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6 Credit Card Do’s & Don’ts

DO NOT SPEND WITHOUT CONTROL

Let me start by saying that you must not spend more than what you can afford. Remember that credit is a loan, which is meant to be repaid. It is your responsibility to stay on top of your debts and to keep your commitment with the lenders. Maintain your control by avoiding the credit limit of your cards.

DO CHECK YOUR CREDIT HISTORY

Reality check! Credit cards with premier rewards and terms fall down to candidates with the best credit. This is why it is important to see your financial circumstance in the eyes of an issuer. Consider getting a credit report, before availing a credit card. Keep your eyes peeled to some errors!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

DO NOT PICK AN UNSPECIFIC CARD

Much like a box of chocolates, credit cards exist to embody different functions. Some are used for travel miles and others are used for shopping rebates. You must figure out which credit card suits you best! Compare credit card options from different issuers, before making a grand decision.

DO KEEP UP WITH YOUR STATEMENTS

To reap the benefits of your credit cards, you must fully pay for your statement each month. Not paying the full amount entails acquiring interest. The interest that you will be paying for will just cancel out any benefits that you are meant to receive. Moreover, paying off your statement each months ensures that you stay out of debt too.

DO NOT GIVE YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION AWAY

As much as you trust a partner or a friend, you must not give your credit card information to someone else. It may entice this person to use it against the law. Say that you lent your credit card to a co-worker. While some cashiers do not check NRIC these days, you will never know when someone will ask for it. You would not want to be entangled with a “fraudulent” scene.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

DO MEMORIZE THE ISSUER’S HOTLINE

A credit card offers an additional layer of protection than a debit card. Debit cards only offer the pin numbers as protection. You see, credit card companies often have a department that follows up on reports of fraudulent charges. Things will be taken cared of, if you quickly report a stolen credit card. Thus, you must know the no-cost hotline of your credit card issuer.

Sources: 1 & 2

Save Up To $82/Month On Delivery Fees With Grab’s Food Plans

If you love GrabFood (like we all do!), you are in for a treat with Grab’s latest offering.

Food Plans are subscription plans under GrabFood that are designed to help subscribers achieve massive savings automatically.

For a limited time only, subscribe to Grab’s Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan and save up to $82 on delivery fees in a month.

Arnold’s Fried Chicken on GrabFood

What Is The Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan?

Order the Dian Xiao Er’s Signature Herbal Roast Duck on GrabFood

For only $7.99/month, you will get 30 free deliveries per month under the Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan. Given that GrabFood’s delivery fee averages about $3 per delivery, the Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan can deliver (pun intended) massive savings of up to $82 per month! In case you are curious, here’s the math:

$3 X 30 Free Deliveries – $7.99 (Cost of Subscription of Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan)

Furthermore, as an added convenience for GrabFood user, subscription plans are also auto-renewed monthly. This smooth and hassle-free process ensures that you do not miss out on any savings. Not to worry, subscribers can cancel anytime they change their mind.

Toast Box’s Drumstick Braised Pork Rice

Limited-time Launch Promo Giveaways

As part of Food Plan’s launch promotion, you get to save EVEN MORE when you subscribe today! A total of $15 worth of GrabFood vouchers:

1X$5 off (with min. spend of $10)
1X$10 off (with min. spend of $20)

will be given away as part of the launch promotion. These vouchers will be credited into your account instantaneously upon confirmation of subscription.

How To Subscribe To Grab’s Food Plan?

Launch the Grab App and tap on your Profile Picture
Select ‘Subscriptions’
Scroll to find ‘Food Plans’ & tap ‘View Plan’
Select ‘Free Delivery Subscription’ and tap ‘Get This Plan’
Tap ‘Confirm’ to subscribe after you have checked your payment details
You will find the vouchers awarded to you instantly!

Wait no more and sign up for GrabFood’s Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan to save up to $82 of delivery fees in a month!

Rise And Fall Of Sembawang Music Centre

Remember the time when cassette tapes and CDs were a big deal? Well, the popularity of stereo and portable CD players came with the massive impact of Sembawang Music Centre (SMC).

Before we reminisce the existence of this local legend, let us go back to the birth of the CD. The CD is often times attributed to inventor James Russell who used multiple optical mediums. However, it was finalized in the 80’s when Sony and Philips created the famed “Red Book” standard. The standard follows a 120mm diameter disc with music at a resolution of 16 bit/44.1kHz. To many, this is still regarded as the optimal digital standard. This newly revamped CD made its way to the greater public in 1983.

It makes sense why Sembawang Music Centre reigned supreme in the 1990’s to early 2000’s. From cassette tapes to CDs, music enthusiasts of the yesteryears were satisfied with the collection of SMC. It is a mainstay in the music retail industry with an operation spanning for more than two decades. Students often save up every cent of their allowance to buy an album or two!

