Celeste Elle, Author at MoneyDigest.sg

Fave: 1-for-1 food deals with brands like Sakae Sushi, Miss Tea, A-One Claypot House, and more!

When it comes to food, our stomachs almost know no limit. But our pockets do. So, to make sure you satisfy both your tummies and bank account, get these 1-for-1 deals from Fave.

#1: Sakae Sushi: 1-For-1 Salmon Sashimi Plate

Sale Price: S$6.39

Love sashimi? You will love this deal that gets you two salmon sashimi plates (a total of 8 pieces of salmon sashimi). If you’re not a fan of sashimi, get the 1-For-1 Sakoshi Bay Fresh Oyster deal.

Fine print:

Strictly valid for dine-in only.
Limited to three vouchers per redemption per table.
Valid from Mon – Fri: 11.30am – 10pm, Sat – Sun and public holidays: 11am – 10pm. Please refer to the individual outlet operating hours before you go.

Redeemable at these seven outlets:

#01-04, Woodlands Civic Centre

#B1-19, Paya Lebar Square

#04-06, Compass One

#01-175/176, Tradehub 21

#B1-84B/C, Parkway Parade

#01-133/135, Heartland Mall
#B1-20, Junction 8

#2: Miss Tea: 1-For-1 Drinks

Sale Price: S$5.80

Miss Tea is an oriental-themed tea shop founded by three friends who shared a common dream of preparing healthy and flavourful cups of tea. With this deal, you get two large drinks from this list:

Fresh grape oolong tea
Yakult lemon green tea
Black diamond milk tea
Jasmine scented cheese tea

Fine print:

Strictly valid for takeaway only.
Valid at three locations with restricted timings.

Redeemable at these three outlets:

#02-18D, Scape

#01-27, International Plaza
#B1-K13, JCube Shopping Centre

#3: Charlie Brown Cafe: 1-For-1 Pasta Set Meal with Takeaway

Sale Price: S$28.60

How about a cute weekend date at the Charlie Brown Cafe? With this deal, you get to choose two types of pasta from eight flavours and two drinks including rootbeer float and more!

Fine print:

Price includes GST and service charges.
Valid from Mon – Sun: 11.30am – 10pm and on public holidays.

Redeemable at:

#04-01, Cathay Cineleisure Orchard

#4: A-One Claypot House Exclusive: 1-For-1 Hotplate Clam Abalone Noodle 铁板鲍鱼仔焖面 with Takeaway

Sale Price: S$19.90

A-One Claypot House should be a familiar brand name for many of us. Get two hotplate clam abalone noodles (铁板鲍鱼仔焖面) at one of its 13 outlets.

Fine print:

Valid for takeaway only.
Price includes GST.
Food items cannot be changed.
No cancellation or refund upon purchase.
Valid from Mon – Sun: 11.30am – 9.30pm, on public holidays, and eve of public holidays.

Redeemable at these 13 outlets:

#01-29, Waterway Point

#02-52-54, Northpoint

#01-49/50, Junction 8

#02-128 & 130, VivoCity

#03-31, CausewayPoint

#B1-73/74, NEX

#B1-12/13, Chinatown Point

#01-11/12, Hillion Mall

#05-04, Tampines One

#02-36, Compass One

#01-46, The Star Vista

#01-33/34, Kallang Wave Mall
#02-134, Tiong Bahru Plaza

#5: Dhaba 1376: 1-For-1 Mutton Briyani Set

Sale Price: S$11.90

Have two servings of savoury biryani with tender mutton meat with this 1-for-1 deal. You can also get the classic briyani set if you don’t take mutton. Or if you can appreciate the fusion, there’s also a kimchi briyani option.

Fine print:

Valid for dine-in and takeaway.
Valid from Mon: 5pm – 9.30pm, Tue – Sun: 11am – 9.30pm, on public holidays, and eve of public holidays.

Redeemable at:

#04-64, Beauty World Centre

#6: Xing Hua Vegetarian Restaurant: 1-For-1 Vegetarian Fragrance Hotpot

Sale Price: S$18.90

This deal offers you the chance to choose one soup base – herbal, spicy, tom yum, laksa, or signature beancurd. Vegetarian ingredients include cabbage, mushroom, broccoli, and more. You will also get to enjoy two bowls of desserts after your meal! Those who prefer their Vegetarian Mala Xiang Guo + Milk-Tea Set can check that out instead.

