If you are fond of late Christmas shopping and New Year parties, curb your Holiday season costs by following these 4 savvy saving tips:
1. CREATE A LIST AND CHECK IT TWICE
With a desired budget in mind, write down a list of all the people you want to buy gifts for. Go through the names on the list and allocate a specific amount that you are willing to spend on each one. If money is still tight, go over the list one more time and reduce either the names or the designated amount.
For larger families, consider giving one present per married couple. Remember that you are not Santa Claus and it is not your duty to give everyone a present!
2. PULL OUT NAMES FROM A BOWL
Instead of spending a hefty amount on all your family and extended family members, consider the “Secret Santa or Exchange Gift” method wherein everyone will pick a name out of a bowl. After which, you will only have to fuel all your resources for that one gift and that one person. Aside from saving money, you just saved yourself countless hours of shopping.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)
3. USE THE MODERN TECHNOLOGY TO YOUR ADVANTAGE
Shopping for a gift is not always about getting the cheapest item but rather about getting the value for every cent you spend. So if you are undecided on which model or brand has prime quality at an affordable rate, get your money’s worth by searching online for credible reviews first.
For example, you can visit Stuff Singapore for reliable reviews on computers, tablets, games, and other gadgets.
4. REMEMBER WHY YOU CELEBRATE
With all the festivities going on, it is easy to lose sight of what is important. Whether you are planning to have a simple dinner as a family or go on an extravagant overseas holiday trip, you must remember that you are celebrating the joyous holiday season because you are blessed enough to be with the people you love most. And you cannot put a price-tag on that!
Best of all? You can use these tips for the next Holiday season! 🙂
Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)
With the festive season soon arriving, it’s time to start planning ahead on where to dine with your families or loved ones during Christmas or Christmas Eve. Eating out during this period can be expensive as restaurants prepare themselves for greater demands for their celebratory feasts. If you want to snag the best deal or a table in a popular restaurant in Singapore, it’s best to start researching now. Some restaurants even offer you an early bird price if you can confirm and make payment weeks ahead of the celebration.
Here is a roundup of 5 Christmas Eve Dinner Buffets that are S$100++ or less.
1. Brizo Restaurant & Bar
We start off with Brizo Restaurant & Bar on our list because it offers one of the most affordable buffet on Christmas Eve. That doesn’t mean a less sumptuous spread though. At $72++ per person, you are getting your money worth when they are offering premium seafood items such as fresh Maine lobsters, oysters and snow crab legs on their Ice Crustacean Bar. Wait, hold your horses, look out for other highlights of the yuletide spread such as the Roasted Whole Suckling Pig, Angus Striploin with Red Wine & Foie Gras and Seafood Paella with Chorizo Sausage.
Highlights: Oysters and Snow Crab Legs, Angus Striploin with Red Wine & Foie Gras
2. Makan@Jen
Nested in the new Hotel Jen at Orchard Gateway, Makan@Jen is a relatively new restaurant that has slowly picked up fans since 2014 — with 79% up votes on Singapore’s no.1 food site Hungrygowhere. Makan@Jen is located at level 10 of the hotel lobby which promises a decent view of the the city, in its spacious and cosy environment. This Christmas Eve, look forward to an abundant spread of international and local favourites. In their festive menu, they also offer the Maine lobsters (Canadian), snow crabs and freshly shucked oysters. In their roast section, there are items such as Roast Australian Lamb with Tandoori Spices and Roast Prime US Ribeye with Rosemary and Herbs. Priced at $88++ per person.
Highlights: Maine lobsters, Oysters, Roasted Australian Lamb, Roast Prime US Rib
Enjoy Early Bird Specials of 15% off when you make your reservations before 22 Dec 2015.
3. Indulge at Park
Have a Citrus Christmas at Indulge at Park! Well, don’t worry you will not be served oranges, lemon and grapefruits. Instead you’ll be in for an unique experience as they prepare to delight you with dishes infused with citrus flavours. Look out for dishes such as Calamansi Scented Salmon Tartar in Martini Glass, Dried Orange Peel Smoked Turkey Carpaccio, 8-hours Slow Roasted Citrus Brine Marinate Christmas Turkey, Tangerine Cheesecake and more. Their seafood section includes items such as Half Shell Scallop and Mussels, King Crab Legs, Boston Lobster, Live Oysters and White Clam. For only $80++ per person, it’s value for your money.
