You’ve just come home from a long day of work, and you’re starving.
You head into the kitchen to prepare dinner, but your spouse has other plans. They would rather go out to eat and spend the money. What do you do?
You have a few options. You can either compromise and go out to eat together, or you can cook dinner yourself and let them fend for themselves. Or, read on.
Consider cooking together to make it fun
Cooking together can be an entertaining way to spend time with your spouse.
Not only do you get to cook a meal, but you also get to chat and spend time together.
Set aside time each week to do that. It doesn’t have to be a lot of time, but it should be enough so that you can focus on cooking and not feel rushed.
Analyzing the financial impact of dining out
Dining out can be expensive, especially if you’re eating at restaurants full-time.
By understanding the financial influence of this decision and sharing it with your spouse, you will be better prepared to make an informed choice that makes sense for everyone.
Take advantage of food delivery promotions
Image Credits: straitstimes.com.sg
If your spouse prefers to spend the money on convenience, take advantage of food delivery promotions instead.
This way, you can still enjoy a prepped meal without having to spend more. You might even be able to save some money.
Most food delivery services offer discounts for orders that are placed online. And if you order during off-peak hours, you can save even more. Plus, many food delivery services have loyalty programs that give you rewards for ordering from them often. So be sure to sign up for those.
Finding a compromise to keep both sides happy
Open up to the idea of compromise and try to come up with a plan that both of you are comfortable with. Perhaps you can allocate a certain amount of money each month that can be spent on dining out.
Or, maybe you can work out a plan where you cook at home more often and only go out to eat on special occasions. It’s good to understand each other’s values and spending habits so that you can find a midpoint that works for both of you.
Tips to have an enjoyable time eating out on a budget
Here are some tips:
If you want to save money, consider going to lunch or happy hour instead of dinner. Many restaurants offer great deals during these times.
When you do go out to eat, try splitting dishes with your spouse. This way, you can try more variety and save money at the same time.
Enjoy your time! Don’t be overly obsessed with how much money you are spending, but rather on quality time with your partner.
It can be challenging when your spouse prefers spending the money dining out over cooking at home. On the one hand, you may feel like you’re not getting your fair share of the budget when the other party spends more money on dining out than you would like. On the other hand, you may also feel like you’re not getting the healthy home-cooked meals you crave. No matter which side of the issue you’re on, have a conversation with your partner about how you feel. You may also want to consider compromises, such as cooking together or taking advantage of promotions. Ultimately, the most noteworthy thing is that both of you can come to a consensus about handling money when dining out.
Grab your favorite cup of hot chocolate or peppermint mocha and treat yourself with a trip to these spectacular, new places in Singapore! Let the good times roll with your friends and family members ’tis Yuletide season.
#1: STROLL DOWN ORCHARD ROAD
From now until January 2, 2023, Orchard Road glistens with streetlights and big Christmas trees. Take beautiful pictures with your loved ones as the entire stretch is dazzled with fairy lights, towering Christmas trees, and plenty of festive props. You can start from Plaza Singapura and end at Tanglin Mall.
Image Credits: facebook.com/VisitSingaporeANZ
Head down to Tanglin Mall for some winter wonderland glamour. This mall is a popular attraction for kids and young at heart. Near here is the Forum The Shopping Mall, which has pink neon lights decor that glows magically at night. While strolling some more, you will see Wheelock Place. Wheelock Place will draw you to its star-shaped illuminations suspended within its structure. Lastly, you will experience luxury with ION Orchard’s enormous star-shaped tree topper from Dior. This is your perfect backdrop for an IG snap!
#2: WITNESS THE CHANGI AIRPORT CONNECTOR
Witness the Changi Airport Connector light up in bioluminescence until Jan. 31, 2023. The 3-kilometer-long festive installation is called the Dino Glow. The Dino Glow greets its guests with a trail of 1,100 levitating jellyfish beneath the T2 Skytrain tracks. Along the park connector are 4,000 dandelions and 3,600 mushrooms, which leads to a 40-meter tunnel of lighted arches. The dinosaurs at Jurassic Mile are also decked out in festive gear. The light-up runs daily from 7pm to 1am.
Image Credits: Changi Airport Group
Apart from these, there will also be local food, burgers, and desserts. Some are blue too! There will be blueberry bubble tea and blue donburis. The food trucks are open every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from now until Jan. 1, 2023 at 5pm to 10pm.
#3: APPRECIATE HYPERREALISTIC ART AT ARTSCIENCE MUSEUM
Patricia Piccinini: We Are Connected exhibition reimagines reality at ArtScience Museum until Jan. 29, 2023. It features more than forty artworks and installations by contemporary artist Patricia Piccinini. Guests will be amazed by the strange reality where human-animal hybrids exist. Through her life-like sculptures, Patricia explores the advancements in biotechnology such as genetic engineering. Ticket prices range from S$16 to S$21.
Other activities at ArtScience Museum include the guided tours of the exhibition, which are available in Mandarin and English. Additional fees apply.