Fine print:

Valid for dine-in and takeaway only.
The restaurant does not serve pork or alcohol.
No GST or service charges.
Valid from Mon – Sun: 10am – 8.30pm.

Redeemable at:

The Bencoolen Shopping Mall, #01-02, Singapore 189646

#7: Dumplings.Ru by Ang Moh Dumplings: 1-For-1 12-Course Russian Experience Set

Sale Price: S$65

Want to try Russian-Ukrainian authentic cuisines? You can do so at Dumplings.Ru by Ang Moh Dumplings. They are offering a 1-for-1 12-course Russian experience set which includes appetizers, soup, handmade dumplings, main course, desserts, and more.

Fine print:

Strictly valid for dine-in only.
Valid from Mon – Sun: 12pm – 10pm and on public holidays.

Redeemable at:

#01-05, Maxwell Chambers

#8: Tropical Sundays: 1-For-1 Large Iced Fruit Tea

Sale Price: S$6

Tropical Sundays provide plant-based, meat alternative, and protein meals to complement their range of healthy iced fruit tea! If you happen to head back to your office at Marina One East Tower or within the vicinity, get this 1-for-1 iced fruit tea deal to share with your work kaki!

Fine print:

Valid from Mon – Fri: 11am – 6pm. Not valid on Sat – Sun, public holidays, and eve of public holidays.

Redeemable at:

#B2-58, Marina One East Tower

#9: Legacy Seafood: 1-For-1 Bento Set with Takeaway

Sale Price: S$13.80

Take a break from cooking and get this 1-for-1 bento set with flavours like sweet and sour sliced fish rice, ginger and spring onion sliced fish rice, traditional pork rib rice, and more! Also comes with two drinks – coca-cola or mineral water.

Fine print:

Valid from Mon – Fri: 12pm – 10pm; Sat – Sun: 12pm – 4pm. Valid on eve of public holidays and public holidays.
A surcharge of S$10 applicable for takeaway on Sat – Sun, payable directly to the merchant.

Redeemable at:

10 Science Centre Road, #01-23, Singapore 609079

#10: Spring Court 詠春园: 1-For-1 6-Course Chinese Set Meal

Sale Price: S$55

Want to enjoy a luxe spread of Chinese cuisine with your loved ones? Have a delightful feast which includes braised pork ribs, salted egg prawns with almond flakes, homemade tofu with scallop and minced pork gravy, and more.

Fine print:

Strictly valid for dine-in only. No takeaways allowed.
Price includes GST and service charges.
No splitting or combining of tables/bills.
The deal does not include Chinese tea or other beverages.
Each dish is a portion for one person.
Valid from Mon – Sun: 11am – 2.30pm; 6pm – 10pm. Valid on public holidays and eve of public holidays.

Redeemable at:

52-56 Upper Cross Street

Please note that prices reflected at the time of writing are accurate. We have no control over the price changes set by Fave.

Internships & Jobs: Christian Dior Singapore, Singtel, and Parkway Dental Practice are hiring

Have you been mass sending your resume out to companies? You might want to think twice. Yesterday (24 August), we wrote about whether you should interview for a job you don’t want. Kevin Matthews, an experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition, gave us some useful pointers regarding the issue. Click here to read.

Meanwhile, we chanced upon some juicy internships and jobs with Christian Dior Singapore, Singtel, and Parkway Dental Practice you might be interested in.

#1: Christian Dior Singapore – Visual Merchandising Intern

Image Credits: curatedition.com

Allowance / Remuneration: S$800 – 1,000 monthly

Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is one of the world’s leading fashion couture houses. It symbolizes the ultimate in high fashion, luxury, elegance, and refinement. The company claims to have a culture that inspires excellence and a desire to develop and nurture the skillsets of their team.

Job Qualifications

The job qualifications weren’t listed in the job post.

