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Money-Saving Tips For Uni Students In Singapore

Many people believe that the “student life” is golden. I firmly agree! The holistic experiences and social exposures you receive during the course of your tertiary education are heavily treasured. You cannot get these things anywhere else!

Ease your financial load by following these tips:

JUST KEEP PEDALING

Automobile companies lure us with their promise of privacy and convenience during our daily commute. Owning a car may add a level of prestige, but it comes with a hefty price! You must cover several expenses such as gas, parking, and maintenance. Just thinking about my car’s maintenance gives me a headache!

As a thriving student, it is a good idea to steer away from this financial burden. Consider the alternative types of commute such as public transportation, cycling, and walking. You are eligible to apply for an Undergraduate Concession Card as a full-time undergraduate from a government or government-aided tertiary institution (T&Cs apply). This card allows you to save a decent amount of cash for your entire matriculation.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Secondly, cycling to school is beneficial for the environment and for your health. The same benefits apply to walking. When I was a university student, I spared 40 minutes of my day for travelling. I walked to school every morning with music in my ears. I can either feel the breeze or focus on my thoughts. Do the same thing if you are going to travel short distances.

As a friendly reminder, stay safe by having someone accompany you while walking to isolated areas. Let a family member or a friend know about your whereabouts at all times.

SELL YOUR BOOKS

It goes without saying that the product of one’s intellect comes with a price. Reference books or textbooks suited for tertiary students costs as low as S$50 each. It is a significant price to pay for a book that you will use for barely 3-4 months. Thus, students must employ different strategies to save money on their books.

Firstly, you can rent a book for free at the National Library. Secondly, you can purchase second-hand books online. Lastly, you may sell your old books to afford another one. Aim to sell your books to the next batch of students.

I am well aware that some people refuse to discard their belongings, including the ones that are seemingly useless (e.g., old newspapers). Hoarding can harm your chances of getting the best deals as the books’ resale value lessens in time.

EARN ON THE SIDE

In general, tertiary students are divided into two financial groups. The first group of people can survive solely with their allowance. While, the second group survives by earning money on the side. It is easy to immerse yourself with your academic responsibilities without having to worry about your finances. However, you may want to invest on your financial freedom. Extra money entails that you can build a travel or an emergency fund.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

I belonged to the first group. During the first year of my tertiary education, I underestimated the weight of earning my own money. I handpicked the friendly gatherings that I will attend to maximize my allowance. My perception all changed when my friend pointed out that I must choose the restaurant to eat at. I was given the tasked as she perceived me to be the “poorest”. I decided to boost my financial capacity by working as a secretary at my mother’s workplace. This experience has exposed me to the diverse work culture in the country. Not to mention, it benefited my career profile.

Make money on the side by working part-time at a restaurant, by distributing flowers, or by opening a blog shop. Find part-time jobs at freelancezone.com.sg.

4 Time Management Tips To Help You Work Smart

We all posses a set of (or at least one) positive traits useful in the workplace. Mine just happens to surround time management. Time is a finite commodity that you cannot take back! Thus, I make it a point to strategically exhaust it.

Managing time is not about squeezing as many tasks as you can within 24 hours. Instead, it is about carefully choosing which tasks you can fulfill to alleviate stress and which tasks you can leave behind. Simplify your operations in order to accomplish your tasks at a faster pace. Consider these tips to work smarter:

FIRST THINGS FIRST

As much as I want to discuss about the catchy Iggy Azalea song, I am going to expound on the seemingly unfamiliar territory of prioritizing. Prioritizing focuses on determining the order of the items in your to-do list. Stephen Covey, the co-author of “First Things First”, introduced four categorizations for one’s tasks. The categories are:

a. Important and Urgent,
b. Important and Not Urgent,
c. Urgent and Not Important, as well as
d. Not Urgent and Not Important.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Write down at least three “Important and Urgent” tasks that you must accomplish by today. Waste no time in addressing each one. Reap the sense of accomplishment as you fulfill each one of them. Use this motivation to tackle the less vital items.

USE SPARE TIME WISELY

No matter how busy your weekday can get, you still have a decent amount of down-time. Use your waiting time wisely by completing simple tasks such as calling possible sponsors for your company event. While you are waiting to board the next bus, you can answer important emails with your mobile applications.

