Anna Agoncillo, Author at MoneyDigest.sg

How To Efficiently Declutter Your Personal And Financial Life

The perfect time to organize your thoughts, to arrange your bills, and to declutter your home is NOW! Here are five strategies that you can start with:

CLEANSE YOUR PHONE

We are constantly glued to our devices. I do not mean to be a bearer of bad news, but your devices are not entirely sanitary. Various researchers have found Escherichia coli bacteria, Streptococcus, and other pathogens living on mobile phones. It is important to employ measures to keep yourself healthy and to minimize medical bills.

One of the first few things that I do upon coming home from work is to cleanse my phone. I grab a couple of cotton pads and spray it with Isopropyl Alcohol. This helps me disinfect my phone as I am constantly in contact with relatively sickly children. You can adopt this habit too!

FLOSS YOUR PEARLY WHITES

Many experts encourage the importance of flossing in one’s daily grooming routine. A floss is designed to reach between the gums and the teeth. It acts as an efficient tool to lower the risk of gum disease, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.

You do not want to go to a job interview with a flaming bad breath!

PURGE YOUR ITEMS

Are you getting trapped under a mountain of rubbish? Tidy your space by practicing the one-item-in and one-item-out policy. This policy works by bringing a new item in and dropping an old item out. You can either donate, sell, or throw the old item. Doing this regularly will improve both your financial and mental health.

ORGANIZE YOUR BILLS

Never forget where you put the bills or when their due dates are by designating one place for them. You read that right! You have to decide whether you are going to file all your bills in a tangible box or in a computer folder.

Some bills arrive by electronic mail while some arrive by postal mail. Printed bills must be kept in a labeled box. While for virtual storage of bills, make scanned copies of those that arrive in the mail and put them into a labeled folder in your laptop.

EASE YOUR MIND

Create a healthy division between your work and personal life to lessen your stress. For instance, my co-worker does not respond to the client’s calls after 7 PM. You may do the same thing, if necessary. Another way to keep your mind at ease is by not checking your email before you go to sleep.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

It is inevitable to spot a message that will your mind buzzing all throughout the night. Furthermore, it may make you anxious to go to work the next day. Do you want that to happen?

Sources: 1 & 2

5 Cover Letter Mistakes That’ll Hurt Your Chances Of Getting The Job

The premise is simple. Your Cover Letter (CL) is meant to complement and highlight the content of your Curriculum Vitae (CV). You probably written several job applications, so you will have an idea of how a CL should be structured. However, you may make the same mistakes over and over again.

CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY

As a newbie in the workforce, you may think that sending as many job applications as you can will boost your chances of landing an interview. There is just one problem! You forgot to alter the “company’s name”. This may be an obvious thing, but it happens to the best of us.

Putting the wrong company name instantly sends poor impression. Avoid this mistake by asking a trusted friend or family member to proofread your Cover Letter and Curriculum Vitae.

IN THE SEA OF EXCUSES

Tackling the excuses of a co-worker who regularly takes time off work is irritating! Imagine if you applied the same tone to your CL. As CLs generally have a maximum length of one page, you do not have to expand on the reasons why you hop to different occupations, why you left the previous companies, or why you missed some opportunities.

Rationalizing your actions may take away the attention from your valuable assets and transfer it to the things that weigh you down.

PAGES OF A LENGTHY NOVEL

When the interviewer looks at your CL, he or she scans for the keywords. This is why you must keep your document concise and straightforward. Who likes reading a mountain of text, anyway? Not me!

Writing more content does not necessarily mean that your CL is better. As I said above, a single page is enough. Describe how your experience and qualifications fulfill the requirements of the position that you are applying for. Then, wrap things up.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

The issue of money is somewhat of a grey area. You shall not reveal your expected salary right away in a CL, unless you are specifically asked to do so. It is not the right place or time to negotiate your salary.

As Lisa Benson, the President and CEO of Mary Kraft Staffing & HR Solutions, once said: “No prospective employer wants to hire someone who is only about the money.”

GENERIC IS THE BRAND

Shy away from cliché phrases, if you want to show your enthusiasm towards the job. The interviewer or the recruiter receives countless applications that merely enumerates their skills (e.g., team player or hardworking). Shine above the rest by backing your unique skills with facts and results.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

One of the issues that recruiter’s encounter is reading endless generic statements. So, be unique!

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Financial Sacrifices Are Crucial To Send Your Child To A University

HSBC, one of the world’s largest financial institution, conducts its yearly survey series entitled “The Value of Education”. This yearly report examines the parent’ expectations and aspirations for their children’s education.

In 2015, it highlighted that a whopping 90% of Singaporean parents saw undergraduate studies as an essential tool for their children’s success. The interesting part was that majority of these parents (about 83%) were willing to pay more to send their children overseas. The only downside was that some of these parents do not have sufficient money saved. Can you see how much importance was given to university education despite the lack of financial foresight?

Let us move towards the recent 2016 report. Parents in Singapore spend an average of S$21,000 annually on their beloved’s university education. This significant amount is more than twice the global average. Furthermore, majority of these parents (about 52%) were willing to get trapped into debt just to fund their children’s studies. Singaporeans seem to perceive higher education, including overseas studies, as a clincher for future success. Simply ask the billion-dollar tuition or tutorial industry!