Key Responsibilities

Enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the visual display in boutiques following guidelines and instructions given
Support in receipt and setup of props
Involvement in project coordination with suppliers for events and set-ups
Maintenance and upkeep of all visual merchandising materials
Providing administrative support to the team

How to apply?

Submit your application to Ashlyn Ang via this link.

View the job post in full here.

#2: Singapore Telecommunications Limited – Digital Executive #SGUnitedTraineeships

Image Credits: HRM Asia

Allowance / Remuneration: S$2,100 – 2,200 (project /contract-based)

Singtel is one of Asia’s leading communications technology groups, providing a portfolio of services covering next-generation communication, technology services, and infotainment to both consumers and businesses.

They have strategic investments in regional mobile operators – Telkomsel (Indonesia), Globe Telecom (the Philippines), Advanced Info Service (Thailand) and Bharti Airtel (India), which has a significant presence in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Africa.

Technology continues to reshape how we live and the company is proud to be nurturing talents for the digital economy. Here’s your chance to be part of an exciting traineeship with an opportunity to acquire professional and soft skills.

Job Qualifications

They are looking for young people with a passion to create a better future with technology, and the potential to influence others to do the same.

Degree in Business Administration or equivalent
Ability to manage complex projects, multi-task, be proactive, and handle uncertainty
Translate complex solutions and requirements to simple, easy-to-understand terms and actionable solutions
Multitask, handle projects from end-to-end with minimal guidance

Key Responsibilities

SME Engagement

– Identify and reach out to potential SME customers for the Digital Hub program.

– Provide advice on relevant digital solutions/ resources to address SME customers’ enquiries/ challenges. Educating and training SME customers on relevant solutions.

– Handhold and manage SME customers during the implementation process.

Business Development

– Conduct research in identified verticals to identify new prospects, evaluate SME potential digital solution gaps and recommend suitable solutions accordingly.

– Identify suitable vertical solutions by keeping abreast of the current industry trends and offerings in the market.

– Achieve set business targets by developing new businesses and seeing through the adoption of digital solutions by SME customers.

– Develop value propositions and conduct presentations to prospects.

Project Management

– Guide and assist customers through the implementation of digital solutions within the stipulated timeline and resources.

– Analyze data based on usage and digital solutions embraced by customers. Ensure customer satisfaction – sustainability in meeting their needs.

How to apply?

Submit your application to Rebecca Chan via this link.

View the job post in full here.

#3: Parkway Dental Practice – Sales & Marketing Associate #SGUnitedTraineeships

Image Credits: AsiaOne

Allowance / Remuneration: S$800 – 2,400 monthly

Parkway Dental is a group dental practice located at Pacific Plaza, within walking distance from Orchard MRT Station. Their team of experienced specialists and dentists is dedicated to providing the public with value and quality care.

Job Qualifications

Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident; and
Graduated in 2019 or graduating in 2020 from ITEs, polytechnics, universities, or other educational institutions (e.g. private universities and overseas institutions); or
Graduated earlier from above institutions and completed National Service in 2019 or 2020.

Key Responsibilities

Coordinate with patients on the treatment plan
Management of the company’s social media platforms (e.g Facebook, Instagram) and website
Creating a positive opinion of the company to a public audience through social media
Evaluate social trends so as to improve the brand’s current presence online
Brainstorming ideas on how to improve public opinion of the company
Use of online analytics tools to ensure that advertisements are targeted at the right audience

By the end of the traineeship, you should be able to:

Communicate with customers confidently with regards to their industry-specific inquiries
Use online analytics tools to improve the company’s advertisement reach-out rate
Catch social trends with ease

How to apply?

Submit your application to Christina / Aggie via this link.

View the job post in full here.

#SGUnitedTraineeships

For those keen in #SGUnitedTraineeships, Black Market Camera also has two recent openings.

They are predominantly in the business of the distribution, sale, and rental of photographic, video equipment, and accessories. They are continuously expanding their range of products and have ventured into a greater range of electronic products including drones (DJI, Yuneec), electronic stabilisers (DJI OSMO, gyro stabilisers for mobile phones and actions cameras), etc.

Click through the links to view more:

All the best for your application(s)!

