Anna Agoncillo, Author at MoneyDigest.sg

4 Useful and Money-Saving Travel Tips for Memorable Adventures

1. PRIORITIZE AND BE MINDFUL OF YOUR EXPENSES

Rather than spending more money on high-end accommodation, why don’t you spend more on fun activities such as skydiving? Spend it on once in a lifetime experiences that can only happen on the place you are at.

Save up to 58% on your travel expenses though HomeExchange.com. It is a popular website where people rent out their own home and find a place to stay while they travel. With this system, you will get a local feel and get to be toured to places that you will have never visited if you travelled by tour packages.

2. BLEND IN

Do what locals usually do and you will find yourself immersed in interesting conversations with them. Do not be afraid to try the cheap street foods that the locals are queuing for (unless you have an upset stomach).

Image Credits: Simon & His Camera via Flickr

I have a friend from Serbia who wants to bargain in Hong Kong flea but her district features can be a prey to vendors who want to take advantage of their customers. So, she let her Chinese friend help her bargain in the local language. It worked.

3. TAKE THE LOCAL TRANSPORT

Instead of flushing your money by taking taxis all around town, try to ride the local buses or trains. It will not only allow you to save a great deal of money but it will also give you memorable experiences. It is not everyday that you get to sit to locals carrying their fresh produce from their harvest.

4. INITIATE A CONVERSATION WITH YOUR FELLOW TRAVELERS

Converse with your fellow travelers and the locals to get credible information on which places to go to or which places do they enjoy the most. Chances are, you may find yourself in untouched places of beauty where only a few people go.

3 Delicious Valentine’s Day Dining Places Under S$50

They say that a quickest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. If you desire to impress your loved one without breaking the bank then brace yourself as I lay out the 3 Delicious Valentine’s Day Dining Places in Singapore That Are Under S$50…

1. SAVEUR

Who would have thought that affordable yet scrumptious French cuisine exists in Singapore? Young chefs named Joshua and Dylan paved way for casual dining that serves renowned French dishes at reasonable prices.

Your special someone would definitely enjoy the simple ambiance and the taste of food that is raved all over the social media. One yelp.com user even wrote on that it was “90% as good as the dish served in Paris”.

Image Credits: saveur.sg

Delicately handmade “Duck Confit” and “Seafood Pasta with Tiger Prawn and Lumpfish Caviar” are crowd pleasers. Their main courses start from S$10 while their desserts are S$7 and up. Generally, the menu’s maximum price is S$30. Saveur has various locations around the country namely in: Ion Orchard, Far East Plaza, and Purvis Street.

2. PIEDRA NEGRA

If your partner is looking to try something different then feast your way to Haji Lane where Piedra Negra Restaurant is located. Piedra Negra is a Mexican restaurant with “hippy” vibe, cultural ensembles, and colorful graffiti walls. Much like Saveur, the menu generally is S$30 and under.

Image Credits: facebook.com/Piedra.Negra.Haji.Lane

The restaurant takes up two units and specializes on Latin American cuisine. If you are an expat looking forward for a taste of home then try their amazing handmade Guacamole that is certified fresh.

3. ANTOINETTE

Named after the late Queen of France, Antoinette boasts its interior beauty that is known for its Parisian style tea and pastries. Antoinette’s selection of lavish treated and handmade dishes will be perfect for celebrating your perfect date. It is established by the Sugar Daddy Group.

Image Credits: antoinette.com.sg

Take your girl friends on a Valentine’s day lunch for high tea and ladies’ luncheons that you all can enjoy. Food generally ranges from S$5 to S$30. Honorary dishes include the “Beef Bourguignon” and the “Gnocci Carbonara”. If you are a dessert lover then I suggest for you to try the “Antoinette”, a sinful serving of Earl Grey ice cream, raspberry jelly, and milk chocolate shards.

How To Earn Decent Money While You Travel

Tired of spending money while you travel? Then, do the opposite instead. To help you survive on the road or to give your travel fund a boost, explore creative ways to earn money while traveling. Here are 5 Ways to help you start…

Image Credits: Moyan Brenn via Flickr

1. TEACH ENGLISH

Hundreds of job opportunities that cater to TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) certified individuals, native English speakers or people who are fluent in the said language. A simple way to make a buck is to check out Dave Sperling’s ESL Cafe.

ESL Cafe is a website that is open for people who teach English and provides them students from around the world. You may send your resume or C.V. to schools and individuals in South Korea, China, Japan, and other locations.

You can also teach English online abroad while you travel.

2. ONLINE FREELANCE WORK

Whether you have a talent in writing, marketing, administrative work, advertising, legal work, engineering, illustrating, and web design among others…there are websites that provide opportunities for online freelance work. You can do your job anywhere even if you’re inside your Bali hotel’s balcony enjoying seaside view.