#4: PLAY AT THE GREAT BAY FIESTA
The Great Bay Fiesta displays attractions at Marina Bay, which runs from now until Jan. 1, 2023. The 20,000-square meter space includes four main event segments: The Great Cirque des Cascades, The Great World Carnival, The Great Food Fiesta, and Ice Magic: The Great Fantasy on Ice.
As someone who has never watched circus acts before, you will be impressed by the various performing acts that the Great Cirque des Cascades offers throughout its 80-minute runtime.
Image Credits: facebook.com/cheekiemonkies
At -10 degrees, Ice Magic: The Great Fantasy on Ice is the closest winter experience you can have in Singapore. The indoor ice playground will delight your children and their peers. Admission to the Great Bay Fiesta is priced from S$10. Additional payment applies for the activities.
Money issues are some of the main reasons why people end up in divorce court. Money is a touching subject that plays a vital role in any household. If you have enough money, you will be able to meet your basic needs and have some measure of happiness.
There are many reasons why couples have trouble communicating about money. Here are some of them:
#1: DIVERSE MONEY EXPERIENCES
Some Singaporeans have opportunities to learn money management skills growing up; many did not. Money is tight for some, so as adults, people may take steps to avoid the consequences of not having enough money.
How money matters were discussed and handled in previous relationships will affect how people handle their money in their current relationship. Learning how to make wise choices is important.
#2: DISSIMILAR COMMUNICATION STYLES
There are different communication styles that people typically use. While some are passive, others are aggressive. Passive communicators avoid expressing their thoughts and feelings about money. They often feel resentful, anxious, or even hopeless. Aggressive communicators overly express themselves in a powerful manner. These people dominate money conversations.
Lastly, assertive communicators share their thoughts and feelings respectfully. These people know how to listen and reflect on what they are hearing from the other person. Aim for this type of communication style.
#3: DIFFERING MONEY VALUES
When it comes to finances, we tend to spend money on things we value. For instance, a person who values security spends his money on insurance. If someone values freedom, he may throw caution to the wind with their money and spend impulsively.
We decide what our values are through experience, which means they could change throughout our lives. Some factors that influence our values include our educational background, culture, age, gender, socio-economic conditions, marital status, and other expectations.
#4: NEED FOR CONTROL
If you are in a relationship where both people want to be the head of finances, problems can ensue. Different ideas of how control looks like affects how we see our financial futures. Some of us have more controlling personalities than others. However, what if both of you are controlling?
Image Credits: unsplash.com
#5: INCOMPATIBLE SPENDING HABITS
If she likes to eat out and you like to cook at home, the two of you do not see eye to eye about how to spend money on food. Discuss household responsibilities and learn how each other feels. Find a middle ground where you both compromise.
#6: COMPETING SAVING HABITS
A saver and a spender can have different dynamics at home. The saver needs to understand that the spender wants to live a comfortable life, while the spender needs to be more careful and realistic with money.
#7: DISPARITIES IN INCOME
It can be challenging to get along if one person earns substantially more than the other. One of the best solutions for this situation is to let each person pay for bills based on the percentage of total income they earn (per month).
Do not let these seven elements become obstacles that get in the way of your relationship. Create a schedule for regular money discussions.
Friendships can benefit you in encouraging you to live healthier, elevating your quality of life, and lifting your self-esteem. Your friends should help you to be the best person you can be. You should do the same. Here are a few tips on becoming a good financial influence on your friends.
#1: SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH OTHERS
In 2013, researchers found that solitary experiences brought just as little happiness as the material things. Social experiences, on the other hand, were more valuable to the participants. Compared to possessions, we worry less about what others will think of our experiences, and they do not generate the same kind of regret. Consider sharing your experiences with your close friends and family members.
#2: SPEND MONEY ON THE RIGHT PEOPLE
A 2011 study showed that participants who recalled spending $20 on someone close to them reported feeling more positive emotion than those who recalled spending $20 on an acquaintance. Spending money on the right people is important for your financial health.
Allocate your dollars so your friends or family members can benefit without you feeling detached or drained.
#3: PAY YOUR BILLS ON TIME
Serve as a good example by paying your bills on time every month. Paying your bills on time helps you avoid late fees and prioritizes essential spending. On-time payment history can also lift your credit score and improve your interest rates.
#4: SAVE MONEY TO AFFORD BIG PURCHASES
Can you imagine constantly asking your friends for money? Certain kinds of loans and debts can drown you. Big purchases such as purchasing appliances and furniture can best be completed by cash.
When you buy in cash, you avoid generating interest and creating a debt that requires years to pay back. In the meantime, you can save money in your bank account and watch the power of compound interest.
#5: SET SMART GOALS
A person with financial goals can provide a good direction for himself and those around him. Setting goals helps you lay out your “why”. It also gives you something to work towards for.
Image Credits: unsplash.com
As you set your financial goals, keep in mind that you want them to be SMART. Break down your big goals into small, easily digestible chunks.
2022 has undoubtedly been a tough year for equity markets with global indices such as the S&P 500 down approximately 18% year to date.