Singapore sees a shift in mode of transport with more people cycling and buying bicycles

In line with Singapore’s aim to develop its cycling infrastructure as part of a car-lite city, our country is seeing a shift in the mode of transport with more people cycling and buying bicycles. Are you part of the trend?

Bike-sharing operator: Anywheel

Image Credits: Anywheel

According to Anywheel’s chief executive Htay Aung, there was a 68 per cent rise in ridership in January compared to the previous month, a 25 per cent increase in February and 20 per cent in March.

While ridership fell by about 23 per cent during the circuit breaker, demand has since sprung back up, with a 39 per cent increase between June and July, he added.

“We believe that the significant increase in ridership is mainly due to our growing fleet size as well as the shift in preference in (the) mode of transport as members of the public are practising social responsibility by avoiding crowded areas during peak hours due to COVID-19,” said Mr Htay.

In July, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) granted Anywheel approval to expand its fleet from 10,000 to 15,000 bicycles.

“Based on our trip data collected during this outbreak, our bicycles have been proven to be an alternative mode of first- and last-mile transportation and have the ability to replace short trips between one to two MRT stations or several bus stops,” noting that the trend is likely to continue.

Largest player in Singapore’s bike-sharing market: SG Bike

Image Credits SG Bike

SG Bike marketing director Benjamin Oh said, “There is an increasing number of users using our bicycles as a means of outdoor exercise and activities.”

Mr Oh is referring to an increased usage around neighbourhoods and outdoor parks such as along East Coast Park, Gardens by the Bay, and the Marina Bay area.

“Following the PMD ban and COVID-19 circuit breaker, we have continuously been working together with foodpanda to provide their riders to use our bicycles,” he said, adding that riders who work for other delivery companies also use their bicycles.

Compared to Anywheel’s fleet of 15,000 bicycles, SG Bike operates a fleet of 25,000 bicycles in Singapore.

A rise in business for the bicycle industry

Image Credits: Treknology3

The sale of bicycles and related accessories increased in the first quarter of this year, with 8,740 transactions compared to 5,187 during the same period last year, said OCBC group customer analytics and decisioning head, Donald MacDonald.

For bicycle retailer Treknology3, sales for bicycles, helmets, and lights went up by about 20 to 25 per cent in the last few months. Its marketing and distribution manager Azhar Abdullah believes that the upward trend in cycling is because it allows people to head outdoors while adhering to safe distancing rules at the same time.

But BofA Securities analyst Rafe Jadrosich says that the cycling boom is still in its early stages and there is still a long way to go for the trend to peak.

Experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition advises if you should interview for a job you don’t want

Times are hard these days, we understand. We’re also on the lookout for jobs and internships for you guys from time to time. Even more so for the desperate, it’s easy to mass send your resume out to companies, including job openings you don’t particularly take an interest to.

Last week, we wrote about some valuable tips for job seekers by recruitment experts from LinkedIn, Robert Walters, and Michael Page. Hop over to read if you’re currently on the lookout for a new job opportunity.

Today, we will put our focus on whether you should interview for a job you don’t want. We will be hearing from the wise words of Kevin Matthews, an experienced recruiter with 15 years in talent acquisition. He is also the managing director of KR Partners and founder & CEO of Candid-Intel.

#1: I mass sent out many applications during my job search and now I’m being called in for jobs that may not be the most suitable. Is it still worth taking the interview?

Firstly, it’s probably not a good idea to mass apply to jobs during your job search. I would advise you to get into the habit of being targeted as you will achieve better results that way. Now that you have gotten yourself in a bit of a bind with so many requests, don’t panic – go through each job that requested an interview and analyze three things before declining to attend:

Does the company or position match your current needs or aspirations? If your answer is no, skip the interview.
Are you sure you’re overqualified or not suitable for the position? For example, if the job description says they are looking for two years’ experience and you have seven, then you should probably skip it.
Is there anything you can learn from the interview? Interviewing, even if you’re unsure about the position or the company, can provide opportunities to practice your interpersonal and interviewing skills.

If you’re still convinced that attending the interview won’t be right for you, please respectfully decline with a short email.

#2: Is it alright to take an interview just to practice my interview skills even if I may not want the job?

