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New malls in Singapore

With all the new developments sprouting up all over Singapore, it can be hard to keep track of all the new shopping malls that are opening up all across Singapore. It looks like more is soon to follow, especially in heartlander estates as Singapore seeks to inject some life into formerly sleepy neighbourhood towns.

With that in mind, here are some of the newest shopping malls that opened in Singapore! Check out which are near you and which are worth your time (or not).

Kallang Wave Mall

(Image credit: mylilbookworm.blogspot.com)

1 Stadium Place
Singapore 397628

This new mall, which opened in the later half of 2014 is definitely worth your visit if you are in the area! As the shopping/retail/dining wing of the Singapore Sports Hub, Kallang Wave Mall has a definite focus on sports. It boasts a gigantic indoors rockclimbing wall that is sure to be fun for the whole family, as well as many sporting shops such New Balance and Runner’s Edge. There is also a FairPrice Xtra which apart from selling the usual things, also has a focus on organic and healthfoods, and is quite a large hypermart overall. For the fashion conscious, you will definitely enjoy well known shops such as Cotton On, Forever 21, Uniqlo, and H&M. The best thing is that you won’t see the same crowds you normally see at such stores at Kallang Wave Mall! In addition to many food options, the Kallang Wave Mall also has Daiso and Harvey Norman if you should need to pick up any miscellaneous goods or electronics.

Big Box

1 Venture Avenue
Singapore 608521

Big Box is another new mall that has gotten a good deal of press for its unique warehouse concept. Opened in December 2014, this megastore contains a hypermarket, a home improvement section, a fashion section and an outdoor and sporting goods section, all on just the first floor. The second floor boasts a large furniture section, consumer electroics and IT, geriatric products and more. The entire megastore has much more to offer besides just this. For example, there are still dining options for shoppers. Big Box also has a drive-through option for those who do not have much time to shop – simply order your goods online and pick them up from the drive-through. If you ever want to experience a more normal retail experience, simply head over to the nearby JEM and JCube, which are in the vicinity as well.

One KM

11 Tanjong Katong Road
OneKM Shopping Mall
Singapore 437157

Located on the site of the former Lion City Hotel, One KM is yet another place where Uniqlo is an anchor tenant, opened in November 2014. For the fashion conscious, you can also find Espirit and other clothing shops at One KM. However, One KM Mall’s real strength lies in food. One KM has a few interesting choices for retail such as: Fika Swedish Cafe, Beauty in the Pot (a hotpot restaurant specializing in collagen soups), Baikohken Japanese restaurant, Milk & Honey Yogurt, Tenderfresh Classic and others. One KM also has a Cold Storage for your grocery needs.

Seletar Mall

33 Sengkang West Avenue
Singapore 797653

Seletar Mall, one of the new heartland malls that opened last year in November, is a good destination for anyone who lives in the area. It has a little bit of everything, from a Shaw cineplex, groceries, shopping, a BHG department store, and services such as clinics, hair and beauty, optical shops and a money changer and POSB bank.

HillV2

4 Hillview Rise
Singapore 667979

HillV2, in the prime neighbourhood of upper Bukit Timah, opened in October of 2014. It caters to a slightly more upmarket crowd, with many gourmet food offerings. Hillview Market Place caters to your supermarket needs, while the gourmet grocer Dean & DeLuca and for the wine lovers, Wine Connection Bistro is also available. Other gastronomical delights in HillV2 include Black Angus Steakhouse, Cold Stone Creamery, and iO Italian Osteria amongst others. A Spa is also on location if you should wish to indulge in traditional Javanese Massage.

How many of these 5 new shopping malls that have opened only in the last few months have you visited? Share your experience with us!

5 Ways to Save Money on Hand Phone Accessories

The cost of your hand phone accessories range from $2 to $100+, but its expense adds up together. Hence, it is paramount to be savvy in purchasing hand phone accessories to save money.

1. USE A SOCK ON IT

Instead of buying a new phone case, try to buy a new pair of toddler socks. The phone fits perfectly inside the sock and it is easy to see in your purse. It not only protects your phone to serve its purpose but it also has a wide range of cute designs to choose from.

2. BUY HAND PHONE ACCESSORIES ONLINE

Do not rely solely on the gadget shops in the malls that sell hand phone gear, also explore good prices in the Internet such as: Amazon, eBay, and Carousell. Online stores have sales and clearance of their last year stocks where you can save money. It is important to shop around, and compare prices before purchasing to get the best deal.