As a pre-school teacher, I envision my lesson plans whenever I have idle moments. My finest thoughts spark when I am relaxing in the shower or when I am running a mile in the town stadium. Maximizing my spare time allows me to push my creativity beyond limits.

ELIMINATE THE UNNECESSARY

Taking a series of commitments can be detrimental to your schedule. Whenever you agree to help out a co-worker, you are increasing your personal workload. You may not be able to immediately tackle the tasks assigned to you!

It is hard to refuse to friendly requests from colleagues especially if you are the type of person who loves lending a hand. However, if you want to jump-start your productivity, it is important to learn to say “NO” or “not at this moment”.

ABSORB FUTURE’S ESSENCE

It is no secret that I am an avid people watcher! Not to sound creepy, but it comes from my background in Psychology. Let us move on to the anecdote. As I was sipping my hot mocha, I overheard two women talking about their careers. One seems to be the other’s mentor. I realized that they were both dancing instructors as the discussion went on. The “mentor” shared valuable tips such as preparing an overall timeline and strict goals for each day. She said that it was better to record one’s routine to record any flaws, before the presentation comes. She made some valid points!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Having a realistic plan eases the tension of the coming days. You know your glistening target and the corresponding moves to achieve it. Now, you do not have to be prudent to absorb the future’s essence. Start by sparing at least 10 minutes before your shift ends to clear out your desk and to prepare your task for tomorrow. Alternatively, you may clear your desk as you arrive to the office. Allot the first 10 minutes to prioritizing your to-do list.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Why I Failed At My Previous Job Interviews

I can vividly recall the rush of emotions that I felt upon receiving a pleasant message from an esteemed insurance company. At the crack of dawn, the HR department of the international company emailed me to meet up for an interview. I immediately agreed to a job interview at Raffles Place.

This was not my first rodeo, but I was overly excited. I had been dreaming about becoming a party of this company for the longest time. Unbeknownst to me, being overeager was a part of my downfall. You will come to that conclusion later on.

On the day of my interview, I solely entered a spacious room. The recruiter came in and handed me with two Psychological tests. With my background in Psychology and human behavior, you may think that these tests are easy to accomplish. I knew how to answer in a manner that is both genuine and acceptable. However, I was too excited that my mind blacked out she stated the instructions. The tangible gravity of the reality overwhelmed my spirit! She had to repeat the instructions again because I committed several errors. The situation was embarrassing! I compensated by extending our chatter. The excessive conversations made me seem desperate. Needless to say, I did not land the coveted job.

Although the recruiter did not mention the reasons why I got rejected, most of our application rejections are due to basic issues. This is why you must avoid these certain mistakes: being overeager, including documentation errors, and not caring about personal appearance.

The scenario that I shared above is a prime example of the negative consequences that can spring from being too eager and excited. Much like speed dating, a candidate that seems too desperate is a major turnoff. Constantly calling or emailing for updates is a waste of the recruiter’s time. Remain calm and wait patiently for a call back.

Secondly, most people commit typographical errors in printed and written documents. Even professionals cannot escape this wrongful pit!

While I was scanning through my old emails, I noticed that I misspelled a couple of simple words (e.g., “the” became “teh”) in an old application. This happened long before I started to make a living out of writing articles. However, its value holds true until today. The materials that you submitted signify an impression. This is why you must give a substantial amount of time to proofread or revise everything. For handwritten forms, do not forget to do the “i’s” and cross the “t’s”. Pay attention to details!

Lastly, you must dress to impress. Let us face it! We live in a relatively superficial world where physical appearance plays a huge part in our interactions. A recent study even highlighted that tall people get paid more. Look professional during an interview by dressing appropriately. Show that you respect the position that you are vying for by properly grooming yourself. Add a tad of moderate make-up if needed.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

We all learn from our personal experiences and job interviews are no different!

Sources: 1 & 2

6 Budget-Friendly Ways To Achieve Gorgeous And Healthy Hair

Since your crowning glory is an asset, you must take good care of your beloved hair. Homemade and natural remedies have abundant benefits to nourish your scalp and roots. Instead of forking out over S$10,000 for hair transplant, consider restoring the health of your locks by following these inexpensive tips:

1. CREATE A BENEFICIAL HAIR MASK

Aside from trimming your belly fat, avocado has a myriad of benefits for your locks. You will not believe what this impressive fruit can offer! Let us start with the fact that it is a rich source of vitamins, proteins amino acids. This is why it is able to soothe your scalp, add moisture, restore shine, and nurture strong growth.

