How To Shield Yourself From Grab’s Surge Pricing

As a country whose location is near the Equator, Singapore experiences “dry and wet days” throughout the years. Generally speaking, the dry months last from March to August. While, the wet months typically span from September to February. Its tropical climate makes the weather unpredictable.

The most convenient way to travel while it is raining is through a personal or a public car. There is no denying that hailing a cab becomes difficult when it is raining! What’s more? You may experience surge pricing when hailing a cab or booking a Grab car. Surge pricing is the adjustment of ride prices to match driver supply and rider demand. During periods of excessive demand where there are not enough drivers on the road (i.e., rainy weather), Grab increases its normal fares.

To combat this issue, insurance cooperative NTUC Income launched the product Droplet last October. Droplet is a pioneer when it comes to protecting the commuters against unpredictable surge pricing on ride-hailing platforms. Further down the road, it aims to cover other platforms aside from Grab. Just wait for their announcements by the end of the year.

HOW DOES IT WORK

Reap the benefits of Droplet by purchasing the rainsurance at least a day ahead of your rides. The premium will be no more than S$9.60 for the day. You can submit as many ride receipts for claim and receive a maximum of S$50 in a day. Commuters who buy the Droplet coverage closer to the forecast of rain are likely to pay a higher premium that those who purchase the premium cover in advance.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

To buy the insurance, you must select a date range that you would like to receive coverage. Then, you must send your claims by forwarding your E-Receipt through email (to [email protected]).

As of now, Droplet only covers rides booked on the Grab app. It will pay up to 60% of your trip fare or the cancellation fee should it be raining at the point of pickup.

THE BOTTOM-LINE

This post shall end with a statement from NTUC Income.

“Droplet is a blue-sky response to consumers’ pain point – surge pricing due to rain – when they book a ride on ride-hailing platforms. In Singapore, where an average of 167 days of rainfall can be expected a year, consumers can now meaningfully address this pain point with insurance cover by Droplet.”

It is exciting to see how insurance products sync with the modern times. Hopefully, other insurers will be as innovative as this one for the commuters to enjoy the benefits of having options.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Create A Beginner’s Makeup Bag For Under S$100

With a wide array of makeup products available on the market, it is hard to know what you actually need. Whether you are new to the cosmetics scene or ready to start a new kit, here are some of the essential products that you need to invest on.

THE ESSENTIAL PRODUCTS

1. Foundation

Foundation covers the imperfections of your skin. When choosing the right foundation, you must match the color with your neck and chest. Then, understand your skin type to decide between a powder or a liquid formula. People with dry skin can greatly benefit from liquid foundation or hydrating powder. People with oily skin can will look best with matte foundation or powder products.

2. Blush

The blush’s primary function is to give you a subtle glow or a healthy-looking skin. A hue that generally flatters every complexion is a rose blush containing hints of brown. Apply the blush correctly by smiling and locating the apples of your cheeks. If you are using a powder foundation, it is recommended to use a powder blush. If you are using a liquid foundation, stick with a cream blush.

3. Eye-shadow

Using an eye-shadow palette in a strategic manner can transform your entire look to suit your outfit. Experiment with the range of colors and types (i.e., matte or shimmer). Nude tones such as taupe and brown are universally flattering. While, muted purple and gray tones such as mauve and plum are classically beautiful.

4. Lips

Image Credits: pixabay.com

One of the most sought-after cosmetic products is the lipstick! Red and nude hues enhances your natural shade of pucker. Personally, I prefer Mac’s Russian Red and Twig shades. Selecting a sheer tone of lip product will minimize the chances of a mismatch as your natural pout will shin through.

THE THRIFTY MIX & MATCH

COMBO #1 (TOTAL: S$84.90)

A. Eyes/Cheeks/Lips/Face – Hydrate, Illuminate, and Glow Kit by Tarte (S$65)
This kit includes a highlighter palette that can double as your eye-shadow, a lip balm for a subtle color, and a setting mist for a 12-hour coverage.

B. Face – Pressed Powder Foundation by L.A. Colors (S$10)

C. Lips/Cheeks – Dear Darling Water Gel Tint by Etude House (S$9.90)

COMBO #2 (TOTAL: S$50.85)

A. Eyes – Matte Eyeshadow by L.A. Colors (S$11.05)

B. Lips/Cheeks – Dear Darling Water Gel Tint by Etude House (S$9.90)

C. Face – Miracle Touch Foundation by Max Factor (S$29.90)

Image Credits: pixabay.com

COMBO #3 (TOTAL: S$64.90)

A. Eyes/Cheeks/Lips – Nudies All Over Face by Nudestix (S$45)
A great tip to help you save money is to splurge on a product that can be used for more than one purpose. This versatile product even includes a brush and a mirror. My favorite shades include “In The Nude” and “Naughty N’ Spice”.

B. Face – Fit Me Matte+Poreless Liquid Foundation by Maybelline (S$19.90)

Sources: 1 & 2

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4 Things You Shouldn’t Put In Your Wallet

Whether you are keeping your loose cash or EZ-link card, there are certain items that you want or need to carry in your wallet on a daily basis. This article will not dwell on that. Instead, it is focusing on the significant items that you need to leave out.