You can be an Odesk.com online freelancer. Payment is painless because Credit Cards, PayPal accounts, and Bank Accounts are accepted. There are work diaries that capture your work-in-progress and snapshots your screen so don’t try to cheat.

3. GET A WORKING HOLIDAY VISA OR WORK HOLIDAY PASS

By getting a working holiday visa or a work holiday pass you may legally work in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, France, Ireland, and Canada while you travel. The general age of qualification is aged 18 to 30. Aside from working, one sweet deal is that you may stay for up to a year in some cases.

Singapore also offers the same pass to people who studied or graduated in universities from nine countries namely: New Zealand, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, and United States.

4. HOSTEL, RESTAURANT, AND RESORT JOBS

In exchange for free bedroom accommodation, why don’t you work in either the hostel’s front desk or the cleaning services? Hostels are usually looking for new staff and the same goes for resorts.

For resorts, you make take on jobs on the front desk, restaurant, and entertainment department.

Lying on the country’s classified ads are cafe or restaurant job opportunities. Flip it open and apply. Explore your options to choose the best working hour that fits your travel itineraries.

5. BE CREATIVE

There are tons of ways to earn and all you have to do is get creative.

Image Credits: martinak15 via Flickr

What valuable talent or goods can you offer in exchange of money or free accommodation? You may teach Yoga or musical instruments, sell your photographs or timeshares, and housesit a property overseas. Your imagination is the limit!

How Much Are Your Mistakes Worth in Singapore? #FineCity

Singapore has been dubbed globally as a “Fine City”. The common penalties range from S$200 to S$1,000. Some laws are famous for its outrageous nature such as banning of chewing gums or durians (in public transportation).

The strict policies may urge you to be hesitant in your actions but it will surely train your discipline and accountability.

1. NO PIRATED GOODS

Much like most of the countries, Singapore has a strict policy for Pirated Goods (e.g., CDs or DVDs) and Pornography. Illegal video circulation is an offense that will fine up to S$1,000 (US$800).

2. NO SMOKING

Aside from the record-breaking cigarette prices in Singapore, violation of the smoking regulations can cost you up to S$1,000. Authorized cigarette packs have a stamp of “SDPC” (Singapore Duty-Paid Cigarette). Otherwise, you have to pay S$500 per pack once you are caught bringing it inside the country. Smoking in public areas such as the public train is strictly prohibited.

3. NO CHEWING GUMS

As most might acknowledge, chewing gums are banned in Singapore. Importing chewing gums in the country even for personal consumption is illegal. Improper disposal of gum and carrying huge quantities of it will cost you a fine of S$500 to S$1,000 on your first offense. This is to prevent chewed gum traces on the public seats, pavements, stairways, and floors.

4. NO LITTERING

Aside from being a fine city, Singapore is known for its impeccable cleanliness. Initial offenders who throw small items like cigarette sticks or candy wrappers are penalized for S$300. Anyone else that are caught littering in public will be fined with S$1,000 and will do community service.

5. DON’TS IN THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

To maintain cleanliness and safety of all the citizens, flammable goods are banned inside a public transportation. Once you get caught with a flammable item, you will get the S$5,000 (US$4,000) fine. Also, no eating or drinking is allowed inside buses, train stations, and inside the train. It will cost you from S$300 to S$500 once you are caught.

Image Credits: Paul Papadimitriou via Flickr

If you have a bad memory, worry not since warning signs are plastered all over buses and trains.

Sberbank Offers A Free Cat For Every Mortgage

How do you increase the likelihood of repeating a behavior? Well, Psychology and Operant Conditioning suggests that you must reward them. Something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change one’s behavior. Luckily, one Russian bank got the memo.

To make their clients feel interested and entertained, one of the largest Russian Bank called Sberbank offers a free cat with every client mortgage loan. It is also believed to boost the mortgage sales.

The bank’s special website will welcome you with a cat selector among 10 breeds including Siamese, tabbies, and an exotic hairless cat. A spokeswoman for the bank named Anastasia Vakhlamova told Bloomberg Businessweek that the Sberbank employees who kindly agreed to participate in the special project own some of the cats.

Some of the cats that you may loan are Lolly, Toffee, and Apricot—their names are as adorable as they look. Photos, description of the felines’ personalities and a video that shows how happy the first clients were when they received their cats are available on the web.

Image Credits: naql via Flickr

In fact, the heartwarming video has gotten over a million views. Check it out…

The good news is that the cat will be delivered to you in time for your housewarming party. Clients can take photos photos and play with the cat and generally have fun cat-related times. But, do not be too attached with it.

The only downside is that you cannot keep the feline for life. The terms that are laid out in an eight-page disclaimer on the bank’s microsite offer about two hours of interaction.

Although, the given time is enough as the cat is culturally believed to transmit good luck especially to the couples who are moving in to a new house. As the campaign promotion goes, “Order a cat for your housewarming, and bring happiness and luck to your home”.

Search the site