Highlights: Citrus-inspired menu, good spread of seafood on ice, wide selection of international cheese, live carving station and Christmas Dessert House(For the full menu, click here.)
4. Café Swiss
If ambience and settings are important to you, check out Café Swiss. Sitting in the atrium of Swissotel The Stamford, the 210-seater restaurant boasts modern European architecture that sets itself apart from the rest. Its festive menu is priced at $90++ per person and it has a large variety of food including a Japanese counter that serves salmon sashimi, sushi and soba and a Live Station for your Roasted Turkey and Honey Glazed Ham. Price includes free flow soft drink and a glass of Moët & Chandon Impérial
Highlights: Freshly Shucked Oysters (opened live), Japanese Half Shell Scallop, Slipper Lobster, Pan Seared Scallop, Cheese Selection, Festive Desserts such as Chocolate Brandy Log Cake & more. (Download full menu: here)
5. Carousel
Carousel has won the AsiaOne People’s Choice Awards for the Best Buffet Restaurant in Singapore for the sixth consecutive year. Reviews on Hungrygowhere are hugely positive and many praise the good service by the staffs there. Besides commendable services, they boasts a huge (really huge) spread of food. They have a wide selection of sashimi from your standard salmon to Tuna, Tai and Hokkigai (Surf Clam) and more. If you are a fan of oysters, they have the Live Canadian Oysters and the famous French Fine de Claires Oysters. In addition, they also have a live Teppanyaki station, Steamed Boat with Thai Tom Yam Stock, Indian Cuisine and a Dessert Station.
Highlights: 6 selections of fresh sashimi, Teppanyaki Live Station, Fine de Claires Oysters, Halal Cheese, Mediterranean selection, Chocolate Fountain & More.(View full menu: here)
Priced at $92++ per person. Enjoy 10% off when you make your payment with UOB, DBS/POSB, Citibank, OCBC, UnionPay or AMEX credit cards.
Lovable, clever, quiet, sweet, and playful are just some of the words to describe your feline friend. Their comforting nature has been proven to reduce one’s stress levels that even renowned Psychologist Sigmund Freud believed that the “time spent with cats is never wasted”.
This Christmas season, while searching for the purrfect gift for your cat-adoring loved one, keep in mind that you must also be financially savvy.
Here are 5 Christmas Gift Ideas For Cat Lovers Costing Under S$30…
1. HAND-KNITTED FELINE TOYS
Doggy Friend maybe one of the cheapest online pet stores out there but their services are optimum. Looking at their user-friendly website that is easy to navigate, I saw a wide range of cat food brands. You will definitely find a product and price that suits you best.
Also, there are adorable hand-knitted toys made with toxic-free wool, 75 cm strings, and bell to tease the kittens with. Hurry as these JU-BE Feline toys are on sale for S$5 only!
Screen-grabbed from: doggyfriend.com.sg
And if you want to give a present for your friend but you do not know what cat product to get him or her, you may buy a Doggy Friend gift certificate instead. Their gift certificates range from S$10-S$50.
2. PRETTY CAT LIP GLOSS
Pucker up as the cat-shaped lip gloss by Rubi Shoes can be used wherever you go. You can choose from three delightful scents such as mint, watermelon, and coconut as well as three vivid colors such as silver, mint, and hot pink.
Screen-grabbed from: cottonon.com
Retailing for S$7.95-9.95, this novelty lip gloss will surely be loved by your friend’s lips and your own wallet!
3. NOT YOUR AVERAGE GRAPHIC TEE
You can never go wrong with the classic crew neck printed tees as it goes well with anything from skinny denims to loose skirts.
Made with 100% cotton, Cotton On Singapore takes a humorous route as their white shirt for men is basically a cat version of the singer Pharrell Williams. It is on sale now for only S$10!
Screen-grabbed from: cottonon.com
If you prefer printed words, you can go for the unisex “ARE YOU KITTEN ME RIGHT MEOW?” tee by TrendingTops. It is handmade and shipped internationally from United States. This is why the variety of sizes range from XS-4XL. 4XL- a size unheard of in most Asian countries! They cost about S$20.31.
As the breeze of cold December air graces the nation, keep your loved ones warm and happy with these finger less gloves. Customize these pair of gloves by choosing the yarn or color of the fun kitty design.
Friendly reminder: Purchase these gloves for over S$18.84 under Priority Mail International in order to receive your order prior to Christmas day!