3. PROTECT YOUR CHARGER CABLE WIRE

The cable chargers of Apple products usually break and bend. This urges Apple users to buy another costly cable for the Mac store. The solution is simple, take the spring from your old pen and put it on the cable wire. Or, you may buy plastic cable wire protectors for $1.50 to $2 from Carousell.

Image Credits: Raul Gonzalo via Flickr

4. DO YOU REALLY NEED AN EXTRA BATTERY?

Rethink if you really need an extra battery before buying them. Some smart phones do not have an option of replacing the battery by your own. So, it is wiser to invest on an extra charger for your office or your car.

5. STOCK UP YOUR OLD HAND PHONE ACCESSORIES

Do not toss your old hand phone accessories such as your car charger because phone companies may revert back to their old power cord. Instead, clean your silicone phone case in the dishwasher or sell your stuff online to earn more.

How Much Will It Cost To Live in USA, Singapore, Australia or Italy?

Cost of living is the total expense of maintaining a standard of living in a certain country. This changes over time and is often operationalized in a cost of living index.

In this chart is the comparison of the cost of living of four countries namely: United States of America, Australia, Singapore, and Italy.

Clothing And Shoes Ave. (in SGD)	USA	SG	AUS	ITALY

1 Pair of Jeans (Levis)	54.95	111.92	111.35	129.67
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, F21, etc.)	47.82	63.24	76.26	53.99
1 Pair of Men Leather Shoes	113.77	136.22	147.41	166.62

Total Clothing:	216.54	311.38	335.02	350.28

Rent Per Month Ave. (in SGD)

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre	1,359.20	3,312.03	1,944.27	928.25
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre	1,032.05	2,133.33	1,380.82	709.08
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre	2,313.77	5,955.30	3,335.58	1,634.16
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre	1,743.47	3,579.49	2,186.44	1,192.56

Total Rent:	6,448.49	14,980.15	8,847.11	4464.05

Ave. Salary After Tax (in SGD)

Monthly Salary	4,103.69	3,875.20	4,732.34	2,439.03

All the data were collated from Numbeo. It is a website that stores the world’s largest database of user contributed information about global living conditions.

Before discussing the variables in the chart, let us first explore a brief introduction of these four countries. United States of America, commonly referred to as U.S., is a federal republic country that is consists of 50 states. According to the International Monetary Fund, U.S. has the world’s largest national economy. It is considered as a developed country.

Australia, or Commonwealth of Australia, consists of the mainland and numerous smaller islands. In 2012, International Monetary Fund ranked Australia as the fifth highest per capita income among the world. It is also considered as a developed country.

Singapore, officially known as Republic of Singapore, is an island country in Southeast Asia. Despite its size, Singapore had the third highest per capita income around the world. It boasts its high regard on education, healthcare, and economic competitiveness.

Lastly, Italy is a parliamentary republic in Southern Europe. Human Development Report highlighted that Italy is a very developed country with its economy being the eighth largest in the world.

In the comparative chart above, Italy was shown to have the highest cost in Clothing and Shoes. Most of the famous chain brands originated from the U.S., which is why the country had the least cost on clothing and shoes. Furthermore, it is the reason why some items are cheaper when you buy it on its online store.

The Average Rent per Month is overwhelmingly dominated by Singapore. Renting a bedroom apartment at the city center will cost you about S$3,312.03 in Singapore. With that amount, a person can already rent two 3-bedroom apartments in Italy’s city center. The higher cost of rent in Singapore is due to the 718.3 km2 total area of land wherein millions of people reside.

Image Credits: Lina Hughes via Flickr

Lastly, in most of the factors, Australia sits strong on the second place. Although rent and clothing may be costly in Australia, the average salary per month is S$4,732.34. It is the highest among the other four countries.

So, if you are moving to a different country and curious about its cost of living, look it up on Numbeo. It has been mentioned in internationally renowned newspapers and magazines such as BBC, Forbes, The Economist, and New York Times among others.

Sources: International Monetary Fund, Numbeo, and Wikipedia

5 Cats That Hit Internet Fame All The Way To The Bank

You can think of countless ways to earn money. With this money, you can buy a pet or two. But, in rare cases it is the other way around. Your pet or pets can earn countless amount of money for you and your family. All you have to do is be equipped with a video recorder or a hand phone.

These cats had become Internet sensations and have been making their owners rich by showing off their adorable or grumpy faces.