“Well, I would advise if you’re unsure on the job or company that it’s still OK to attend and practice. However, if you’re 100% convinced that this opportunity is not right for you, don’t waste your time or the interviewer’s – conduct mock interviews with your friends to practice. That would be a better use of your time.”

#3: I was given a job offer and accepted it just before I was about to attend another interview. This interview was set up prior to the offer. Should I still take the meeting? Or should I decline to save everyone’s time?

Image Credits: Stocksy United

“My advice after spending many years in recruitment is to decline the interview and move on.

We all love to be wanted, but sometimes you have to know when it’s time to focus on the wonderful opportunity you have at hand. Running around the city and interviewing without a purpose is exhausting. Save everyone’s time and move on.”

#4: I’ve been offered several offers during my job hunt. Is this something I need to let a hiring manager know? Or is it better to keep this to myself?

“You are under no obligation to disclose whether you have been offered other job opportunities, its best to keep the information to yourself until you can gauge interest or compare offers – the hiring process is a bit like poker, so remember not to reveal your hand too early.”

#5: I’ve decided that the position is not the right fit for me. How do I politely decline the interview?

“Email is the preferable choice as many people are not comfortable declining an offer via the phone or face to face.

It’s important to remember to remain courteous in the email. Don’t be arrogant, remember you may have declined this opportunity but there could be future opportunities with the company or hiring manager that you want to be considered for. It’s advisable to remain professional and polite in your correspondence as it will leave a lasting impression.”

Ant shop in Singapore sells a handful of ants in a test-tube kit for about S$12 for ant hobbyists

While the average person will press their fingers against ants to get rid of them once they come to sight, a 41-year-old started an ant shop in Singapore. Just Ants is the name of the shop with about 30 to 35 species of ants.

“It started from a hobby, a small hobby,” Mr John Ye said. “And then when I actually learned more about ants, I was mind-blown. I ventured deeper and deeper. So I thought to myself, why not start an ant shop in Singapore?”

Prices

A starter test-tube kit with a handful of ants for a beginner ant hobbyist is priced at about S$12. For an established colony of 20 to 30 ants, it’s selling at S$20. While for rare ants, it can go for up to S$60.

The owner’s love for ants

Image Credits: CNA

Don’t underestimate Mr Ye’s love for ants. It is that which prompted him to quit his job of distributing wholesale electronics to set up his shop in early 2019.

He even has a poem written about ants that’s framed up in his shop. “Why keep ants they say. They are not entirely pests I say,” it read. “Ant keeping can be a joy. A lot more fun than that boring toy.”

Image Credits: CNA

“It’s very therapeutic. My favourite part about keeping ants will be just looking at them, gazing at them… It calms my mind after a hard day at work. They really soothe my stress,” said Mr Ye.

“They are so adorable crawling around, grooming themselves, it just tickles me. Doing their daily stuff, their strategies, the characteristics, how they organise themselves so uniquely,” he added.

His interest started randomly

“I was watching some videos online. In Singapore, it’s fairly new, but in Canada, the United States, it’s quite a hobby. So there’s a very popular ant channel in Canada – he’s also a comedian – Mikey Bustos.”

“He started the trend back then, and he did a storyline for each ant colony. So every time you will (be like) – wah, what’s the second episode like?”

The public’s reaction

“We have more curious people – not ant-keepers – but (they’re) curious as to what we are doing.”

“We even have an uncle (who started with us). He’s 79-years-old. He bought a few colonies and he said he will spend hours observing them, taking pictures… He’s very cute because he will keep asking me, ‘you have any new ants?’ I say, ‘no more, all you have already’,” Mr Ye said.

In fact, schools and the Singapore Science Centre have approached him to talk about ants.

But it’s not always a pretty picture for the ant lover. He was doubted by friends and relatives with many wondering if he was in the right state of mind. When he first started, his wife even threatened to spray his ants with Baygon if they escaped from their enclosures.

Passion over profits

Image Credits: CNA

“I know it will not be very profitable like a full-time job as in the workforce, but as time goes by, we thought of, well, passion would be ultimately over profit. Of course, we are not earning as much (as) back then in the workforce, but slowly we found really little happiness in what we’re doing,” he said.