Students in Singapore to go Cashless by 2025

With a handful of coins in your pocket, you are wondering what unnecessary item you can splurge on in the school bookshop. Good times, right?

Singaporean students in the near future will no longer experience the same thing as they will be using the cashless method soon. By 2025, most of the students in Singapore have the option of using e-payment for purchases made in school bookshops and canteens. Instead of giving pocket money, students will be given cards or smartwatches to buy their needs.

The Singaporean Ministry of Education recently signed a memorandum of understanding with DBS to expand the POSB Smart Buddy program across all primary and secondary schools in Singapore. Junior colleges and Millennia Institute are also included.

Clarence Tang, MOE’s Divisional Director of Finance and Procurement Division said:

“Having a cashless option in schools will provide students with an environment to use e-payment safely while enjoying the convenience and benefits of going cashless, such as faster transactions when making purchases.”

Mr. Tang highlighted that the program is aimed at providing a safe environment for students. So, expect to see tap-and-pay terminals around the campus in the next few years.

POSB SMART BUDDY PROGRAMME

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Introduced in 2017, the POSB Smart Buddy programme is the world’s first integrated in-school wearable digital savings and payment method.

Digital payment infrastructure or tap-and-pay terminals will be installed in schools. It can accept payments made through POSB Smart Buddy smartwatches or cards, School Smart cards, and EZ-Link cards.

This initiative will allow both students and parents to track the spending and saving patterns through a mobile app. Students can use the app to set saving goals, while parents can set daily allowance limits and view their child’s purchases in real-time. This way, their child can avoid overspending.

Students will be able to track their financial patterns and learn how to save.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Surefire Ways to Make Your Money Work for You

Money is a strong tool that can help you achieve your goals. It can provide stability for your family and allow you to save towards important milestones. To achieve these things, you must know how to make your money work for you.

Making money work for you pertains to using money to make more of it. Your financial decisions can guide you through this. Start by learning how to budget!

#1: LEARN TO BUDGET

Change the way you handle money by budgeting. When you are budgeting, you become more purposeful about where you spend your money on. You are making money do what you desire, rather than spending it without a plan.

Budgeting includes prioritizing your spending, avoiding new debt, paying off debt, identifying harmful financial habits, reducing your spending, and saving for the future. You may need to adjust your budget from time to time.

#2: ELIMINATE DEBT

Debt means your money is not working for you. Your money is going towards paying the interest. Debt creates limitations and financial burdens.

Paying off debt allows you to redirect your funds towards things that are important to you. For instance, you can save up for graduate studies or create your retirement fund. You can begin investing money and allow your wealth to grow.

#3: SAVE AND INVEST

Once you have freed yourself from debt and have extra cash, you can put your money to work by saving and investing. The amount that you will save will depend on your lifestyle, age, and goals.

In addition to having an emergency fund, you will also need to have a retirement fund. You should also consider having the following:

a. education savings
b. travel fund
c. down payment for a house
d. business capital
e. car fund
f. long-term savings for you and your dependents

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Lastly, investing in yourself is one of the best investments you can make. While you might not be able to pinpoint an actualized return on investment, you will eventually see the results in time.

Source: 1

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10 Steps To Reach Financial Wellness

Financial wellness refers to effectively managing your economic life. This concept surrounds many factors such as spending within one’s means, being financially prepared for emergencies, having a concrete plan, and having access to tools necessary to make good money decisions.

Financial security is the underlying concept of financial wellness. To help you reach financial wellness, you may start by following these steps.

STEP 1: COMMIT TO CHANGE

The first step in developing a financial plan is to determine your attitudes and beliefs about money. Be honest with yourself. Are you ready to accept the responsibility of improving your financial situation? Do you believe that you can change the way you behave towards money?

STEP 2: EXAMINE YOUR FINANCES

Examine your finances by looking at your previous statements and tracking your spending. This will give you an overview of how you are doing financially. Identify your strengths and weaknesses when it comes to managing your money. Write down your findings and feelings.

STEP 3: SET YOURSELF UP FOR SUCCESS

Choose a trusted person to conduct the day-to-day financial tasks to stay on top of things. The appointed person must be a good communicator and an organized individual. Give him or her uninterrupted time to do financial tasks effectively.

STEP 4: GET COPIES OF YOUR CREDIT REPORTS

A credit report is a compilation of your credit payment history collected across all your banks. It includes valuable information such as basic personal profile, closed credit accounts, aggregated credit limits, and aggregated outstanding balances. Credit reports provide a snapshot of your overall situation.

For licensed moneylenders, the Moneylenders Credit Bureau is the central repository of data on borrowers’ loans and repayment records. For banks and finance companies, only two credit bureaus are allowed to obtain such information in Singapore. These are Credit Bureau Singapore and Experian Credit Bureau Singapore.

Credit reports are issued by a credit bureau to banks and finance companies when they make inquiries about the client. These companies assess your creditworthiness by looking at the credit score. You can also request a copy of your report from the bureaus. Reviewing your credit reports can help you identify errors or fraudulent activities.

STEP 5: KNOW YOUR STARTING POINT

Know your starting point by calculating your net worth. Compare what you owe (liabilities) with what you own (assets). Do seek professional help when necessary.

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STEP 6: IDENTIFY YOUR INCOME

To have an accurate picture of what you can earn in the future, you can observe your previous income. Decide whether you are going to expand your income by using different streams or if you are going to stick with your current income source.

STEP 7: REVIEW YOUR DEBTS

Freedom from debt is an achievable goal. The first step to regaining control is to take a transparent look at your existing obligations. Regardless of which financial method you use, be patient and persistent when paying your debts.