A falling market can present interesting situations to different investors, and some would now see the glass as half-full. For instance, they may view cheaper valuations as a safety net that offers a larger margin for error. For investors who are thinking of starting their trading journey now, they can consider exploring with OCBC Securities. A wholly owned subsidiary of OCBC Group, OCBC Securities is a brokerage in Singapore that offers reliable services with transparent upfront fees. Now with their newly revamped iOCBC mobile app that comes packed with a myriad of user-friendly features, an even more seamless investment journey with iOCBC awaits.
Here are 5 new features on iOCBC that can help you spot timely trading opportunities:
1. Intuitive interface throughout the entire trading journey
For those who trade, they will know that every second counts. From the overall look and feel to small thoughtful details, the iOCBC Trade Mobile App is now designed intuitively for traders to trader smoother and faster. To start with, the biometric capabilities allow you to login and submit orders in a flash.
When browsing the markets, their predictive search bar with suggested results can help you to find the security you are looking for quickly, and also show you other similar instruments that are available on the iOCBC platform.
You can then add tickers to your watchlists from various convenient points through the app such as the search results and order ticket. Customise your watchlists to your preferences with collapsible columns to choose what information you want to see upfront or hide, and easily organise your watchlists with the drag-and-drop function.
As a new investor, making your first few trades can be incredibly stressful. With iOCBC, fret not as their trade order form comes with pre-built order validity checks. For newbies, this is very helpful as it will automatically display possible errors upfront by ensuring valid lot size and price range. Seasoned traders will benefit from this as well as it helps to reduce chances of fat-finger errors and also speed up your order placement.
After your orders are placed, tracking them is a breeze as the orders page is cleanly designed with colour coding to easily distinguish between buy and sell orders. Filter your orders by status (active, filled and unsuccessful) and see exactly how each order is filled and at what time with a detailed order log.
2. Gain market insights
The iOCBC mobile app is packed with features to help you spot trading ideas and validate them with your technical analysis. Their professional-grade yet easy-to-use charts powered by TradingView comes with more than 100 Technical Analysis indicators and over 50 smart drawing tools to support you in identifying actionable technical patterns. Investors can also choose to discover new trading ideas effortlessly with iOCBC’s trading tools – Market Statistics, ChartSense and StockReports+. StockReports+ is especially helpful for new investors as reading these reports will help them gain valuable sectoral insights. With in-depth market analysis from industry reports, coupled with charting tools ready at disposal, these could help to elevate trading performances.
3. Manage your portfolio like a professional!
How would one know how well he/she is doing without keeping score? Not to worry, an investor’s portfolio is updated in real-time for timely monitoring as part of holistic portfolio management on the iOCBC mobile app. Amazingly, various types of corporate action events including stock splits, dividends and rights issues are tracked so that the average cost of holdings, realised profit and losses will be adjusted accordingly.
4. Know the fees you pay upfront
Whilst you might have heard of other brokerages having hidden fees that customers may not be aware of, you will be glad to know that OCBC Securities has always been upfront about the fees that it charges to investors. With something as critical as your trading portfolio, you would want to know what you need to pay for and trade with peace of mind.
5. A reliable and secure platform
Lastly, OCBC Securities is a wholly owned subsidiary of OCBC Group, and OCBC Bank is consistently ranked among the World’s Top 50 Safest Banks by Global Finance! OCBC Securities offers reliable, secure end-to-end encryption trading and custodises your foreign shares with a renowned global service provider. With more than 35 years of experience in the industry, OCBC Securities has always been a brokerage that priorities their customers’ needs. Customers of OCBC Securities are provided with a dedicated Trading Representative to guide and assist them on their queries and even discuss market ideas. For beginners, this means you will have someone to handhold you to start your trading journey.
The article is published by MoneyDigest and does not represent OCBC Securities Private Limited (“OSPL”)’s view on the matters mentioned. All views or information expressed or provided in this article belong to and are that of the writers and are for information purposes only. They do not take into account the specific objectives, financial situation or particular needs of any particular person. You should not make any decisions without independently verifying or assessing the contents. No representation or warranty whatsoever (including without limitation any representation or warranty as to the accuracy, usefulness, adequacy, timeliness or completeness) in respect of any information (including without limitation any statement, figures, opinion, view or estimate) provided herein is given by OSPL and it should not be relied upon as such. OSPL does not undertake an obligation to update the information or to correct any inaccuracy that may become apparent at a later time. OSPL shall not be responsible for any loss or damage howsoever arising, directly or indirectly, as a result of any person acting on any information provided herein.
Trading in capital markets products and borrowing to finance the trading transactions (including, but not limited to leveraged trading or gearing) can be very risky, and you may lose all or more than the amount invested or deposited. Where necessary, please seek advice from an independent financial adviser regarding the suitability of any trade or capital markets product taking into account your investment objectives, financial situation or particular needs before making a commitment to trade or purchase the capital markets product. In the event that you choose not to seek advice from a financial adviser, you should consider whether the capital markets product is suitable for you. You should consider carefully and exercise caution in making any trading decision whether or not you have received advice from any financial adviser.