7 Budget Tips for Chinese New Year 2023

When you consider all the additional expenses involved in Chinese New Year (CNY), it can come with a huge price tag. On top of handing out all the red packets, there is the expectation of buying new clothes and throwing family parties.

Given the festive atmosphere, it is easy to throw away your hard-earned money and year-end bonus to achieve an extravagant Chinese New Year celebration. However, a prosperous celebration can happen without breaking the bank.

#1: CONTROL THE SNACKS

Mandarin oranges and delicious CNY goodies are sold everywhere you go. With the recent price hikes, you may want to reconsider how much you spend on snacks. Allocate a fixed amount for snacks and focus on the festive snacks that you think your family members and friends will enjoy.

#2: MANAGE YOUR ANG BAO

For married couples, you must begin by paying off your financial commitments and setting aside a portion for the red packets afterwards. This will help you keep your finances in check. Please be realistic. You do not need to be competitive as ang baos or red packets are meant to be symbols of luck.

#3: REVAMP YOUR CNY CLOTHES

Buying new clothes for the festive season can be wasteful. Bring good luck by updating your previous CNY looks with accessories. You can also sell your old clothes and get extra cash to fund your new outfit purchase. Watch out for online CNY sales!

#4: LOOK FOR DINING DEALS

Restaurants may be closed for the holiday. If you are keen on taking your family to a nearby restaurant, opt for checking out food delivery websites instead. Catch special dining deals to help you boost your savings.

#5: GO EASY ON THE DECORS

CNY is all about attractive decorations. This year, you do not have to go overboard with countless lights and lanterns. If you still have last year’s decorations, be sure to reuse them this year. You can also watch YouTube tutorials to DIY your CNY decors.

#6: DONATE TO THE NEEDY

If you have received too many CNY gifts, consider donating them to the needy or sharing your blessings with family members and friends. This gesture of love helps save the environment too!

#7: SKIP THE OVERSEAS TRAVEL

Leaving Singapore for a vacation is popular during Chinese New Year. Group tours, air fares, and hotel prices often go up during the holiday season. If you are travelling with the entire family, you will be paying a premium price. Instead, you can book a staycation in the city or go for local tours. Take time to plan for the next year.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Sources: 1 & 2

 

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Sad to Return to Work? Toxic Positivity Says You Need to Feel Blessed!

The longer our time off work is, the more common it is to feel upset about returning. As we return to work after the long Yuletide season, our routine will start to change. Humans experience the most comfort with what is known and a routine of being at home or being away from work becomes our normal. Feeling nervous or discontent about returning to work after a break of one week or more is not necessarily concerning! It is more likely human nature.

As you enter the halls of your office, a co-worker may tell you to “bring good vibes only” or “feel blessed that you have work”. It is upsetting to hear that “be positive” remark when you know that you are having a difficult day. You are in the presence of toxic positivity at work. Toxic positivity comes when you are actively minimizing or invalidating negative emotions.

A study showed that more than 75% of respondents in a survey by Science of People said they “sometimes, often, or very often ignore their emotions in favor of being happy.” An example of toxic positivity in the workplace is being told that you need to “look at the brighter side” or to “just stay positive” despite not getting the promotion that you worked hard for. Have you experienced these? Does your workplace value positivity to the extent that it turns toxic?

Toxic positivity at its worst can negatively impact engagement and productivity, diminish trust, and damage company culture.

#1: INCREASED BURNOUT

Toxic positive increases burnout, which is exacerbated by emotional labor. Emotional labor occurs when you are feeling obligated to express an emotion that you are not actually feeling.

#2: LOSS OF TRUST

Invalidating the emotions of the employees or minimizing their prowess can cause loss of trust and create an avoidant work culture.

#3: BLOCKED MINDFULNESS

When you cannot even name what is happening to you, you cannot start the process of analyzation. You will not be able to process your emotions. It not only affects your mental health, but also your overall well-being. Toxic positivity blocks mindfulness, because you cannot accept what is happening in the present.

#4: UNSAFE SPACE

If you do not feel comfortable telling each other your feelings when something is not functioning properly, you may not feel that the space is safe. Is it time to turn the culture upside down to create a new level of emotional openness?

#5: UNQUESTIONABLE TOXIC POSITIVITY

Organizations should ask themselves the following queries to identify if toxic positivity is present:
a. Are employees allowed to change or challenge the culture?

b. Are employees allowed to express concerns or reservations during meetings?

c. Is this team allowed to play the role of devil’s advocate?

d. Are your employees expected to say yes or to agree all the time?

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Optimism is healthy. However, you need to ensure you are not being positive at the expense of the truth. Leaders should encourage openness and honesty at work. Employees will follow soon. Practice emotion-sharing exercises at meetings to foster more understanding and ignite cohesion between co-workers!

Sources: 1 & 2

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Bring Good Luck to Your Home with 2023 Feng Shui Tips

The Rabbit symbolizes longevity, peace, and prosperity in the Chinese culture. Having said that, we can look forward to 2023 as the Year of Hope. The Year of the Rabbit begins on January 22, 2023 (Chinese New Year).

The Rabbit is described as gentle, quiet, elegant, alert, quick, skillful, kind, patient, very responsible, and faithful to those around them. There are five types of rabbits including the five elements – Gold (Metal), Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. This year is the Water Rabbit. The Water Rabbit is known for being amicable, flexible, and gentle.

Increase your luck by wearing the luck colors of blue, green, and white. To welcome good fortune in your home this coming Chinese New Year, add touches of blue. You may also wear metallic colors such as gold, silver, and grey jewelry to increase your luck.