STEP 8: SET YOUR PRIORITIES

Create a list of your needs and wants to help you establish your financial priorities. Financial priorities may include saving three months’ worth of expenses or saving S$3,000 for a year to fund your family vacation.

STEP 9: HAVE SMART FINANCIAL GOALS

By setting your financial goals, you are providing yourself with something to aim for. Simply remember that financial goals need to be SMART.

S – pecific
M – easurable
A – chievable
R – ealistic
T – imely

STEP 10: SECURE YOUR FINANCIAL FUTURE

Look at your retirement plan and make some necessary changes. Do not despair if you are behind on your retirement goals. You are not alone! Studies show that many households are not prepared for retirement. Fortunately for you, you can improve your situation.

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Start now!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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6 Savvy Financial Tips for Young Adults

Managing finances can be challenging, especially when you are navigating through different conflicts such as budgeting with an entry-level salary or carrying a hefty student loan debt.

Focusing on the fundamental financial strategies will enable you to strengthen your financial position. Work towards achieving your goals and financial success with these savvy tips.

#1: ESTABLISH YOUR EMERGENCY FUND

The importance of building an emergency fund has been the subject of many financial articles. After all, it is one of the most vital financial tasks that you can accomplish as a young adult. An emergency fund is a pool of money that you can earmark for unforeseen expenses.

When unexpected life events occur, the emergency fund acts as a cushion for your finances. For instance, you can use your emergency fund to pay for expenses that come with sudden job loss or appliance breakdown. The amount that you will save depends on the stability of your job, the debts you have, and your income. Experts recommend saving about six months’ worth of living expenses. You can allot at least 2% of every paycheck to accumulate this amount.

#2: GET BASIC HEALTH AND LIFE INSURANCE

Financial literacy involves understanding how to prevent and manage financial issues as they arise. To help you deal with unexpected expenses, you may get yourself insured. Educate yourself about the different insurance products available on the market right now.

Get yourself insured while your premiums are low (i.e., mainly due to your age). If you have dependents, consider getting term insurance to protect them in the event that you become permanently disabled or you pass away.

#3: KNOW WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES

Stay on top of your budget plan by knowing where your money goes. Ensure that your expenses do not exceed your income. As you may be earning with a starting salary, keeping your recurring monthly expenses low can save you significant money over time.

Once you see how the cost of your morning coffee or take-away dinner adds up, you will realize that making small changes to your daily expenses can have a big impact on your financial situation.

#4: PAY OFF THE CREDIT CARD BALANCES

Searching for the lowest interest rates when comparing loan terms can help you save a substantial amount of money over time. You can pay off your credit card balances each month, so you do not get trapped by the interest charges. You can look for a credible expert such as a credit counselor if necessary.

#5: MAKE INFORMED FINANCIAL DECISIONS

Examine your personal needs and goals. Make informed financial decisions by studying the potential outcomes of your options. There are trade-offs between your short-term and long-term goals. For instance, purchasing a car can impact your savings for retirement.

Therefore, you must invest in items that will improve your earning abilities. You can invest in a good suit, an educational advancement, and a set of electronic devices to help you in your job hunting.

#6: LEARN SELF-CONTROL

As a young adult, learning the art of delayed gratification is easier said than done. However, personal finances are easier to manage when you have self-control.

Effortlessly purchasing an item on credit is possible, but the best step is to wait until you have saved up enough money for your purchase. Do you really want to pay interest on a pair of designer shoes?

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Please do not carry more cards than you can keep track of. This savvy tip is crucial for creating a healthy credit history.

Sources: 1 & 2

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4 Important Things Teens Don’t Know About Finances

An eye-opening study showed that only 17% of teenagers between the ages of 12 and 17 knew how to manage their money. Among these respondents, 24% said they did not know the difference between credit and debit cards. Budgeting was a concern as well as learning how to save money.

One of the reasons why the teenagers lack knowledge of money matters boils down to their parents. They elaborated that their parents were not doing an excellent job in teaching them about money. Moreover, personal finance was not embedded in most of the academic institutions.

Fill in the gap by instructing your children about these important financial subjects.

#1: BASICS OF BUDGETING

Budgeting is among the biggest priorities of teenagers. Budgeting allows an individual to track where the money is going and where it needs to be. While it is tempting to accept money from your parents and quickly burn through it, it is vital to know how to maximize it.

Parents must not let their children be dependent. They will end up unaware of how to manage their finances.

#2: BASICS OF BANK ACCOUNT

Instilling in children the concepts of earning, saving, and investing is essential in developing life skills that they can use in the future. Opening a bank account or a savings account can help the teen to manage his or her own money.

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Knowing the basics of bank account such as navigating through the online banking and transferring funds to other accounts is important. As there are no up-to-date teaching tools to help teens learn about bank accounts, you may take your child to the bank to get a hands-on experience.

#3: POWER OF COMPOUNDING

Compound interest is the interest on a deposit or loan calculated based on both the accumulated interest from previous periods and the initial principal. Time is the teens’ friend. They all have the potential to be millionaires someday, but the odds of attaining that goal increase sharply if they save early.

You can start by putting away a reasonable amount per month. Let it grow!

#4: POWER OF EMERGENCY FUNDS

Whether you come from an affluent household or a modest one, putting away some money for emergency use is essential. Parents may teach their children about the importance of emergency funds by painting real-world scenarios such as assigning a job per child. Ask the child what they would do if they suddenly had twins or a critical illness. Remember to keep things simple by excluding complicated jargons to your conversations.

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Make it a priority as a family to be more mindful with your money. Spend less and celebrate how money is grown over time.

Sources: 1 & 2

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