The potential issues arise when parents ignore their other financial commitments such as building a savings account for their golden years. Avoid these issues by employing practical steps when planning for your children’s education.

Consider these four steps:

1. ESTABLISH YOUR SAVINGS IN ADVANCE

If you are going to have stellar aspirations for your children, it is only fair that you plan ahead. Open a savings fund for your his or her education during the early development years. Doing so will enable you to have a decent amount of money kept by the time that your child goes to university (i.e., 19 to 21 years old).

2. ENCOURAGE FINANCIAL INDEPENDENCE

Teaching your child the value of money and work opens doors to a brighter financial future. Do not forget about the basics of personal finance including budgeting and investing. Being able to manage their finance is essential to adulthood.

3. ASK FOR PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE

Seeking professional advice allows you to pinpoint your financial opportunities and potential pitfalls along the way. Need I say more?

4. TAP INTO YOUR CPF ACCOUNT AS A LAST RESORT

Singaporean parents may use their Central Provident Fund Ordinary Account (CPF-OA) savings to cover their children’s diploma or degree courses at approved institutions. If your CPF-OA is insufficient, you can apply for the school’s financial assistance schemes or the Tuition Fee and Study Loan schemes offered by the government.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Make this option your last resort as you need your savings for retirement, healthcare, and other emergencies.

Sources: 1 &2

Boost Your Global Employability With These 3 Major Skills

Increasing your employability by honing your skills is always a good idea, if you are trying to earn more. Having the following skills could improve your chances in the international market…

PROGRAMMING (CODING AND SCRIPTING)

Whether you refer to it as programming or coding, this skill plays an important part in our modern lives. This skill is in demand worldwide with a foreseeable rise of 5% each year. Equipping yourself with this digital age skill will give you an opportunity to branch out in any sector such as finance, healthcare, and entertainment (e.g., music recording company).

Our government noticed the clamor for this skills, which is why they integrated Information and Communications Technology (ICT) program in the Singapore Budget 2016. This initiative helps people adapt to the evolving job demands.

MARKETING (NEGOTIATING AND INFLUENCING)

Skills that fall under marketing incorporates in-depth human interactions. Marketing requires cultural sensitivity and social perceptiveness when establishing a working relationship with the clients. Furthermore, it includes negotiating and convincing skills in its umbrella.

As Singaporeans are perpetually glued to their devices, you can see how digital marketing influences the target audience. Observe how Facebook or Instagram ads get noticed globally. It can be measured by the amount of “likes”.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Despite these contemporary tactics, I believe that no amount of artificial intelligence can replace a skilled individual when resolving complaints and closing deals.

COMMUNICATING (ORAL AND WRITTEN)

One of the major skills that employers are looking for is the ability to communicate orally and in writing, to different kinds of people. It is not enough to include that you are a good communicator in your C.V. You must provide evidence by starting a blog, heading clubs, or writing on a publication.

Improve your communicating ability by watching this empowering TED Talk by Business Sound Expert Julian Treasure:

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

Energizing Breakfast Meals For Busy Singaporeans

When it comes to preparing breakfast meals, the options are endless. Adding pressure in time and health in the mix can narrow things down. So stay alert and sharp with these four meals:

FOR A COVETED JOB INTERVIEW

To ace a job interview, it is crucial to leave a lasting impression. Exude enthusiasm while answering the interviewer’s questions by eating a protein-packed breakfast. Egg has about five grams of protein along with other vitamins and minerals. It also contains choline, which may delay your fatigue.

If you are feeling a bit fancy, you may add some smoked salmon in your omelet. The Omega-3 in salmon will help you sharpen your concentration. Save some time by purchasing the marinated salmon at the nearby grocery.

FOR AN EARLY MEETING

Put a healthy spin on the classic peanut butter toast by adding chopped bananas and a dash of chia seeds. The fusion of banana and peanut butter spread will make your stomach feel easily satisfied. Furthermore, chia seeds are rich in dietary fiber and protein! Your body needs all these to keep your mind pumping as you start an early meeting with the board members.

Worry not about the accessibility of organic chia seed as you can get a S$19-bag at FairPrice.

FOR BEATING A STRESSFUL DEADLINE

In Singapore, it is common to encounter a co-worker or a friend who juggles a full-time and a part-time job. Having overlapping deadlines can be stressful for these people. The keep to keeping your mind calm under stress is consuming folate. Folate and vitamin K are present in avocado.

Prepare a quick meal by mashing an avocado and spreading it across a whole grain bread. Add two “sunny-side up” eggs for a well-rounded breakfast. Then, finish it off by sprinkling some salt and pepper.

FOR YOUR PROPOSAL JITTERS

Congratulations! Your boss finally entrusted you with presenting a proposal to your important clients. Speaking in front of a “demanding” panel can make your stomach growl with extreme nervousness. What must you do?

Make a cup of plain yogurt your morning staple. Yogurt helps in boosting your energy and digestion. Look for a brand with no added sugar or flavors to avoid stomach irritation. You may add fresh fruits if you want.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

One serving can cost you about S$4 or less!

Sources: 1 & 2

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