#1: RECEIPTS

Do not deny it! I am sure that you are guilty of keeping some receipts inside your wallet. Keeping receipts is valid as long as you are planning to exchange a product, authenticate its warranty, or reimburse it for work. Unless you have a valid reason to keep the long strips of paper, you have to throw it all away! Reduce your clutter by digitally organizing your receipts using apps like Shoeboxed.

#2: SENSITIVE PASSWORDS

As hacking becomes rampant nowadays, I can only stress how important it is to keep your passwords safe. It may seem like a functional idea to keep all your precious belongings (e.g., money, credit cards, or passwords) in one place, but it can make you vulnerable to fraud or identity theft. It is best to find a notebook or an app that will keep your passwords protected.

#3: HUGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY

Carrying huge amounts of money around town can be dangerous. It may seem obvious to most of us, but there are some people who are opposed to having bank accounts or safety deposits. Once your wallet is stolen or misplaced, it may be hard to recover the lost money. For this reason, I encourage you to reconsider opening a bank account or purchasing a safety deposit.

#4: CHOP CARDS

A chop or stamp card is a simple marketing tool used to spread the buzz about a particular establishment. When a customer visits the store and makes a purchase, he or she will be rewarded through the card. If you frequently visit an establishment then, picking up their chop card is a good idea. Moreover, you will be able to support the local businesses.

Image Credits: luvmilo.com

If the chances of using the chop card or visiting the store are slim then, you must stop kidding yourself! Throw it away and create a valuable space in your wallet.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Will You Buy The World’s First Foldable Phone?

It came as a surprise to many when a barely known tech company introduced the world’s first foldable phone. The future of smartphone is upon us as Royole Corporation launched FlexPai in Beijing. Royale Corporation is a relatively new company, which was founded by Stanford engineering graduates in 2012. It will go down in history as the company who conquered the “foldable phone” race ahead from Samsung and Huawei.

For the digital savvy Singaporeans who are interested in acquiring their own FlexPai, here are its specifications. FlexPai boasts its “virtually unbreakable and extremely durable screen”, which can be bent for over 200,000 times. This smartphone can be folded like a paper or a wallet to display various small screens: in the front, back, and spine. While it is folded, you can receive incoming calls or take photos from front and back screens. The spine is where the notifications will show. Its 7.8-inch display resembles a tablet when fully unfolded.

You may be wondering if it can take some Instagrammable shots. To tell you frankly, it has two cameras with 20 and 16 megapixels. You can bend it to capture objects and subjects at unique angles. Other features include having a microSD slot, a fingerprint reader, a Snapdragon 8-series chip, and a USB-C port. Furthermore, it is running on an Android 9.0 based Water OS.

See this latest handset in action as you watch the following demo.

As with many first models, this pioneer handset is far from being perfect. Royole needs to address some glitches. For instance, it should offer a sleek design which does not have visible fold marks when straightened out. There should be seamless switch between front and back displays. Furthermore, it is a bulky device that is about 50% heavier than Note 9 and the iPhone XS Max.

Nonetheless, Royole’s foldable product encourages other tech companies to provide different experiences to the Millennial consumers. While consumers in China can purchase a consumer edition FlexPai today, global consumers can pre-order the developer version online. The 6 GB model with 128 GB storage is available to consumers for $1,588 (about S$2182), while the 8 GB model with 256 GB costs $1,759 (about S$2417). These devices are expected to be shipped by December.

With all these information in mind, I am excited to see the foldable products that well-known tech companies will launch soon (e.g., Samsung Galaxy F).

Sources: 1 & 2

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Flush Your Financial Worries With Stoicism

“We suffer not from the events in our lives, but from our judgement about them.”
~Epictetus

As I dealt with high levels of stress these past few weeks, I turned to Philosophy for guidance. A school of thought that transformed my mindset by 360 degrees is Stoicism. Stoicism highlights the division between what is happening to the world and how we emotionally respond to it. It is founded by Zeno, a wealthy merchant who had lost it all. In his despair, he turned to Philosophy for strength.

Stoicism helps us deal with our lives through virtues such as logic, temperance, justice, and courage. It encourages its followers to submit to the hardships or good fortune without complaints. Instead, you must understand the world and the people around you in a fair manner.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Apply this influential way of thinking to your life by following these tips:

ABUNDANCE OVER SCARCITY

Whether you dwell on not having enough money to purchase a car or not having enough money to travel, many people associate money with scarcity. It is easier to complain about not having sufficient funds than engaging in random acts of generosity. You see, having a negative mindset about money can hinder the flow of abundance.

I am not saying that you should give out everything you own! There are other ways to extend your generosity. You can share your expertise or your time to someone in need.

RESPECT OVER CONTROL

Stoics hold a financial mindset that enables them to be respectful, but emotionally detached from money. This mindset allows them to make logical decisions in various area of life.

For them, there is no shame in leading a modest life. However, there is nothing noble about lacking money neither. They perceive money with a relative indifference whereby it has no effect on their self-worth or happiness.

RATIONAL MENTAL STATE OVER EXTERNAL THINGS

Stoicism wants us to realize that money can never solve all of our problems. It can only solve problems within the financial realm. How about the pursuit for happiness? External things such as money, fame, and success can never guarantee happiness.

There is nothing wrong with letting these external things be part of your comfortable life. However, the endless pursuit of these external things can only do damage than good. For stoics, happiness comes from having a rational mental state.

Interested in knowing more about the Philosophy of Stoicism? Watch the short video below.

Sources: 1 & 2

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