If you are feeling tired, overwhelmed, stressed, bored, or lethargic then, you may have lost your groove or “mojo” (as Austin Powers calls it).
Groove refers to the energy and power to perform things easily and exceptionally. When you are in the groove, you are unstoppable at work and other areas of your life!
Losing it is unavoidable due to financial setbacks, breakups, and other unfortunate circumstances.
There will be days when you feel like you are not fully yourself. I too experience writer’s block every once in a while. But it is important to pick yourself up, shake off the past, and move on.
Reclaim what is rightfully yours by following these tips:
1. DO MORE OF WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
Happiness is an essential source of vigor. Begin by writing down a list of activities where you had so much fun. Re-live each moment mentally by reminiscing your happy times. Then, elevate your energy by recreating a couple or more of these activities.
2. TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOURSELF
Being in a rut does not mean that you have to look rotten too! Research suggests that if you look fabulous outside, you will feel fabulous inside. So style your hair differently, put on your favorite cosmetics, or wear clothes that make you feel stunning. Pretty soon you will realize that your groove relies on the self-confidence within.
3. TRAIN YOUR THOUGHTS
In the period of groove loss, you may experience a repetition of negative thoughts or worries. This is called rumination. Rumination can take a toll on your physical and mental well being. Solve this by training your thoughts.
Once it spirals off to the dark abyss, bring back the light by redirecting your mind to the positive memories, grateful thoughts, or anything pleasant. You may have to do this several times consciously until it comes naturally.
4. SHY AWAY FROM ELECTRONICS
It is easy to take things for granted because of how convenient everything is with modern technology. Say you are making a slogan for your ad campaign, instead of spending countless minutes browsing on your thesaurus, you just spend seconds to Google the synonyms.
I know you are tempted to drown yourself on K-Dramas or other television series when you feel low on “mojo” but it is hard to move on if you are avoiding things. Practice an electronics sabbatical by turning of the television, your laptop, tablets, and other devices for at least 3 days. Use this time to have an interesting conversation with your partner or kids. Tidy up your closet or organize your files as long as you do something productive and optimistic.
Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)
In 2012, a study published by Singapore Management University showed that female university students who were locals were significantly more materialistic than their American counterparts.
Living in the most expensive city in the world, it is inevitable to equate one’s stature to one’s wealth. The validation we get from other people while flaunting our expensive items is flattering at first but it is harder to maintain in the long run.
Instead of inciting envy, how about you focusing on improving your self-worth by avoiding these ridiculously expensive purchases:
1. DESIGNER BAGS
There is no better way to wear your “wealth” than by carrying a bag that screams costly designer price tags wherever you go! While you may feel excited, happy, and satisfied the first few months, you will soon be craving for a new one to widen your collection.
With the ever-changing fashion trends, is it really worth spending over S$4,000 on a mini Chanel bag? For me, making new experiences with your loved ones while traveling overseas is a better way to spend that pile of cash.
Think about it. You have to strictly save up and resist temptations as this huge amount of money equates to about 2 months of your salary (in reference to the average wages of Singaporeans)! Sporting your sleek Chanel bag may display your “high status” but the preoccupation to limiting your daily expenses can cause long-term unhappiness.
2. JEWEL OF PANGAEA
Do you want to experience an extravagant cocktail at one of Singapore’s most luxurious nightclubs? If you answered yes then, you have to fork out about S$32,000 to experience the “Jewel of Pangaea”. The Jewel of Pangaea consists of vintage Krug, Richard Hennessy cognac, smoke-infused sugar cube, and 1-carat triple X diamond from Mouawad.
The renewed mixologist prepares the shining jewel garnishing over foamy liquid of gold in just 45 seconds. 45 seconds – the short amount of time it would take to flush your S$32,000 down!
3. 3D TELEVISIONS
Dreaming of a movie theatre-like experience at home?
Few people turned that dream into reality by purchasing 3D television that includes 3D glasses, lifelike images, vivid colors, and 3D effects. In Singapore, the price for this set ranges from S$2,800 to S$14,999.
Knowing that the majority of the owners (i.e., almost 80%) in United Kingdom regretted their purchase…will you still buy one for the sake of showing off your extravagant television to others?
Image Credits: pixabay.com (License: CC0 Public Domain)
Avoid making ridiculous purchases that are meant to fill your emotional void by questioning your buying habits. Also, be grateful for what you have. The less you give into the unnecessary wants, the less financial and natural resources will be impacted!