5. KEYBOARD CAT

Although he passed away in 1987, this video from 1984 has been earning his owners about $175,800. The YouTube video had gotten more than 38,309,946 views. In this, keyboard cat plays a fast-beat music while in costume.

4. MARU

Maru, a male Scottish Fold cat from Japan, become famous due to YouTube, print, and television. His YouTube videos have an average of 800,000 views each and earns roughly $21,800-$181,600 in total.

Watch Maru’s introduction video with over 20 million views in the present:

3. TWO TALKING CATS

Mossy and Stina are two adorable cats that usually fight with each other. In this rare captured moment of more than 58 million views, the two cats seem to be having a deep conversation.

Both of them are described as female, healthy, and vigorous. They have been earning their owners about $8,500-$70,700.

2. TARA THE HERO CAT

After courageously rescuing her owner’s son, Tara has been making appearances in news and even in the first pitch of a Bakersfield Blaze game. She has been reportedly earning about $55,600-$463,700 for her owners.

1. GRUMPY CAT

Grumpy Cat or Tardar Sauce is an Internet celebrity that is best known for her grumpy facial expression. Her owner, Tabatha Bundesen, says that Tardar’s face is permanent due to underbite and feline dwarfism.

Image Credits: Neon Tommy via Flickr

Aside from appearances in Reddit, YouTube, and The Wall Street Journal, she has recently graced the small screen in the Christmas special for the Lifetime network.

According to the Business Insider and Telegraph, Grumpy Cat has earned her owner nearly $100 million!

Sources: Wikipedia and ViralNova

Subscription boxes in Singapore You Need to Look Out For

The subscription box trend has really taken off in Singapore and around the world with a wide array of boxes you can sign up for. Subscription boxes are usually a monthly affair, where a mystery box of goodies will arrive at your doorstep each month for you to unwrap! This can also be a cheap, efficient, and fun way of trying out new products that you wouldn’t otherwise have heard of. Boxes usually contain sample sizes of products or even full sizes, and are thoughtfully curated to have something that will appeal to everyone. If you are interested in buying the fullsize product, quite a few of these services have websites where you can do so, often at a discount from the retail price.

That being said, with all the different boxes in the market, here is a quick rundown of different subscription box services in Singapore.

Beauty/Cosmetics:

1) BellaBox

(Image credit: makeupstash.com)

One of the most established beauty boxes in Singapore, this box will set you back $19.95 per month. Each signature blue and white polkadotted box contains 5+ surprise products for you to try! Their website also reveals some sneak peeks of next month’s box.
2) The Little Black Beauty Box (styleXstyle)

(Image credit: cindykhor.blogspot.com)

The LBBS partners with TANGS to deliver a luxury experience to you each month for only $22.90. As they are partners with TANGS, the LBBS tends to have higher end products, and comes packaged in a sleek matte black box.

3) Glamabox http://sg.glamaclub.com/glamabox/

(Image credit: sweetestsins.blogspot.com)

Glamabox is a subscription service fronted by Lisa S, and runs about $19/month. Each box contains 4-5 products thoughtfully selected for you.

Food/Drink:

4) Thirsty

(Image credit: Irisslove, Photobucket)

Thirsty, a well-known craft beer shop, has a subscription monthly beer club that will set you back $165 for 24 bottles of craft beer. A good way to try out hard-to-find craft beers if you enjoy your drink!

5) Nom box

(Image credits: weekender.com.sg)

Nom box is a dessert themed subscription box, that comes in two sizes, the normal Nom box ($28) for 4-5 types of desserts/snacks from cafes and the Nom Box + ($39) for 6-8 desserts/snacks. They have many well-known cafe partners and you can easily check out the past boxes for an idea of what you may be receiving!

6) BoxGreen

(Image credit: Box Green Singapore)

Have a new year’s resolution to eat healthy? BoxGreen delivers 4 natural and wholesome snacks that are guilt-free and healthy to you each month for $19.90. What’s more, for every box delivered, a meal is donated through Willing Hearts to help the underprivileged in Singapore! So you can eat healthy, and be doing a good deed at the same time.

Clothing:

7) Lowinsky

(Image credit: jocelyncjx.blogspot.com)

Lowinsky’s subscription box caters to both men ($58) and women ($38), with up to 5 pieces of hand selected apparel and accessories. If you don’t like something, you can let the team of stylists know so that they’ll be able to better select apparels for you for the next box!

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