#1: FOR THE BEDROOM

It is vital to have your bed in a commanding position. You should be able to see the door, but it should not face you directly. Remove the clutter or obstructions in your bedroom. Moreover, you must be able to get rid of your aquariums or water bodies inside your bedroom. Water is meant to diffuse the fire, which can decrease your passion in the bedroom.

#2: FOR THE KITCHEN

The stove should be in a commanding position and the fridge should be tidy. A mixture of water and salt is recommended to cleanse off bad energy and attract good energy. Feng Shui advisors recommend using hues of green, blue, white, grey, yellow, and brown in your kitchen. You may also add red or orange or inspiration. No matter what happens, you must steer clear of keeping broken items.

#3: FOR THE BATHROOM

Bathrooms have the lowest source of energy. Hence, you must use light and warm hues like light blue, turquoise blue, green, peach, pink, white, creamy white, and yellow here. It is recommended to decorate your bathroom with oval mirrors and mellow lighting.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Feng Shui advisors strongly advise against the use of suspended harsh lights. Above everything else, you must frequently deep clean your bathrooms.

Sources: 1 & 2

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The Real Cost of Infidelity

Infidelity is defined as the act of having a romantic, emotional, or sexual relationship with someone other than one’s wife, husband, or partner. Extramarital affairs are complex! Its relationship dynamics, emotional investments, logistics, and explosive fallout are far from simple. More importantly, it is expensive!

According to Dr. Ramani Durvasala, a Los Angeles-based clinical psychologist: “Some people get an additional cell phone; a whole additional cell phone plan or a burner [phone] or something like that; they may travel; they may get hotel rooms; they may purchase gifts for this new person.”

The costs of maintaining two relationships add up. In fact, a study showed that expenses associated with an extramarital affair are typical and can cost nearly US$450 (S$601) per month. New flames can intoxicate your brain and push you to spend more. People spend money on event tickets, meals out, bar tabs, air fares, and hotel rooms. Covering one’s tracks can be expensive too. Some people are willing to pay more to ensure secrecy.

People have hired assistants whose sole responsibility was to manage the logistics of the affair or lawyers to draft the NDAs. “They get somebody, and they pay them double to shut them up, and they make that person sign an NDA,” said Dr. Ramina.

Paying an extra S$50 to S$100 a week on dating when you do not have that money can burn you quickly. Not to mention, the effects of infidelity can open a door to larger costs such as marriage counselling and divorce proceedings. Did you know that a 60-minute marriage counselling session can cost you around S$100 or more?

Apart from these costs, you must keep in mind the following elements.

#1: CHILD MAINTENANCE

The Court can order payment of child maintenance in the form of a monthly allowance or a lump sum. In Singapore, children are entitled to child maintenance from their biological parents until the age of 21. However, this order may be extended for certain circumstances such as undergoing national service.

#2: MEDICAL FEES

If you have been infected with STD due to your spouse’s infidelity, you are entitled to sue. You might be able to receive financial compensation on the grounds of “marital tort” (i.e., misconduct) providing medical evidence such as a doctor’s testimony. Moreover, if you were infected with HIV due to your spouse’s affairs, your partner can be found guilty of an offense.

#3: LOSS OF TRUST

The most obvious price of infidelity is loss of trust. Trust is not won back easily. The damage created by unfaithfulness can leave a lasting emotional wound. The slightest word or thought can trigger a person’s distrust from others. Both parties suffer an inability to share their lives with others without fear of betrayal. Marriage counselling can help mediate the situation.

#4: ACT OF FORGIVENESS

Following an act of unfaithfulness, a couple can move forward when forgiveness is present. Forgiveness is complicated, especially when you are breaking a vow. Forgetfulness will likely never occur, which makes forgiveness much harder. Healing takes time and effort.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Whether infidelity has taken place in the form of physical or emotional affair, the price is high.

Sources: 1,2,3,4, & 5

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Inflation Heavily Affected These Items Last 2022

Singapore’s inflation may have eased slightly in November 2022, but the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) warned of prolonged pain likely to linger. Risk factors pile up to the nation’s financial vulnerability in the corporate, banking, and housing sectors.

MAS stated, “Amid weakening external demand, the Singapore economy is projected to slow to a below-trend pace in 2023.” It added that “Inflation is expected to remain elevated, underpinned by a strong labor market and continued pass-through from high imported inflation.”

In 2022, the following items were heavily affected by inflation.

#1: GAS AND CAR REPAIRS

Fuel costs skyrocketed in 2022. It saw huge increases in the months of February, March, May, June, October, and November. Moreover, its increased fuel costs spilled over to January 2023. This high fuel costs were driven by the rising global oil and gas prices that were exacerbated by the war in Ukraine. Apart from fuel prices, repair costs definitely took a toll since early 2022.

#2: DELIVERY FEES

Delivery costs increased many companies and restaurants, hammered by inflation and higher fuel rates, passed those costs to consumers. Do you need to cut the costs of online delivery to your budget this 2023?

#3: CLEANING SUPPLIES

The pandemic led us to stay inside our homes more. With the increased demand and effects of inflation, household items became more expensive. Prices of garbage bags, aluminum foil, batteries, and cleaning supplies rose.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Despite the price hikes, 2022 also saw some unexpected price drops. For instance, television prices sank globally in hopes of lightening their inventory. Major appliances also decreased in price. Used cars also saw a drop in prices. Apart from these observations, clothing retailers have also enticed the consumers with their continuous promotions.

Not to mention, households in Singapore can welcome the new year with lower electricity bills. The tariff for the first quarter of 2023 will decrease by 2.7 per cent. From January 1 to March 31, the electricity tariff before GST will drop from 29.74 cents to 28.95 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), said SP Group. This will take effect even as the new goods and services tax (GST) of 8 per cent kicks in.

Sources: 1, 2, & 3

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