 1 , 2, and 3

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4 Cheap And Awesome KTV Places in Singapore

One of the entertaining activities to do in Singapore is Karaoke. A Karaoke Television (KTV) is a musical machine that allows the people to sing along with the recorded music using a microphone and the lyrics flashed through the screen. Hence, KTV places are the perfect spots for friends and family who want to have fun while channeling their inner diva. Here are 4 of the best KTV places that offer cheap rates in Singapore…

1. TEN DOLLAR CLUB KTV

Dreaming of singing along popular KPop, Jpop, or MPop songs? Dream no more as Ten Dollar Club offers good Karaoke experience at affordable prices. A group of 3 or more people can enjoy singing for up to 5 hours by paying S$10 per person. This price is inclusive of free flowing drinks! Also, you can save a few more bucks, as you are free to bring and eat your own food inside the Karaoke room. Corporate events and birthday parties are welcome too.

Locations:

Aranda Country Club, 60 Pasir Ris Drive 3, Singapore 519497

35A Smith Street 3rd Floor Singapore 058945

Home Team NS-JOM, 31 Ah Hood Road Singapore 329979

2. PARTY WORLD KTV

Party World KTV, a brainchild of Eric Chan, consists of capacious and decorated rooms filled with quality audio equipments, speakers, and large LED screens. They offer wide array of songs enabling everyone to sing their hearts out. Students are able to enjoy their promotion of S$12 each on the weekdays and S$15 each on the weekend. This includes 3 hours of stay with 2 beverages each. All you have to do is to present your student card upon reception.

Location:

177 River Valley Road, Liang Court, Singapore 179030

3. TANG MUSIC BOX

What separate Tang Music Box from the rest are their contemporary interiors. Their rooms are suited with materials such as exotic tiles, exposed bricks, and untreated woods. You get a choice of whether you want to spend hours on the Mini (1-3 pax), Small (3-6 pax), Medium (6-10 pax), Large (11-18 pax), Premier (19-25 pax), and Club room (26-40 pax). The prices are as low as S$10 per person. Also, you can purchase food (e.g., liquor or snacks) at their store called “The Meeting Place”.

Location:

3B River Valley Road, #02-03/04, The Foundry, Singapore 179021

4. TEO HENG KTV STUDIO

Probably one of the well-known places for belting out your favorite Karaoke song is the Teo Heng KTV studio. Not only do they offer good quality KTV experience but they are also considered as one of the cheapest in the market today. This is because they charge by the room instead of by the number of person in it. Prices range from S$8-18 per hour. So, imagine having the maximum of 10 people in a room, that will equate to about S$2-5 per person for a 3-hour session. Now, you can sing freely for hours at a surprisingly good price!

Locations:

7 outlets islandwide, visit here for more details.

Image Credits: Savio Sebastian via Flickr

Image Credits: Savio Sebastian via Flickr

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