Image Credits: straitstimes.com

It got its name from the shopping centre from which it started – the Sembawang Shopping Centre. In its humble beginnings, it stored some of the most rare music finds. It made every weekend a musical treasure hunt for adolescents and adults alike. During its peak, it had about 26 outlets in Singapore! Several outlets were found in Raffles City, Thomson Plaza, and Plaza Singapura. Having decent locations were not enough to avoid its downfall! The digital wave in the music industry made retail stores like SMC obsolete. You can buy almost any song from iTunes, stream your favorite playlists in Spotify, or download illegally at no-cost from various websites.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

People like to listen to music and they like it now! The convenience that digital music platforms can offer led to the diminishing popularity of physical music retail stores. As a result, Sembawang Music Center filed for bankruptcy and eventual closure in 2009. SMC, you will always be a part of Singapore’s musical history.

Sources: 1 & 2

Complete Your Home Gym With These Inexpensive Equipment

One of my partner’s resolutions for the year 2019 is to achieve his ideal shape! With this goal in mind, he enrolled in a nearby gym and set a schedule for his fitness regimen. To support this, he and I exercise at home with the following equipment.

Do not worry! You do not have to break the bank to get ripped.

YOGA MAT
Price: S$9.90 at Decathlon

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Investing in a Yoga Mat is a must due to its versatility. Not only can you do all sorts of yoga poses in a non-slip surface, but it can also protect your joints as you exercise. Exercising on a yoga mat goes beyond the practice of yoga. You can do push-ups or ab crunches while on the mat.

PVC HAND WEIGHTS
Price: S$13 at Decathlon

Easy-to-grip hand weights or dumbbells need no introduction! They simply add resistance to your cardio routine or strength training. You may also step up your yoga poses while holding a pair or two-pound weights!

JUMP ROPE
Price: S$2.50 at Decathlon

There is a reason why boxers incorporate the classic jump rope to their training. It improves a range of skills such as balance, stamina, endurance, and coordination. Not to mention, this lightweight and tangle-resistant rope is adjustable for different heights.

RESISTANCE BANDS
Price: S$3.90 at Decathlon

Resistance bands are cheap, convenient, and light. Toss a couple of resistance bands in your drawer to enjoy the 20 to 50 pounds of resistance in aid of your strength training. Research about the poses that you can do with it.

AB WHEEL
Price: S$10 at Decathlon

The Ab Wheel is one of the as-seen-on-TV products that actually work. It earned the hearts of many due to its ability to tone the abs. If you are sick of crunches, this alternative may be perfect for you! Made of stainless steel or heavy-duty plastic, it is durable enough to last.

MEDICINE BALL
Price: S$4.90 at Decathlon

While I will not require you to spend a huge amount of money on a full set of medicine balls, you may invest in one or two of them. Medicine balls are about the size of a Basketball, but can weigh from 2 to 30 pounds.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Use these weighted balls to support your ab exercises. Ultimately, it is fantastic for building your upper-body power. Try throwing it against the wall or to a partner.

Sources: 1 & 2

4 Budget-Friendly Healthy Snack Ideas

I have always wondered why my immediate eco-system is fueled by people who are conscious about their weight. They go to significant measures such as strict dieting or regular exercising to reach their desired figures. In their journey, I often ask about their eating habits. I found that they create rules to adhere to healthy snacking. What is healthy snacking, exactly?

Well, I rounded up the list of the snacks that they share in common. These snacks are not only pocket-friendly, but also travel-friendly.

GREEK YOGURT

I, for one, am obsessed with yogurt drizzled with sweet toppings. A healthier alternative to this is a cup of Greek Yogurt. Greek Yogurt is rich with protein – taking up 22 grams of protein in 8 ounces of it. It is also packed with calcium. What’s more? Flavored Greek yogurt only costs about S$3.95 at FairPrice.

Put a twist to your Greek yogurt by adding a teaspoon of honey, fresh fruits, and nuts. Prepare this mixture in small containers to save time. Worry not about consuming everything at once as you can keep it for about two months.

AIR-POPPED POPCORN

Who does not love Popcorn? Instead of buying bagged microwave popcorn, the healthiest way to eat it is to cook whole-grain popcorn at home. Whole-grain popcorn contains a lot of fiber and antioxidants. It works well as an afternoon or an evening snack, which can liven up your movie marathons. Best of all, it will not cost you a fortune!

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Go old-school by drizzling your kernels with olive oil and sea salt. Or, give it a kick with cayenne pepper and maple syrup.

HUMMUS

One of the world’s oldest farmed food include the main ingredient of Hummus – the chickpeas. Chickpeas are high in protein, fiber, and folic acid. Reap these benefits by creating your own hummus.

Like many snacks, you can save more money when you make your own. Hummus is made of few ingredients including chickpeas, dried tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and olive oil. Nonetheless, you may purchase a tub at FairPrice for about S$6.25.

PICKLED VEGETABLES

What do pickled green beans, pickled cucumbers, and pickled cauliflower have in common? They have low calorie counts and they will not break your budget! Moreover, many pickled veggies have iron, vitamin A, and potassium.

Pair your pickled veggies with crackers or bread. Prices of pickled radish and cucumber start at S$1.50 in FairPrice.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

The healthy snack ideas above are just some great treats that you can take on the road! Can you suggest more?

Sources: 1 & 2

What Is The Free Delivery Subscription Food Plan?

Limited-time Launch Promo Giveaways

How To Subscribe To Grab’s Food Plan?

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