Enjoy all these by combining one avocado, a tablespoon of coconut oil, two eggs, and a tablespoon of honey. Apply this mixture to your hair. Let it settle for 20 minutes before you rinse it.

2. MASSAGE YOUR MANE

A quick homemade remedy for dry and damaged hair only takes one ingredient – butter. Raid your kitchen to get a relatively small amount of butter. Massage this generously to your dry hair and cover everything with a shower cap. Do this for 30 minutes. Then, rinse all the butter out by using shampoo.

3. LET IT ALL DOWN

You deserve to have a meaningful rest after months of back-to-back deadlines and major projects. The same idea goes for your hair. It needs every break it can possibly get. Simple things such as wearing your hair down or fixing it loosely can make a difference. Elastic bands can put stress on your hair roots and shaft. This is why you must not sleep with any hair accessories.

4. ABSORB THE ONION’S JUICE

Onion has a high concentration of sulfur, which helps hair growth by increasing collagen production. Use the onion’s juice to control hair fall. Start by chopping the onion well and squeeze out its juice. Massage the mixture to your scalp and let it sit for 15 minutes. When the time is up, rinse your hair with mild shampoo.

As a friendly reminder, do a patch test before using the onion as hair treatment.

5. WRAP YOUR DAMP HAIR

Do you know why some women keep their hair wrapped in a “towel bun“? Well, wrapping the wet hair in a cotton towel leads to the absorption of moisture. This act can help to protect the hair against further split ends.

6. BRUSH YOUR HAIR BEFORE SLEEPING

One of the best treats that you can bestow upon your hair is to brush it before you sleep. Opt for a natural-bristle brush or a wide-tooth comb. Run this through your hair from roots to tips. According to the Owner of Cambio Salon Mary Rascon, doing this will help to move your scalp’s natural oils through your hair.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

How To Enjoy A Thrifty Relocation

Whether you are upgrading to a newlywed nest or downgrading to a cheaper work space, you are starting a fresh chapter in your life. You are leaving the past behind and looking forward to a brighter future ahead. Simply, this transition is exciting! However, I cannot deny the fact that moving day is stressful. This is why it is important that you employ cost efficient strategies to make your life easier.

Begin by devising a relocation plan. Invest a dollar or less in a handy notebook where you can visualize a timeline that leads up to your moving day. For instance, you may start labeling the boxes by week two. Organizing everything is important to prevent spending money purely for convenience.

The next thing that you must focus your energy on is packing the boxes by yourself. You may ask a little help from your kindhearted friends and family if you want. The bottom line is that this strategy saves a decent amount of cash. While packing your stuff, do not forget to label each box.

Let us be honest! There is nothing worse than the hassle of scavenging through a pile of mystery boxes. Sometimes, people would rather purchase new things instead of wasting time in searching for two or three items that they really need. Avoid unnecessary or impulsive buys by marking each box with a permanent marker and writing down what section of the flat it belongs to. Leave your valuables inside specific boxes that you can keep a close eye on. You may even go further categorizing each item in your notebook.

Image Credits: Book Glutton via Flickr Creative Commons

In the process of carefully putting everything in place, you will realize that there are some old investments that you do not mind leaving behind. These said investments are the items that you do not want to bring in your current residence. As long as these items are in mint condition, you can sell them on online marketplaces such as Carousell and Gumtree Singapore. Scam or spam messages are bound to flood you if you display your details in the open. So, set up an independent account just for this. Take down said account once you are finished moving. Selling your old stuff helps you to save money by shipping less and to earn more money on the side.

In the last couple of weeks before your moving day, you must narrow down your options to a single moving service. Make it a habit to get written or documented quotations from different moving services. I am not referring to the nuggets spoken by famous personalities. Instead, quotations refer to the prices offered by the companies. Show these written or documented quotations to the next company to persuade them into matching or lowering down the prices of their predecessors.

I hope that these tips can help you to enjoy a fuss-free moving day. If you can think of other ways to relocate in an affordable manner based on your personal experience, comment below and share your story. Your views are greatly appreciated! 🙂

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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